A Miami-Dade Circuit judge has lifted the county’s stay on same-sex marriage licenses, which means same-sex marriage will begin at 2 p.m. today in Miami-Dade County.
Judge Sarah Zabel’s ruling was in response to a Dec. 22 motion by Miami Dade Clerk Harvey Ruvin requesting the 11th judicial circuit court clarify and expedite the details of the stay’s expiration.
Ruvin is the defendant in a lawsuit by the Equality Florida Institute and six same-sex couples fighting for marriage equality.
“The Clerk’s Motion specifically asks Judge Zabel to clarify whether the stay that she issued in the Miami-Dade case would apply to the Miami-Dade Clerk to prevent him from issuing licenses beginning January 6, even though Judge Hinkle has lifted his stay in the federal case effective Jan 6, and presuming that same-sex marriage licenses will begin to be issued in all other counties on Jan 6,” said Mary Meeks, an attorney who is part of the pro-equality legal team in the case.
Federal Judge Robert Hinkle issued an order Jan. 1 clarifying that his August ruling that Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional does apply to all Florida counties when his stay expires end of day Jan. 5. Clerks will begin issuing marriage licenese Jan. 6.
Meeks said today’s ruling makes it clear that the Miami clerk isn’t bound by Zabel’s stay, despite Hinkle lifting his stay.
Zabel’s ruling was very quick – the hearing started at 11 a.m. and the ruling was issued by 11:05 a.m. Jan. 5. Read the ruling here:
