Gay Marriage in Alabama Begins, but Only in Parts

14 Feb 2015 • nytimes.com

To some, including Justice Clarence Thomas, who offered a spirited dissent, the failure to order a stay was the strongest signal to date that the court is likely to establish a nationwide right to same-sex marriage. “The court looks the other way as yet another federal district judge casts aside state laws without making any effort to preserve the status quo pending the court’s resolution of a constitutional question it left open in United States v. Windsor,” he wrote, referring to a 2013 decision.

“This acquiescence,” Justice Thomas added, “may well be seen as a signal of the court’s intended resolution of that question.”

That would be great news indeed if he’s reading the signals properly.