Florida Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is Unconstitutional, Judge Rules

Release Date

By Chris Joesph

Judge Sarah Zabel of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court has ruled that the ban on same-sex marriage in Florida is unconstitutional.

Back in May, six same-sex couples filed a motion asserting that Florida's marriage ban cannot stand in light of last year's U.S. Supreme Court of Miami-Dade ruling that the federal "Defense of Marriage Act" violates the federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process. Florida's ban on same-sex marriage was added to the state constitution in 2008.

Every court in the U.S. that has looked into these constitutional claims has ruled in favor of same-sex couples' right to marry.

On Friday, Judge Zabel ruled in concert with those other courts,while staying the order pending appeal.

Click here to read more. 

In the News