( CNN ) Nebraska 's ban on same-sex marriage will remain in place while the state appeals a federal judge 's decision to strike it down . The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday issued a stay of U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon 's decision this week to end the ban . `` We are glad the court has granted the stay because it provides current stability in Nebraska 's marriage licensing process , '' Attorney General Doug Peterson said in a statement . Nebraska was set to begin offering marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Monday . `` The discrimination enshrined in our constitution hurts our clients and countless other Nebraska families , '' the ACLU of Nebraska said on its Twitter account . `` We will keep fighting . '' The ACLU of Nebraska filed the lawsuit challenging the state 's ban . Same-sex marriage licenses are offered in 37 other states . The number of states offering same-sex marriages has surged since the U.S. Supreme Court 's ruling in 2013 that invalidated part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act . States like Illinois , Hawaii , Minnesota and New York joined the fold voluntarily , while others were ordered by state or federal judges to offer and recognize the unions . Cases involving Ohio , Michigan , Kentucky and Tennessee are expected to be decided in June by the U.S. Supreme Court , which may settle the issue nationally once and for all . CNN 's AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report .
Nebraska was set to begin offering marriage licenses Monday . The state Supreme Court ruled in June that the state's ban on gay marriages is unconstitutional and ordered a halt to all same-sex marriages.