Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore sent a letter Sunday evening to probate judges ordering them to refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses when the courts opened Monday morning. Moore wrote that the judges weren't bound by a federal judge's ruling Jan. 23 that the marriage ban was unconstitutional.
"Effective immediately, no probate judge of the state of Alabama nor any agent or employee of any Alabama probate judge shall issue or recognize a marriage license that is inconsistent with (the Alabama Constitution)," Moore wrote.
Susan Watson, executive director The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, called the move by the conservative chief justice "grandstanding" and predicted licenses would be issued shortly.
"We will see marriage equality in Alabama tomorrow. I don't think the probate judges in Alabama are going to defy a federal court judge's order," Watson said late Sunday.