Atlanta Same-Sex Legal Issues Lawyer
At the law office of Jody A. Miller, esq. Attorney At Law, we provide legal assistance to same-sex couples in Atlanta and its surrounding areas. We realize the difficulties same-sex couples face in Georgia, so our firm focuses on providing clear answers and creative solutions to resolve a couple’s needs.
Divorce has been an option for legally married same-sex couples since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the 2015 case Obergefell v. Hodges. Unmarried couples also come to our firm for help executing the provisions of a domestic partnership agreement. In the event of the breakup of a same-sex relationship outside of legal marriage and not governed by a pre-existing domestic partnership agreement, we utilize mediation and the collaborative process to achieve efficient resolution on matters such as property and debt division, spousal or child support payments, custody, and other items related to the breakup of the relationship.
Same-Sex Relationship Issues And Federal Marriage Equality
The 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling provided a huge leap forward in terms of LGBTQ equality. For the first time in American history, same-sex couples were legally able to marry their partner and have that marriage recognized in all 50 states, including Georgia. Moreover, their marriage was legally equivalent to a marriage between opposite-sex partners, unlike previous marriage “equivalents” such as civil unions, which only existed in some states and were not recognized outside of the borders of those states.
However, as is true for all couples, marriage is not the appropriate or desired legal structure for every relationship. For same-sex couples who do not wish to marry, setting up a domestic partnership agreement is essential. These agreements often include a formalized agreement and other general contracts, estate planning documents including wills and trusts, health care directives and proxies, beneficiary designations, guardianship documents, and papers outlining the handling of child custody, adoptions and other issues if the relationship ends.
In addition, same-sex couples who have been together for a long time but did not legally marry until late into their relationship should seek legal advice regarding their unique situation.
How We Help You With Domestic Partnership Dissolution
If your relationship was covered by a domestic partnership, Jody A. Miller can help with the dissolution process. She can review your agreement and offer trustworthy advice on issues that include:
- How the titling of real property will impact asset division
- Updating beneficiaries on life insurance, retirement accounts and other financial accounts
- Advising clients on the laws governing ownership of banking and investment accounts
- Revising the terms of health care proxies and directives and power of attorney documents
- Advising separating couples on how their debt will be divided
In addition, our firm also handles all matters pertaining to same-sex adoption and parental rights for unmarried couples. Georgia law does not confer legal rights to a nonbiological parent, so we take time to explain the options our clients might have available.
Same-Sex Breakups Without A Domestic Partnership Agreement
If your relationship ends and you are not covered by legal marriage or a domestic partnership agreement, you still have options under Georgia state law to resolve matters pertaining to finances, property, support and same-sex custody rights.
Attorney Jody A. Miller is a certified mediator and a collaborative law practitioner. She can use these and other tools to think creatively, working outside of the typical box to find solutions, while keeping your legal, financial and emotional considerations in mind. She has used mediation, negotiation and the collaborative process to achieve resolutions for property distribution, spousal/child support payments, parenting plans and other items relating to same-sex breakups.
Contact A Gay And Lesbian Couples’ Family Law Attorney
Contact our Atlanta family law office online or call 678-805-9576 to schedule an appointment with our experienced lawyer today.