Same-sex marriages present some unique considerations during a divorce, especially in states like Missouri that do not have a strong history of gay and lesbian relationship rights. If you are ending your relationship, you should call a Kansas City LGBTQ lawyer who is experienced with this type of divorce before filing a petition.
Our team is ready to help you understand your options and protect your legal rights so you can achieve your goals for divorce and start your new chapter in life. Call Drama-Free Divorce today to begin working with our dedicated uncontested divorce attorneys.
A divorce dissolves spouses’ marital rights and responsibilities to one another. Divorce can profoundly affect both partner’s personal and financial futures, potentially changing everything from where they live to how much they will owe in taxes or what type of health insurance coverage they will have.
All couples, whether heterosexual or LGBTQ, must address the same issues during a divorce, including establishing the grounds for the divorce and dividing marital assets. Other common issues include whether one spouse will continue to support the other after the dissolution and custody and financial support of any children affected by the proceedings.
Working with a Kansas City LGBTQ divorce attorney ensures you are properly prepared for what you will face throughout each step. Once you and your spouse have agreed on all the relevant aspects of your divorce, our team could help review your documents to ensure they meet state requirements, file your petition with the family courts, and help you understand your rights and obligations.
Even though LGBTQ couples now have the same rights as heterosexual couples, it is only in recent years that their unions were legally recognized and upheld. This has made having certain official documents, like a medical and financial power of attorney for each spouse as well as wills and trusts, more common for some LGBTQ couples. All of these will be important to update if a same-sex couple decides to divorce.
Additionally, there are issues unique to LGBTQ families with children that can, and should, only be managed by a Kansas City divorce attorney with experience in this area of the law. The court will require any families with children to file a parenting plan. Separating spouses must consider the best interests of the child(ren) when developing the parenting plan and be clear on issues including physical custody, legal custody, visitation, holiday and vacation arrangements, and child support. These topics can be more complicated with blended families and adoptions.
If the time has come to end your partnership, you should consider finding a Kansas City LGBTQ divorce lawyer with the experience you can trust to advise you during the divorce process. Knowing that your attorney is familiar and comfortable with discussing LGBTQ issues can help you feel more secure, especially when discussing personal matters that are often part of a divorce case.
Having an attorney who has worked on cases that are similar to yours can help alleviate additional stress and lead to a faster, less expensive, and hopefully more amicable dissolution of the marriage. Call today to take the first step toward your next chapter.
