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FloridaStayDenied

The ruling was in the case Brenner v. Armstrong and Gimrsley and Albu v. Scott, two federal cases seeking the freedom to marry and respect for marriages legally performed in other states, in Florida. Grimsley and Albu v. Scott was originally filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of SAVE, an LGBT organization in Miami and eight same-sex couples who were married in other states seeking respect in Florida. The case is on a parallel track as Brenner v. Scott, filed by private lawyers on behalf of two same-sex couples from northern Florida. On August 21, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle ruled in favor of the freedom to marry and respect for marriages legally performed between same-sex couples in other states in the cases.

The 11th Circuit's decision underscores that same-sex couples should not have to wait to marry and that there is no good reason to delay justice.  

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"This is a clear victory for us because it finds the harm is being done to the people, not the state," said Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, which is representing same-sex couples from throughout Florida and gay-rights group SAVE, who sued to have out-of-state same-sex marriages recognized in the Sunshine State. U.S. Judge Robert L. Hinkle of Tallahassee ruled Aug. 21 that Florida's gay marriage ban, passed by voters in 2008, is unconstitutional. He stayed his decision while Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appealed his decision, but said the stay would expire on Jan. 5. Bondi appealed Hinkle's decision to the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, which still hasn't set a date for the case. Instead, a three-judge panel — Judges Frank M. Hull, Charles R. Wilson and Adalberto Jordan — on Wednesday denied Bondi's request to keep the stay in place. "We are reviewing the ruling," Bondi spokeswoman Jennifer Meale wrote Wednesday in an email to the Miami Herald. "Today, in denying the State's request to further delay the ruling, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the State's argument that allowing same-sex couples to marry and have their marriages recognized will cause harm to the State and refused to make these families wait any longer. The Court effectively ruled that the State does not have a likelihood of succeeding in its appeal," ACLU LGBT rights attorney Daniel Tilley said.

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FLORIDA

Brenner v. Scott

(Consolidated with Grimsley and Albu v. Scott)

What's Happening:

On September 4, three defendants in this federal case seeking the freedom to marry in Florida filed an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

On November 5, a federal judge denied a request to alter the stay in this ruling, meaning that there is still a stay in effect until January 5, 2015. The state of Florida filed their brief to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on November 14, 2014, noting plans to request an extension of the stay from the 11th Circuit. On December 3, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals denied this request, meaning that same-sex couples should be able to get marriage licenses starting at the end of the day on January 5, 2015.

On August 21, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle ruled in favor of the freedom to marry and respect for marriages legally performed between same-sex couples in other states in these two consolidated federal marriage cases. The ruling is stayed, although Judge Hinkle also ordered Florida to issue a new death certificate to Arlene Goldberg, whose partner of 47 years, Carol Goldwasser, passed away this year.

Case Background:

Grimsley and Albu v. Scott was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida on March 13, 2014 on behalf of SAVE, an LGBT organization in Miami and eight married same-sex couples seeking respect for their marriages legally performed in other states. Brenner v. Scott was filed by private counsel on March 6, 2014 on behalf of a same-sex couple who married in Canada and now live in Tallahassee. The couple is seeking legal respect in Florida for their marriage license, and have named Gov. Rick Scott and FL Attorney General Bondi in their lawsuit.

On April 30, the ACLU of Florida filed a motion for preliminary injunction asking the court to immediately stop enforcing laws barring legal respect for marriages between same-sex couples, adding a recently-widowed Ft. Myers woman, Arlene Goldberg, as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

The ACLU explained, "Arlene's primary income is her Social Security payment; Carol, who had previously been the toll facilities director for Lee County, had a higher Social Security payment than Arlene. For purposes of determining marital status, Social Security looks to the state of residence, and since Florida does not recognize their marriage, Arlene cannot collect her spouse's Social Security payments as other widows do. The resulting financial hardship will jeopardize Arlene's ability to continue to support Carol's parents."

The lead plaintiffs in Grimsley are Sloan Grimsley and Joyce Albu, who work as a firefighter and a consultant assisting parents of children with developmental disorders, respectively. The women have been together for nine years, married in New York in 2011, and are raising a 2-year-old child together. The plaintiffs are James Brenner and Charles Jones, who married in Canada in September 2009 and have been together since 1988. Brenner works for the Florida Forest Service and Jones is employed by the state's Department of Education.

Huntsman v. Heavilin

What's Happening:

On July 17, Chief Circuit Judge Luis Garcia struck down Florida's ban on marriage for same-sex couples in state court, ordering the Monroe County Clerk to stop enforcing Florida's anti-marriage constitutional amendment, saying that marriage licenses should begin being issued in Monroe County on July 22. For now, the ruling only applies to Monroe County and does not require the state of Florida to respect the marriages of same-sex couples legally performed in other states.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appealed shortly after the decision, which immediately resulted in a stay on the ruling. The next step is the Florida 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Case Background:

On April 2, 2014, private lawyers filed this lawsuit on behalf of a same-sex couple seeking to marry in Florida. The men, who live and work in Key West, have been together for over a decade, and when they were denied a marriage license in Monroe County, they filed their case.

The plaintiffs are Aaron Huntsman and William Lee Jones, who are celebrating their 11th anniversary this year. Upon filing their case, the men said, "I really feel Monroe County — Key West — if it's going to be done anywhere, it's going to be done here. We have a history. It's a little more open. We're going to change it here." Read their full story HERE.

On July 7, a circuit judge heard oral arguments in this state case with federal claims.

Pareto v. Ruvin

What's Happening:

On July 25, 2014, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel struck down Florida's ban on marriage for same-sex couples in state court, ordering the Miami-Dade County Clerk to stop enforcing Florida's anti-marriage constitutional amendment, saying that same-sex couples should be able to receive marriage licenses in Miami-Dade County. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appealed shortly after the decision, which immediately resulted in a stay on the ruling. The next step is the Florida 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Case Background:

On January 21, 2014, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Equality Florida Institute filed a lawsuit in state court with federal claims on behalf of six same-sex couples seeking the freedom to marry in Florida. The lawsuit argues that laws in Florida that restrict marriage to different-sex couples violate the United States Constitution's commitment to equal protection under the law.

The plaintiffs hail from Miami and the surrounding area. They include: Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello, together for 14 years and raising a young son; Dr. Juan Carlos Rodriguez and David Price, together for 18 years and raising young twins; Vanessa and Melanie Alenier, together for 8 years and raising a child; Todd and Jeff Delmay, together for 11 years and raising a young son; Summer Greene and Pamela Faerber, grandparents who have been together for 25 years; and Don Price Johnston and Jorge Isaias Diaz, who recently got engaged.

Oral arguments in the case were heard on July 2, 2014 by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel.

Wall-DeSousa v. Florida Department of Motor Vehicles

What's Happening:

On December 1, 2014, Wall-DeSousa v. Florida Department of Motor Vehicles was filed by private lawyers on behalf of Dan and Scott Wall-DeSousa, who are seeking respect for their out-of-state marriage. The couple was married in New York in 2013, and subsequently changed their names to be hyphenated on their drivers' licenses. Shortly after appearing on a news segment in which they discussed their name change, the DMV threatened to cancel their licenses indefinitely if they did not change them to their names before they were married.

Brassner v. Lade

What's Happening:

On September 9, 2014, Circuit Judge Dale Cohen vacated his order in his August 4 decision where he declared Florida's marriage ban unconstitutional and that same-sex couples who legally married in other states must be respected as such in Florida. The ruling was to apply to Broward County, FL, but because of a procedural oversight, the ruling was vacated.

That week, the Florida Attorney General filed a Motion to Intervene in the case, and counsel for the plaintiffs are expected to file a response.

Case Background:

The case, filed on June 26, 2014, sought respect for one couple's marriage for the purpose of dissolving the union. Because Florida does not grant any legal respect for same-sex couples' relationships, the couple was unable to divorce without first being respected as married.

The motion for declarative judgment and injunctive relief was filed on June 26, 2014 by attorney Nancy Brodzki. In the motion, Brodzki writes: "The constitutional provision specifically purports to prevent the Circuit Courts of this State to recognize a same-sex marriage or civil union, and the Circuit Court must recognize a marriage or civil union in order to dissolve it."

Brandon-Thomas v. Brandon-Thomas

What's Happening:

Briefing before the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeals is complete in this state legal case seeking respect for a marriage performed in another state for the purpose of dissolution. The case is filed by private attorney Luis E. Insignares and is now pending a ruling.

Case Background:

On October 24, 2014, plaintiffs filed a reply brief to the 2nd District Court of Appeals, opposing Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's arguments against respecting out-of-state marriages between same-sex couples.

In Re Bangor Estate

What's Happening:

On August 5, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Diana Lewis ruled narrowly in favor of the freedom to marry, declaring that same-sex couples who married in other states must be respected as married in Palm Beach County for the purpose of survivor benefits after a death. The ruling applies specifically to the couple involved in the case and has been appealed by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Case Background:

W. Jason Simpson, a widower whose husband, Frank Bangor, passed away in March 2014 in Pennsylvania. The couple legally married in Delaware, and when Frank passed away, he left his entire estate, including property he owned in Palm Beach County, Florida, to his husband. Because of Florida law restricting marriage to different-sex couples, Simpson could not inherit the property in Palm Beach County he had been left. The men had been together for 37 years.

With Judge Lewis' ruling, Simpson will now be included as a personal representative in his husband's estate, and furthermore, declared that Florida's law denying respect to legally married same-sex couples is unconstitutional.

Shaw v. Shaw

What's Happening:

On August 27, 2014, the Second District Court of Appeals in Florida voted en banc to urge the Florida Supreme Court to rule on the freedom to marry in this case seeking respect for a same-sex couple's marriage for the purpose of dissolution.

Previously, a lower court in Florida had denied the couple the ability to divorce, seeking Florida's marriage ban. In their motion to the FL Supreme Court, the Second District Court of Appeals explained, "We therefore certify that the order on appeal requires immediate resolution by the Florida Supreme Court because the issues pending are of great public importance and will have a great effect on the proper administration of justice throughout the state. ... The issue was whether Florida's ban on same-sex marriage and the prohibition on recognizing such marriages unconstitutionally limits various constitutional guaranties including full faith and credit, access to courts, equal protection, and the right to travel."

Case Background:

On March 17, 2014, a same-sex couple filed a petition for the dissolution of their marriage in Florida. The petition requests recognition for their out-of-state marriage for the purpose of filing the divorce and, additionally, challenges the constitutionality of Florida's ban on same-sex couples from marrying. A brief hearing occurred on March 27, with additional argument scheduled for April 22.

The uncontested divorce petition was filed in Hillsborough County, Florida Circuit Court on behalf of Mariama Shaw and Keiba Shaw, who married in Massachusetts. Under Florida law, it is unclear whether the plaintiffs' out-of-state marriage can be terminated, because Florida does not respect marriages between same-sex couples.

Dousset v. Florida Atlantic University

What's Happening:

On May 14, 2014, a gay man filed a state lawsuit in the District Court of Appeal for the Fourth District in Florida asking the state to respect his marriage to a man in order to pay "in-state" tuition rates at Florida Atlantic University.

Case Background:

The plaintiff in the case is Gildas Dousset, a student at FAU who legally married his spouse, Paul Rubio, in Massachusetts in 2013. Dousset applied for in-state tuition as the spouse of a Florida resident, but he was denied because the university does not respect his marriage.

 

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