Groups Defend Florida's Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.

A coalition of groups supporting Florida's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage want a judge to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to overturn that ban.

The groups say the lawsuit threatens to violate the rights of the Florida voters who approved the ban by a wide margin in November 2008. They're holding a news conference Friday morning to discuss their plans to fight the lawsuit.

The ban passed with 62 percent of the vote.

The lawsuit was filed in January in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court by six gay couples who say the state ban violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of equal protection and due process.

Judges have struck down same-sex marriage bans in other states.


by Jason St. Amand , National News Editor

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