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With the right to marry secured for same-sex couples throughout the United States in 2015, an ever-changing landscape of family law issues has continued to present new challenges for their families. From estate planning to divorce and child custody, many LGBTQ+ couples throughout the country need reliable and compassionate legal guidance more than ever as many laws have yet to catch up.
At The Law Office of Thomas Stahl, our team of attorneys have long-supported and proudly represented members of the LGBTQ+ communities throughout the state of Maryland and Washington, DC. We have proven our dedication to clients from every walk of life and provided them with recognized law services in every family law aspect. Our clients chose us because we never take a one-size-fits-all approach to cases. After all, every individual and their families are unique.
With marriage equality came access to divorce services in Maryland, which provides for fault and no-fault divorce strategies to couples ready to separate. The difference between these two options is that no-fault divorce has a mandatory 12-month separation period before finalization, except for mutual consent where there is no waiting period for this ground. Fault-based divorces require a spouse to have grounds for the divorce and provide evidence of their accusations. The reason one seeks this type of dissolution is often the result of many experiences during the marriage involving:
Washington, DC is a no-fault divorce jurisdiction. If you intend to pursue a fault-based divorce in Maryland, you must provide the court with evidence of your claim or instead proceed with a no-fault approach after spending a year apart. Lead Attorney Thomas Stahl can help you handle all aspects of property division, including assignment of debt and alimony. You do not have to face this challenging time alone. Call us today for help with your case.
Negotiating child custody arrangements can be especially scary for some LGBTQ+ parents who may not have completed a second-person adoption to secure their right to visitation and custody. You deserve time with your child, and even if you missed the opportunity to adopt them formally, Maryland and DC laws do recognize de facto parents. These are individuals who are current or recent caretakers of a minor child in the role of a parent. Our firm recognizes the importance of family and being present in our children’s lives. When you turn to The Law Office of Thomas Stahl for legal assistance in your divorce or custody case, we ensure that your rights and relationship with your child do not get trampled in the process.
You may think that paying an attorney to do some paperwork is ridiculous and opt for a do-it-yourself packet from an online legal document site. While this is one way to get it done, you should consider this process requires more than filling out a template and listing assets. The court is specific about how a prenuptial agreement gets created and how it gets drawn up and executed. Suppose it fails to meet state standards of being fair, legitimate, and voluntarily entered into without coercion. In that case, a judge could later determine it is not valid, putting all of your assets up for division when divorcing.
The only sure way to avoid this situation is to work with a highly skilled prenup lawyer. Our legal team at The Law Offices of Thomas Stahl is just a quick call away. It can set up a consultation to assist you in determining the factors you need to consider in your prenuptial contract or advise you on signing such an agreement or not.
Courts want to balance their decisions based on the child’s best interests and the constitutional rights of all parties involved regarding how they are brought up in their household. This can make the pursuit of visitation rights against a parent’s objections exceedingly complicated and emotionally exhausting for all involved. Before you seek visitation through the court, it is crucial to work with an attorney who has the family law experience necessary to position your case with the court in the best possible light.
Usually, the amount of child support paid is calculated based on a portion of each parent’s income and custody arrangements. This can become a bit complex in LGBTQ+ marriages where one or both parents did not perform a second parent adoption establishing their rights and responsibilities as the child’s parent. The court could determine if one of the spouses qualifies as a de facto parent, in which case, all the financial responsibilities of parenthood would come into play. This is a new area of law that requires an understanding of how Maryland family courts approach these issues. With years of experience representing gay and lesbian couples throughout the state, our firm has in-depth knowledge and a strategic approach to these issues that ensures parents maintain a healthy relationship with their child. Maryland law makes it clear that both parents have to support their child, and you can count on us to make sure this happens.
Divorce in the state of Maryland or in Washington, DC is already complex, but for LGBTQ+ couples, this process brings a whole other host of issues that can impact their families for years to come. At The Law Office of Thomas Stahl, we are here to guide you through your divorce and achieve a settlement that protects your interests and future after your marriage has ended. As a recognized Maryland Super Lawyer since 2013, lead attorney Thomas Stahl has demonstrated his commitment to providing the most inclusive family law practice available. Call (410) 696-4326 or (202) 964-7280, or reach out online to schedule a consultation to discuss your family law issues.
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