FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 15, 2014
CONTACT:  ACLU of Florida Media Office, media@aclufl.org, (786) 363-2737

ATLANTA, GA – Late last night, state agencies under the direction of Governor Scott, represented by Attorney General Bondi, filed their opening brief in two cases concerning marriage for same-sex couples in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. One case was brought by the ACLU on behalf of 8 couples, a Fort Myers widow, and SAVE, South Florida’s largest LGBT rights organization; the other was brought by Jacksonville attorneys William Sheppard and Sam Jacobson, on behalf of two couples.

An August 21st ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle striking down the marriage ban in the two cases was appealed by state to the Eleventh Circuit, the federal appeals court covering Georgia, Alabama and Florida. The ACLU’s response brief is due Monday, December 15, 2014.

Responding to today’s filing from Scott and Bondi, ACLU of Florida LGBT rights staff attorney Daniel Tilley stated:

“Governor Scott and Attorney General Bondi are continuing to recycle unsupportable arguments to needlessly delay the inevitable at the expense of Florida families.

“Families across Florida suffer every day that the marriage ban remains in place, and we won’t back down from this fight on their behalf. We look forward to making our own arguments to the Eleventh Circuit soon, explaining why Florida’s hurtful marriage ban is unconstitutional and should be brought to an end once and for all.”

Although the litigation is proceeding in the Eleventh Circuit, the lower-court judge, District Judge Hinkle, ruled on November 5th that the stay on his decision striking down the ban will be lifted at the end of the day on January 5, 2015. This means that unless the stay is extended by the federal appeals court, the marriage ban will no longer be in effect on January 6, 2015, and couples will be able to apply for marriage licenses or have their out-of-state marriages recognized on that date.

A copy of the State’s filing seeking to uphold the marriage ban is available here:  http://aclufl.org/resources/grimsley-v-scott-states-initial-brief-at-11th-circuit/

More information on the ACLU’s case, including bios of the couples, is available at: www.aclufl.org/marriageequality

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