Judge Granade has granted the plaintiffs' (in the Alabama marriage equality case) petition for class certification. So, all probate judges in Alabama are included as defendants in the case, and all same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses in Alabama are included as plaintiffs. She has also granted the plaintiffs' request for preliminary injunction against probate judges recognizing Alabama's ban(s) on marriage to same-sex couples. The preliminary injunction is stayed pending the SCOTUS ruling in the marriage equality cases.
Classes are defined as:
- Plaintiffs: "All persons in Alabama who wish to obtain a marriage license in order to marry a person of the same sex and to have that marriage recognized under Alabama law, and who are unable to do so because of the enforcement of Alabama’s laws prohibiting the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples and barring recognition of their marriages."
- Defendants: "[A]ll Alabama county probate judges who are enforcing or in the future may enforce Alabama’s laws barring the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples and refusing to recognize their marriages."
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Update 1:
David Dinielli, the deputy legal director at the Southern Poverty Law Center and one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, told BuzzFeed News, “Judge Granade’s ruling is decisive and definitive. It ends the chaos and confusion that Attorney General Strange and Chief Justice Moore have intentionally caused through their reckless rejection of federal constitutional principles.”
Dinielli added that he expects Thursday’s ruling will make the process more smooth should the Supreme Court next month rule that bans like Alabama’s one are unconstitutional.
“As soon as the United States Supreme Court issues its ruling in June, Judge Granade’s decision will go into effect, and probate judges in every county of Alabama will be bound by a federal court order to comply with constitutional principles of fairness and equality,” he said. “This is a good day for all Alabamians who believe in the rule of law.”
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