Alaska and Arizona became the latest states on Friday to strike down the ban on same-sex marriage, bringing in the total number of states where gay union is legalized to 31.

Wyoming is poised to become the 32^nd state with a court rule Friday, declaring the state's ban on gay unions unconstitutional, although a state federal judge issued a holding order to allow appeals until Thursday next week. 

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The rulings put an end to a two-week wrangling over the legality of same-sex marriage in both states, triggered by the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to block a ruling that effectively lifted the ban on gay marriage in over two dozens of states last week.

On Friday noon, the Supreme Court denied the state of Alaska's pending appeal to stop gay marriages. A District Court judge on Sunday lifted the 1998 ban which saw a short hiatus on same-sex unions in the state. 

A three-day waiting period put many gay marriages on hold until Monday, but some judges waved the requirement and held marriage ceremonies after the Supreme Court's ruling.

Meanwhile in Arizona, Attorney General Thomas C. Horn, a known conservative Republican, instructed courts to immediately issue marriage licenses after deciding that appeals would only be a waste of taxpayer dollars. 

He said there is zero probability to reverse the ruling made by United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, while the odds of the Supreme Court reviewing the Ninth Circuit decision is next to nothing.

Arizona officiated its first gay marriage on Friday afternoon when Jason Bannecker and Tim Pawlak, a couple who have been together for 12 years, exchanged their vows at Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton's office.

The series of rulings on Friday. further narrowed the number of states that continue to stand by laws and constitutional amendments stating that marriage is restricted to unions between a man and a woman. Presently, 15 states, including Alabama, Michigan, North Dakota, and Ohio still have marriage bans in place, but are already under legal challenge to recognize same-sex unions. 

Tagssame-sex marriage court ruling, same-sex marriage U.S., Alaska, Arizona, Wyoming