Case: Pareto v. Ruvin

2014-001661-CA-01 | Florida state trial court

Filed Date: Jan. 21, 2014

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On January 21, 2014, six same-sex couples and Equality Florida Institute filed suit in Florida state court against the County Clerk of Miami-Dade County after they were denied marriage licenses because they are of the same gender. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Florida's prohibition on same-sex marriage violates the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Represented by private counsel and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, plaintiffs sought injuncti…

On January 21, 2014, six same-sex couples and Equality Florida Institute filed suit in Florida state court against the County Clerk of Miami-Dade County after they were denied marriage licenses because they are of the same gender. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Florida's prohibition on same-sex marriage violates the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Represented by private counsel and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, plaintiffs sought injunctive and declaratory relief as well as attorneys fees.

The case was assigned to state Judge Sarah Zabel. On July 25, 2014, she struck down the same-sex marriage ban, as applicable in Miami-Dade County. She wrote:

The recognition that the right to marry encompasses categories of people not traditionally considered to be accorded that right has been slow in coming, but it has become increasingly obvious that it is not constitutionally permissible to deny same-sex couples the right to marry.

The flood of cases that have come out since Windsor amply demonstrates this truth as not one court has found a same-sex marriage ban to be constitutional. As case after case has come out, unified in their well-reasoned constitutional condemnation of the deprivation of one class of person's right to marry, the answer to the question of whether it is constitutionally permissible to deprive same-sex couples of the right to marry has become increasingly obvious: Of course it is not. 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.

News reports say that Florida's Attorney General, Pam Bondi, has appealed and that the ruling is stayed pending resolution of that appeal.

Summary Authors

Tifani Sadek (1/21/2014)

Clearinghouse (7/26/2014)

People


Judge(s)

Arzola, Antonio (Florida)

Emas, Kevin (Florida)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Alonso, Cristina (Florida)

Codell, David C. (California)

Cohen, Jeffrey Michael (Florida)

Attorney for Defendant
Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

2014-001661-CA-01

Docket

Oct. 10, 2017

Oct. 10, 2017

Docket

2014-001661-CA-01

Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief

Jan. 21, 2014

Jan. 21, 2014

Complaint

2014-001661-CA-01

Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment

July 25, 2014

July 25, 2014

Order/Opinion

Docket

Last updated Feb. 15, 2024, 2:18 p.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link

Civil Cover

Jan. 21, 2014

Jan. 21, 2014

Complaint

Jan. 21, 2014

Jan. 21, 2014

Notice of Compliance

Jan. 22, 2014

Jan. 22, 2014

Motion:

Jan. 22, 2014

Jan. 22, 2014

Motion:

Jan. 22, 2014

Jan. 22, 2014

Motion:

Jan. 22, 2014

Jan. 22, 2014

Motion:

Jan. 22, 2014

Jan. 22, 2014

Summons Issued

Jan. 22, 2014

Jan. 22, 2014

Service Returned

Jan. 27, 2014

Jan. 27, 2014

Answer and Affirmative Defense

Feb. 11, 2014

Feb. 11, 2014

Email Notice with Party

Feb. 11, 2014

Feb. 11, 2014

Email Notice:

Feb. 19, 2014

Feb. 19, 2014

Motion:

Feb. 25, 2014

Feb. 25, 2014

Memorandum of Law

Feb. 25, 2014

Feb. 25, 2014

Reply to Answer

March 3, 2014

March 3, 2014

Motion to Abate

March 21, 2014

March 21, 2014

Notice of Hrg Special Appt

March 31, 2014

March 31, 2014

Motion for Pro Hac Vice

April 1, 2014

April 1, 2014

Motion for Pro Hac Vice

April 1, 2014

April 1, 2014

Motion for Pro Hac Vice

April 1, 2014

April 1, 2014

Motion for Pro Hac Vice

April 1, 2014

April 1, 2014

Order:

April 7, 2014

April 7, 2014

Notice of Appearance

April 8, 2014

April 8, 2014

Notice of Hearing-

April 8, 2014

April 8, 2014

Notice of Appearance

April 8, 2014

April 8, 2014

Request for Hearing

April 8, 2014

April 8, 2014

Notice of Appearance

April 8, 2014

April 8, 2014

Notice of Appearance

April 8, 2014

April 8, 2014

Entered Or Duplicated In Error RQHR ENTERED OR DUPLICATED IN ERROR

April 14, 2014

April 14, 2014

Entered Or Duplicated In Error NHRG ENTERED OR DUPLICATED IN ERROR

April 14, 2014

April 14, 2014

Response:

April 30, 2014

April 30, 2014

Memorandum

May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014

Notice of Filing:

May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014

Request:

May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014

Notice of Filing:

May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014

Notice of Filing:

May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014

Motion for Summary Judgment

May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014

Memorandum

May 9, 2014

May 9, 2014

Notice of Filing:

May 12, 2014

May 12, 2014

Notice:

May 13, 2014

May 13, 2014

Notice of Filing:

May 14, 2014

May 14, 2014

Order:

May 19, 2014

May 19, 2014

Request for Hearing

May 20, 2014

May 20, 2014

Notice of Hearing-

May 20, 2014

May 20, 2014

Notice of Filing:

May 21, 2014

May 21, 2014

Order:

June 3, 2014

June 3, 2014

Motion for Extension of Time

June 5, 2014

June 5, 2014

Order:

June 6, 2014

June 6, 2014

Response:

June 12, 2014

June 12, 2014

Notice of Filing:

June 13, 2014

June 13, 2014

Notice:

June 13, 2014

June 13, 2014

Notice:

June 17, 2014

June 17, 2014

Memorandum of Law

June 17, 2014

June 17, 2014

Notice:

June 17, 2014

June 17, 2014

Notice:

June 17, 2014

June 17, 2014

Notice of Filing:

June 19, 2014

June 19, 2014

Motion:

June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

Motion:

June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014

Motion:

June 24, 2014

June 24, 2014

Motion:

June 24, 2014

June 24, 2014

Order:

June 25, 2014

June 25, 2014

Entered Or Duplicated In Error MSJU ENTERED OR DUPLICATED IN ERROR

June 26, 2014

June 26, 2014

Notice of Filing:

June 26, 2014

June 26, 2014

Order:

June 27, 2014

June 27, 2014

Memorandum of Law

June 27, 2014

June 27, 2014

Motion:

June 27, 2014

June 27, 2014

Motion:

June 30, 2014

June 30, 2014

Order:

June 30, 2014

June 30, 2014

Notice of Filing:

July 1, 2014

July 1, 2014

Notice of Filing:

July 1, 2014

July 1, 2014

Notice of Filing:

July 3, 2014

July 3, 2014

Notice of Filing:

July 10, 2014

July 10, 2014

Notice of Filing:

July 17, 2014

July 17, 2014

Notice of Filing:

July 22, 2014

July 22, 2014

Notice of Filing:

July 22, 2014

July 22, 2014

Summary Final Judgment

July 25, 2014

July 25, 2014

Notice of Appeal

July 25, 2014

July 25, 2014

Order:

July 25, 2014

July 25, 2014

Summary Final Judgment $ 0.00 BK:29245 PG:1767

July 25, 2014

July 25, 2014

Copy of: INDEX RECORD ON APPEAL 3D14-1816

Aug. 4, 2014

Aug. 4, 2014

Motion for Attorneys Fees

Aug. 22, 2014

Aug. 22, 2014

Motion to Stay

Aug. 22, 2014

Aug. 22, 2014

Order:

Aug. 25, 2014

Aug. 25, 2014

Order:

Aug. 25, 2014

Aug. 25, 2014

Motion for Clarification

Dec. 22, 2014

Dec. 22, 2014

Notice of Hearing-

Dec. 30, 2014

Dec. 30, 2014

Notice of Filing:

Jan. 2, 2015

Jan. 2, 2015

Response:

Jan. 3, 2015

Jan. 3, 2015

Response:

Jan. 4, 2015

Jan. 4, 2015

Court Order (Recordable)

Jan. 5, 2015

Jan. 5, 2015

Motion for Extension of Time

July 22, 2015

July 22, 2015

Order Extending Time for

July 22, 2015

July 22, 2015

Order Extending Time for

July 22, 2015

July 22, 2015

Motion to Withdraw

July 23, 2015

July 23, 2015

Order:

July 23, 2015

July 23, 2015

Motion for Extension of Time

Sept. 4, 2015

Sept. 4, 2015

Order Extending Time for

Sept. 4, 2015

Sept. 4, 2015

Motion:

Sept. 28, 2015

Sept. 28, 2015

Affidavit as to Attorney Fees

Sept. 28, 2015

Sept. 28, 2015

Motion:

Sept. 28, 2015

Sept. 28, 2015

Case Details

State / Territory: Florida

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Same-Sex Marriage

Key Dates

Filing Date: Jan. 21, 2014

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Six same-sex couples who wish to marry but are prohibited from doing so by Florida state law.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Clerk of the Courts of Miami-Dade County (Miami-Dade), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Equal Protection

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Declaratory Judgment

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Content of Injunction:

Discrimination Prohibition

Issues

General:

Marriage

LGBTQ+:

LGBTQ+

Discrimination-basis:

Sex discrimination

Sexual orientation

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

Male