Louisiana and Mississippi are not
issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, despite a
Supreme Court ruling on Friday legalizing such unions in all 50
states.
Louisiana Attorney General Buddy
Caldwell's office said in statement that the court's ruling had yet
to take effect.
Defendants in the case have 25 days to
petition the high court for a rehearing. While none of the four
states involved in the case have said they would seek a rehearing,
clerks in Louisiana have been advised not to issue licenses for the
time being.
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood,
a Democrat, said that the state is waiting until the Fifth Circuit
Court of Appeals in New Orleans lifts a stay in a case challenging
Mississippi's marriage ban before it starts issuing marriage licenses
to gay couples.
At least three couples were wed in
Hattiesburg, Mississippi on Friday before the clerk's office stopped.
The high court's ruling struck down
bans in 13 states. Also affected were Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan,
Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee,
Kentucky and Texas.