Episcopal Bishop, Harris and Dallas County Sheriffs among signatories in Friend-of-the-Court briefs before Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
New York—(ENEWSPF)—September 16, 2014. In several unique amicus briefs submitted today to the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 5th Circuit, scores of first responders, law enforcement, faith leaders and businesses urged the court to end Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage. The briefs show the depth and diversity of support for the plaintiffs in the Texas case and for the freedom of gay couples to marry.
Some of the notable briefs include:
First responders and law enforcement: More than 60 first responders and law enforcement, including Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, police officers and EMT professionals from across the state, signed the brief, which says, “Gay and lesbian law enforcement officers and other first responders put on their uniforms, place themselves in harm’s way to protect and defend our Communities…But Texas denies these men and women the equal dignity and respect they deserve. Amici submit this brief, therefore, to explain why basic human dignity – enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection – requires the rulings of the court below to be affirmed.”Angela Shelton, a firefighter and the only full-time medic for Reagan County on the Edwards Plateau, shared the following on why she put her name on the brief: “I proudly put my life on the line to protect families in my community. But I want my own family to be protected in case something happened to me or, heaven forbid, to my partner Michelle. Being able to marry the love of my life in Texas would provide critical legal protections to our kids – and bring dignity to our entire family.”
Clergy. Episcopal Bishop Scott Mayer of Northwest Texas (Abilene/Lubbock/Panhandle) was among the more than 200 signers of a clergy brief. The brief states, “Amici curiae (‘Amici’) represent a broad range of religious stakeholders who support equal treatment for same-sex couples with respect to civil marriage.”
Business. Major American companies, including Cisco, Alcoa, Pfizer, Target, Intel, Google, and Staples, signed onto a brief making the corporate case to end the state’s marriage ban.
The Texas case before the 5th Circuit is De Leon v. Perry, which was filed last year on behalf of two couples, Mark Phariss & Vic Holmes and Cleopatra De Leon & Nicole Dimetman. Pharriss and Holmes are unmarried, while De Leon and Dimetman married in Massachusetts in 2009 and are seeking respect for their marriage in Texas.
On February 26, 2014, a federal judge in San Antonio struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. The judge issued a stay on the ruling pending appeal, so same-sex couples were not immediately allowed to receive marriage licenses. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has yet to schedule oral arguments in the appeal.
Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.
Source: www.freedomtomarry.org
