Yesterday, a judge abolished the same-sex marriage ban in Florida that's applicable to Miami-Dade County.
According to the Associated Press, Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel's ruling stated that the ban violated the 14th Amendment, which guarantees the right to equal protection:
Preventing couples from marrying solely on the basis of their sexual orientation serves no governmental interest. It serves only to hurt, to discriminate, to deprive same-sex couples and their families of equal dignity, to label and treat them as second-class citizens, and to deem them unworthy of participation in one of the fundamental institutions of our society.
Zabel's decision is parallel to one made by Monroe County Circuit Judge Luis Garcia last week. The Associated Press adds that Zabel placed am indefinite stay on her ruling to grant time for appeals. As a result, no marriage licenses will be issued in either county in the immediate future.
[via Associated Press]
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