ALABAMA BEGINS ISSUING MARRIAGE LICENSES TO GAY COUPLES

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

BY JAY REEVES

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples Monday, becoming the 37th state where gays can legally wed.

Jefferson County probate judge Alan King issued a license to two women shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court denied the Alabama attorney general's request to extend a hold on a federal judge's ruling overturning the state's ban on gay marriage.

And King issued the license despite Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's 11th-hour attempt to keep the weddings on hold, with an order sent to all probate judges Sunday night directing them to refuse to issue the licenses.

King says he was abiding by the federal court order from January that determined Alabama's statutory and constitutional bans on gay marriage were unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Callie Granade had put her order on hold until Monday to let the state prepare for the change.

FULL story at link.


Shanté Wolfe, left and Tori Sisson, right, sit near the Montgomery County Courthouse Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015 in Montgomery, Ala. Wolfe and Sisson camped out all night on Sunday to be the first couple to marry in Montgomery on Monday morning. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAY_MARRIAGE_ALABAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-02-09-09-45-37

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Hosts I believe this is not an update to the previous SCOTUS story.

[msanthrope]

1. They fall like dominoes.....nt

[Fred Sanders]

2. The Chief Judge of any American court division is just the "First Among Equals". Rule of law.

Stole it from the Redcoats.

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[giftedgirl77]

3. Yesssssssss!!!!!

[gopiscrap]

4. Yes, I remember when Washington State cleared the way

for same sex marriages. I was honored to perform the sex second same sex marriage to take place in Pierce County!

[shenmue]

5. OMG happy people!!!1!1

Wowsers!

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Release the hounds !

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

[uppityperson]

7. Congratulations to those who are able to be legally married

About time for it to be a non-issue.

[Aerows]

8. Right next door, from Biloxi all the way

down to Miami and the Florida Keys, a married couple can finally travel and have the same protections as everybody else!

[yallerdawg]

9. They got married!

Just a couple blocks from Alabama State Capital and Roy Moore's office!

http://www.al.com/news/montgomery/index.ssf/2015/02/first_gay_couple_to_legally_we.html#incart_river