NORTH CAROLINA: Stay On Marriage Cases Lifted, Pro-Gay Ruling Expected

UPDATE: The stay HAS been lifted. See the ruling.

UPDATE II: From the Greensboro NBC affiliate.

A federal judge has lifted stays on two American Civil Liberties Union lawsuits that could clear the way for same-sex marriages in North Carolina. Judge William Osteen of the federal Middle District in Greensboro on Wednesday lifted a stay in two cases involving same-sex couples who wish to marry. Mike Meno, a spokesman for the ACLU of North Carolina, told WNCN that Osteen asked for a motion from the ACLU on the gay marriage issue. Meno said the ACLU expects Osteen to rule that gay North Carolinians may marry as soon as late Wednesday afternoon or Thursday. Federal courts generally close at 5 p.m., so Meno said the ACLU lawyers were working urgently to get a motion to the court in Greensboro.