The Supreme Court on Friday kept mum on
Alabama's request to delay Monday's implementation of two rulings
striking down the state's ban on gay marriage.
U.S. District Judge Callie “Ginny”
Granade declared the state's ban unconstitutional in two similar
cases, both of which are set to take effect Monday unless the high
court intervenes.
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange
turned to the Supreme Court after the Eleventh Circuit Court of
Appeals in Atlanta refused to delay implementation of Granade's
rulings. In a separate amicus brief filing with the court,
Republican Governor Robert Bentley urged the court to grant Strange's
request, arguing that allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry in
Alabama would “invite chaos.”
(Related: Alabama
Gov. Robert Bentley asks Supreme Court to stay gay marriage rulings.)
Alabama.com
reported Friday that the court's deputy clerk told attorneys not to
expect a ruling through the weekend.
If Alabama begins issuing marriage
licenses to gay couples on Monday, it will become the 37th
state, plus the District of Columbia, to do so.
Meanwhile, thousands
of people are asking Strange to drop his appeals in the cases.