Joe.My.God. LGBT News
We’re winning Florida from the bottom to the top! Literally! First Key West, then Miami, then Fort Lauderdale, and now Palm Beach.
UPDATE: Read the ruling. The suit was filed by a man who was unable to claim the estate of his deceased husband. It appears that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi didn’t even bother to respond to his suit.
UPDATE II: From the Palm Beach Post.
Following recent rulings from judges in three South Florida counties, a Palm Beach County Circuit judge this afternoon issued a ruling declaring Florida’s ban on same sex marriage unconstitutional. Circuit Judge Diana Lewis’ opinion was tied to a probate case surrounding the death of Frank Bangor, a man who owned property in Florida and married W. Jason Simpson in Delaware, where gay marriage is legal. Lewis is running for reelection this month. Under Florida law, a spouse is recognized as a personal representative of an estate provided the out-of-state marriage is recognized as valid under state law. Simpson, through attorney Andrew Fein, petitioned Lewis to be recognized as Bangor’s personal representative despite a ban on gay marriage in Florida.
UPDATE III: Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade are Florida’s three-most populous counties. Including Monroe County, a total of 5.74 million Floridians now enjoy marriage equality. Stayed equality, that is. That’s 29% of the state’s total population.
UPDATE IV: From Equality Florida: “The ruling is limited to the facts of this case – meaning it only applies
to this plaintiff or for these specific circumstances. No order for
clerks to issue licenses. No stay issued.” So maybe my math above is off…..