Today, Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Luis M. Garcia issued a ruling declaring the state of Florida’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples unconstitutional. The decision, which is the result of a lawsuit brought by Aaron Huntsman and William Lee Jones, a couple from Key West, says that the ban is discriminatory and treats gay and lesbian Floridians as second-class citizens. The injunction, which applies only in Monroe County, is stayed until July 22nd.
Other cases challenging the state’s marriage ban, including the case filed by the ACLU of Florida on behalf of same-sex couples throughout the state and SAVE, South Florida’s largest LGBT organization, are still pending, and decisions in those cases could come any day.
Responding to today’s ruling, ACLU of Florida LGBT rights staff attorney Daniel Tilley said, “The ruling today is an important victory for thousands of loving couples in Florida.
“This is the beginning of the end of the marriage ban and of marriage discrimination in Florida. We congratulate Aaron and William on this important victory and look forward to celebrating the day that all Floridians can have their marriage to the person they love be honored by the state they call home.â€
The judge’s ruling is available here: http://freemarry.3cdn.net/112670b9c77c0c6fe0_4em6bqjl2.pdf