Since the question of whether same sex marriages are legal in Alabama, the Supreme Court of Alabama has dodged the bullet by hiding behind the Alabama State Constitution, that prohibits licensing same sex marriages by county probate judges within the state.

However on last Thursday, federal District Judge Callie Grande released a long-awaited series of orders indicating that, indeed Alabama must comply with the U.S. Constitution, even though the state supreme court does not want to..

One order certifies plaintiffs composed of all same-sex couples who have been denied equal marriage rights in the state, also a defendant class composed of "all Alabama county probate judges who are arduously enforcing or in the future may enforce the state laws prohibiting the issuance of marriage license to same-sex couples and thereby refusing to acknowledge their marriages." This will ensure that Grande's decisions will apply statewide to all same-sex couples who desire to become married. There is another order that prevents the probate judges from enforcing Alabama laws that prevent or fail to recognize same-sex marriages.

As with everything in life, there is a catch. The catch is that the later order is delayed until the U.S. Supreme Court gives its decision on marriage equality. It is anyone's guess on what the final outcome of this issue will be. Perhaps, for once, we all may not be surprised

 

 

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