SCOTUSblog: No Alabama News Tonight

UPDATE: And no word this weekend either.

The U.S. Supreme Court is not expected to rule through the weekend on a request by Alabama lawyers to block gay marriage, the court's deputy clerk told attorneys late Friday afternoon. That would clear the way for U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. "Ginny" Granade's ruling striking down the state's same-sex marriage ban to take effect Monday. That is the day she set after ruling on Jan. 23 that the Marriage Protection Act and the Sanctity of Marriage Amendment violate the U.S. Constitution's due process and Equal Protection clauses.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday refused to extend the "stay" Granade issued beyond Feb. 9. The U.S. Supreme Court was Alabama's last chance to stop gay marriages. David Kennedy, an attorney for plaintiffs Kim McKeand and Cari Searcy in Mobile, said he expects same-sex marriage licenses to be issued first thing Monday morning. He said it is somewhat unusual that the high court would not rule one way or the other since the justices of issued rulings on request to delay gay marriages from beginning in other states.