Kansas asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to prevent gay marriage from going into effect in the state while it appeals a federal judge's ruling last week that its ban on same-sex nuptials violates the U.S. Constitution.
The stay application by Kansas was directed to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who handles emergency requests from the region. She can either deny or grant the request herself or refer the matter to the court as a whole.
The application follows U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree's ruling Nov. 4 against the state's prohibition. If the Supreme Court does not act on it, a temporary stay imposed by Crabtree when he made the ruling would expire on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.