At the Orlando City Council’s June 23 meeting, Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer plans to ask the council to support him filing an amicus brief in Florida’s marriage equality lawsuits.
Here’s the summary, from the meeting’s posted agenda:
“The City of Orlando has been asked to join other Florida cities in supporting those who are seeking marriage equality in Florida by filing amicus curiae or ‘friend of the court’ briefs explaining why lifting the gay marriage ban is good for cities. There are currently four marriage equality cases pending in Florida. The City of Miami Beach Attorney’s office is expected to be the primary author of the briefs which include arguments that lifting the ban is good for the health and welfare of our citizens and employees to live in a non-discriminatory environment and that lifting the ban is positive for economic development and tourism. The briefs will not take a major time commitment and will be done in-house by our City Attorney’s office.”
One lawsuit, Pareto v. Ruvin, argues that Florida’s laws barring same-sex couples from marriage violate the United States Constitution by denying them the legal protections and equal dignity that having the freedom to marry provides. The plaintiffs are six South Florida same-sex couples who wish to marry and the Equality Florida Institute. 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). There are also currently four other lawsuits seeking LGBT equality as it relates to various marriage rights.
Earlier this month, LGBT activists asked Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to file an amicus brief in support of marriage equality. Jacobs has not responded to the request. When making the request, the activists cited Mayor Dyer’s State of the City address in April, where he explicitly stated his support for marriage equality.
Earlier this week, anti-gay groups filed a 43-page amicus brief arguing against same-sex marriage.
