Legal Documents In ACLU Challenge To Gay Adoption Ban Made Public

Hearing For Appeal Set for Aug. 26, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

MIAMI – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and the ACLU national LGBT Project today announced that all of the briefs filed in the ACLU’s lawsuit to overturn Florida’s ban on gay adoption have been made public. The court approved the release documents, which were sealed in accordance with normal procedure in adoption cases, in response to a motion by Miami attorney Timothy H. Crutchfield on behalf of Wire Magazine seeking public access to the briefs because it is a case of public importance.

In addition to briefs filed by the ACLU on behalf of the adoptive parent, by the children who seek to be adopted and the State, which is defending the ban, the court’s order makes public seven friend-of-the-court briefs filed by many respected Florida and national children’s health, welfare and legal advocacy groups urging the court to strike down the ban. Copies of the briefs (with the names of family members removed) are available at www.aclu.org/gill.

“These briefs by so many prominent children’s health and advocacy organizations powerfully make the case that Florida’s ban on adoption by gay people unnecessarily prevents some children from ever knowing the love and support of a permanent family,” said Robert Rosenwald, Director of the ACLU of Florida’s LGBT Advocacy Project.

Upcoming oral arguments in the case will be held in the Third District Court of Appeals on Wednesday, August 26 at 9:30 a.m. The hearing will be open to members of the media.

WHAT: Appeals Court Hearing in ACLU’s Gill Adoption Case

WHEN: 9:30 a.m. – Wednesday, August 26, 2009

WHERE: FIU College of Law, University Park Campus
Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall, Room 1000
11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199

WHO: ACLU & ACLU of Florida LGBT Project Attorneys

For background information on the ACLU’s lawsuit, please visit www.aclu.org/gill.