Bowden still not giving licenses

Published 12:03 am Friday, July 3, 2015

Covington County Probate Judge Ben Bowden said he has not changed his position on selling marriage licenses in light of a federal judge’s order on Wednesday.

Last week, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states cannot ban same-sex marriage, Bowden immediately closed the marriage license division of the Covington County Probate Office.

Bowden said he needed time to review the court ruling, and that he has conflicting orders because despite the Supreme Court ruling, the Alabama Supreme Court has ordered probate judges to follow

Alabama marriage law.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Callie V.S. Granade clarified that that a preliminary injunction entered in May staying her previous order to allow same sex marriage until the Supreme Court ruled. Her order is now in effect, according to the clarification issued Wednesday.

Bowden said Wednesday Granade’s ruling did not change his position.