Appellate Brief

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA

CASE NO. SC02-1958

TERRY MCINTIRE,

Petitioner,

-vs-

THE STATE OF FLORIDA,

Respondent.

ON PETITION FOR DESCRETIONARY REVIEW

FROM THE FOUTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL

PETITIONER’S BRIEF ON JURISDICTION

CHARLES CRIST, JR.

Attorney General

RICHARD L. POLIN

Bureau Chief, Criminal Appeals

Sr. Assistant Attorney General

Florida Bar No. 230987

FRANK INGRASSIA

Assistant Attorney General

Florida Bar No. 0116180

Office of the Attorney General

Department of Legal Affairs

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page(s)

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

STATEMENT OF THE CASE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

ISSUES PRESENTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ARGUMENTS

I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED BY NOT RECOGNIZING THE VERMONT CIVIL UNION OF TERRY MCINTIRE AND CARLOS MENCIA. . . . 5

II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN DENYING PETITIONER’S REQUEST FOR MEDICAL PROXY AS A SPOUSAL BENEFIT. . . . 7

CONCLUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

i

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

CONSTITUTIONS Page(s)

Article XIV, Section 1, of the US Constitution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . passim

Article V, Section 1, of the US Constitution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6, 9

Defense of Marriage Act (1996). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

STATUTES

FL Title XLIII, 741.01,...