U.S. District Court Judge Callie Granade, the federal judge who opened the door to marriage equality in Alabama earlier this year before the state Supreme Court halted all same-sex marriages with in a "defiant" ruling, has a new order out clarifying that her ruling applies to all couples in the state.
Granade, however, put the ruling on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court issues its marriage decision, which is expected sometime late June.
BuzzFeed reports:
In a series of orders, Granade first granted a request to expand a marriage case that had covered one county statewide to all probate judges, who are responsible for the issuance of marriage licenses in the state.
She then went on to declare the marriage ban unconstitutional, yet again and issue an injunction stopping state officials from “enforcing the Alabama laws which prohibit or fail to recognize same-sex marriage.”
David Dinielli, deputy legal director for the SPLC, adds
"Judge Granade’s ruling is decisive and definitive. It ends the chaos and confusion that Attorney General Strange and Chief Justice Moore have intentionally caused through their reckless rejection of federal constitutional principles….“As soon as the United States Supreme Court issues its ruling in June, Judge Granade’s decision will go into effect, and probate judges in every county of Alabama will be bound by a federal court order to comply with constitutional principles of fairness and equality."
