In the ongoing legal battle over Orlando's after-midnight alcohol ordinance, a judge has recently denied bar owners' plea for relief from the city-imposed security costs. Last year, the bar owners mounted a legal challenge to the city ordinance that has been in place since May 2023, which mandates that certain bars must cover the expense of police protection from 10:30 p.m. until 3:30 a.m., as ClickOrlando reported.
The lawsuit contends that the rule unfairly singles out specific establishments. In contrast, others, such as Camping World Stadium and the Dr. Phillips Center, are exempt despite attracting large crowds and serving alcohol past midnight. However, the request to suspend the ordinance was struck down when the judge found a lack of "irreparable harm," and remarked on the plaintiffs’ delay in filing, stating, “The court concludes that the motion fails because it does not establish irreparable harm," as per ClickOrlando.
Furthermore, plaintiffs argued that the city's safety ordinance infringes on rights granted by the 14th Amendment concerning due process and equal protection, labeling the requirement for businesses to finance their late-night security as unconstitutional. Yet these claims have not swayed the court so far, with the injunction request to prevent the continued enforcement of the ordinance being dismissed, as WFTV reports.
