Supreme Court justice temporarily blocks same-sex marriage in Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has issued an order temporarily blocking gay marriage in Kansas.

Sotomayor's brief order Monday puts on hold indefinitely a lower-court order clearing the way for same-sex couples to marry despite a ban in Kansas on gay marriage.

The lower-court order was set to take effect at 5 p.m. Central time Tuesday. Sotomayor acted at the request of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

But Sotomayor also directed the American Civil Liberties Union to file a response to Schmidt's request by 4 p.m. Central time Tuesday.

The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit last month for two lesbian couples challenging the state's gay-marriage ban. It resulted in the lower-court order.

Equality Kansas Executive Director Tom Witt said Sotomayor could quickly reconsider once she receives the response.