ALASKA: Ruling In Today’s Marriage Case Hearing Could Come As Soon As Monday

Via the Alaska Dispatch:

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess heard the arguments Friday, though he had no immediate ruling on the issue. Plaintiffs have asked for summary judgment in the case, which challenges Alaska’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. If overturned, same-sex couples in Alaska could seek marriage licenses. Burgess’ ruling could come as soon as Monday. In a packed federal courtroom Friday, attorneys in Hamby v. Parnell both argued their cases for why Alaska’s marriage ban should be either upheld or overturned. Five couples sued the state in May, saying their equal protection and due process rights are violated since they cannot legally be married or have their marriages recognized in Alaska. Alaska was one of the first states to explicitly ban same sex marriage, in 1998, when voters approved a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

Monday is a federal holiday, but as we’ve seen multiple times in recent weeks, federal judges don’t seem to care much about regular office hours.