Maryland same-sex marriage law passes
In February of this year, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Not slated to take effect until January 2013, both Republicans and Democrats expect a referendum on the measure in November 2012.
Same-sex marriage is in the news . Recently the New Jersey Assembly approved a bill supporting same-sex marriage, legislation then vetoed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. In California, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage in California, was unconstitutional.
While a firestorm of protest and support attends the issue across the country, less apparent are the important legal protections provided through marriage. Marriage confers rights to spousal health insurance, death benefits, visiting privileges, spousal support, and presumption of parentage, among other advantages.
Until the Civil Marriage Protection Act goes through referendum in Maryland, couples prohibited from marriage can still gain a measure of protection from a domestic partnership agreement.
Our firm drafts domestic partnership agreements to address property rights, debt obligations, and other responsibilities in the event a couple decides to dissolve their relationship. A domestic partnership agreement can include protection for a financially advantaged—or disadvantaged—partner in a domestic relationship.
Married and unmarried couples face the same issues of property division, financial support, and child custody when they dissolve their relationships. To protect your rights at the outset of a relationship—or at the end of one—stay civil and get good advice from an experienced family law attorney. Call Huesman, Jones & Miles, LLC today at (443) 589-0150 for qualified legal representation. Our office is conveniently located in Hunt Valley, MD. We serve clients throughout Baltimore County, Howard County, Harford County and Carroll County including the areas of Bel Air, Essex, Columbia, Baltimore and Towson. You may also contact us online.
