Judge Roy Moore: No Marriage Licenses To Same-Sex Couples In Alabama
Alabama State Supreme Court Justice Chief Roy Moore issued an administrative order today saying Alabama probate judges should not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Chief Justice Roy Moore argues the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling on same-sex marriages only applies to the states specifically listed in that case.
Chief Justice Moore’s 4-page order says Alabama’s law and amendment banning same-sex marriage “remain in full force and effect,” and that Alabama’s probate judges have a “ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license” that contradicts the state.
Some probate judges in the state have already said they’d ignore Moore’s order, like Montgomery County probate judge Steven L. Reed. He tweeted “Judge Moore’s latest charade is just sad & pathetic.” But a few probate judges said they would stop granting marriage licenses while they consulted with attorneys. A notice from the Mobile County probate judge says his office would wait until he can “ensure compliance with all court rulings.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center accused Moore of “confusing his role as chief justice with his personal anti-LGBT agenda.”
Moore is no stranger to this controversy. His order comes almost exactly one year after a Federal Judge struck down the Alabama’s same-sex marriage ban, a decision he fought vigorously in the courts.
Administrative Order Of The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Jan 6, 2016
Workers at Alabama’s Mercedes plants vote against joining a union
The workers voted 56% against the union, according to tallies released by the National Labor Relations Board, which ran the election.
Taylor Hunnicutt is championing her home state with debut album ‘Alabama Sound’
Alabama offers a diverse symphony of swampy rock, swaggering blues, murky country, and bone-rattling soul. It’s a sound singer-songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt recently reimagined on her debut album, Alabama Sound, which is out now.
UAB building among Alabama’s first to feature ‘bird safe’ glass
Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.
Researchers look into community health impact of wood pellet production in rural Mississippi
Brown University and Tougaloo College students are testing for potential air and noise pollution near the Drax wood pellet plant in Gloster, Mississippi.
Alabama coal company sued for a home explosion is delinquent on dozens of penalties
Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.
The United Auto Workers faces a key test in the South with upcoming vote at Alabama Mercedes plant
The United Auto Workers is aiming for a key victory at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama. More than 5,000 workers at the facility in Vance and nearby battery plant will vote this week on whether to join the UAW.
