http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alabama-supreme-court-orders-judges-stop-gay-marriages-n316861The Supreme Court of Alabama ordered all the state's probate judges late Tuesday to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, the latest salvo in a growing legal battle in Alabama over whether the decisions of federal justices trump those made by state judges.--The court said Alabama wasn't bound by what it called the "new definition" of marriage, though gay marriage has "gained ascendancy in certain quarters of the country, even if one of those quarters is the federal judiciary."
--In its ruling, the state supreme court said all of Alabama's probate judges, including those listed as "Judge Does" in the legal filings, "are ordered to discontinue the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples." The probate judges have five days to respond to the order.
Things continue to heat up in Alabama. This decision was unexpected because it has the potential to place probate judges in a "damned if you, damned if you don't" position. Individual probate judges have five days to make a case as to why they should not be bound by the order, but at this point, it's hard to see this court being sympathetic.