Liberty Counsel filed a Motion for Summary Judgment today in John Parsons v. City of Jacksonville, Florida, a lawsuit to invalidate a city ordinance that adds “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as “protected categories” under Jacksonville law. Liberty Counsel’s motion shows the court that the ordinance, dubbed the “Human Rights Ordinance” or “HRO,” is so clearly illegal that it should be invalidated without the need for a trial.

Yesterday, the City of Jacksonville filed a Motion to Dismiss Liberty Counsel’s lawsuit against the HRO, on the theory that the plaintiff lacks legal standing to file the lawsuit because he has no “special injury.” However, Liberty Counsel is prepared to show the court that any resident of Jacksonville can file suit challenging the validity of the HRO under the applicable statutes and well-settled precedent. Notably, the city’s motion makes no attempt to defend the validity of the HRO under Florida law.

Prior versions of the HRO were defeated twice in Jacksonville with help from Liberty Counsel and others. Radical LGBT activists chose the language of the current HRO, which violates Florida and Jacksonville law, and, with the help of their allies on the City Council, deceived other city officials and the public into believing the “new” HRO was somehow different from the previously defeated versions.

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