Wisconsin AG Seeks Stay Halting Gay Marriages

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled Wisconsin's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional but the state attorney general plans to appeal and says the ruling does not clear the way for weddings to begin, though some municipal clerks have begun issuing licenses.

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is trying to stop the issuing of licenses by getting getting a federal judge to issue an emergency order pending appeals.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb struck down Wisconsin's ban on gay marriage yesterday and, Within hours, clerks in Madison and Milwaukee began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But there's confusion over whether Crabb's order also halted enforcement of the ban since she gave both sides more time to describe exactly what they wanted her to block.

Van Hollen has promised to appeal the decision. He asked Crabb on Friday evening for an emergency ruling preserving the ban until she clarifies her ruling, saying confusion and uncertainty is resulting and the status quo must be preserved.