NEWS RELEASE: First Florida Same-Sex Couples Marry!
Media Contact: Sharon Kersten, 954.314.7288 / [email protected]
MIAMI-DADE JUDGE LIFTS STAY ON MARRIAGE RULING
FIRST FLORIDA SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY
(January 5, 2015) Today, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel held a hearing where she lifted the stay on her marriage ruling (Pareto v. Ruvin).
Last week, Equality Florida Institute and six-same sex couples seeking the right to marry asked Judge Zabel to immediately lift the stay on her ruling that declared the anti-gay marriage ban unconstitutional. They are represented by the law firm Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, Elizabeth F. Schwartz, Mary B. Meeks, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).
During the hearing, attorney Jeff Cohen stated, “Another day the plaintiffs are denied their right to marry is a day that shames our county.”
Once Judge Zabel lifted the stay, Miami-Dade County Clerk Harvey Ruvin stated marriages can begin immediately in the county. Couples have already begun receiving their marriage licenses.
Judge Zabel has agreed to marry the plaintiff couples who wish to marry today including Karla Arguello & Cathy Pareto and Jeff & Todd Delmay.
Karla Arguello & Cathy Pareto are the first same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in Florida.
“This is a monumental day in Florida’s history. Loving same-sex couples have been waiting months, years, decades for the right to marry the person they love,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida. “And we’re excited to be able to share this moment with the brave plaintiff couples who plan on getting married today.”
HELPFUL LINKS:
Motions and Court Orders www.eqfl.org/node/3672
Clerks www.eqfl.org/county_clerks_marriage
County by County Events http://www.eqfl.org/node/3683
500 Protections denied to Same-Sex Couples in Florida www.eqfl.org/marriage/500protections
Equality Florida Blog www.eqfl.org/blog
(Group picture: Todd and Jeffrey Delmay, Cathy Pareto & Karla Arguello, Vanessa & Melanie Alenier, and Don Johnston and Jorge Diaz.)
(Marriage License picture: Melanie & Vanessa Alenier. Photo credit: Jonathan Kendall from the Miami New Times)
