A federal court judge has denied a request from the state of Alaska to put gay marriages on hold until an appeal is heard.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess denied the state’s request for a stay on Tuesday, two days after he struck down the state’s ban on gay marriage as unconstitutional.
The state intends to appeal that decision to the 9th Circuit Court. The state could also ask that court to delay gay marriages from going forward but the court has allowed marriages to continue in other states within its jurisdiction.
A message left with the state attorney’s office after hours Tuesday wasn’t immediately returned.
Gay couples began applying for marriage licenses on Monday, triggering a three-day wait period. But in at last two cases, couples were granted waivers of the rule and were married in Barrow.
