Federal Judge Stays Ala. Gay Marriage Ruling

A federal judge has stayed her order overturning Alabama's gay marriage ban for two weeks.

But U.S. District Judge Callie V. S. Granade refused the state attorney general's request to put her ruling on indefinite hold. Granade said the two-week stay would give the state time to appeal her decision to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Granade ruled Friday that Alabama's gay marriage ban was unconstitutional. She said Sunday that a permanent stay of that decision would farther harm same sex couples by not allowing them to marry. The stay is to expire Feb. 9 unless the court extends it.

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange requested the hold, arguing the U.S. Supreme Court is to decide a gay marriage case later this year.