What You Need to Know About Civil Unions in Illinois
On January 31, 2011, Governor Pat Quinn signed into law the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act, thereby making Illinois the 18th U.S. jurisdiction to pass legislation...
View ArticleFirst Divorce Filing For Same Sex Couple in Illinois
As of June 1, 2011, same-sex couples are permitted to apply for civil union licenses under the new Civil Union Act. On the same historic date, another same-sex couple was filing for a divorce. On...
View ArticleCivil Unions and Employment Benefits Issues in Illinois
The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act went into effect on June 1, 2011. A civil union creates a legal relationship between two persons of either the same or opposite sex who...
View ArticleFar Reaching Effects of New York’s Legalization of Gay Marriage
The New York State legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo legalized same-sex marriage for the state of New York on June 24, 2011. A same-sex marriage bill known as the Marriage Equality Act passed the...
View ArticleLoving v. Virginia: Thoughts on Gay Marriage
In June 1958, Mildred Jeter, a black woman, married Richard Loving, a white man. Although the newlyweds were residents of Virginia, they married in the District of Columbia because Virginia had a...
View ArticleYet Another Court Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
On May 31, 2012, a federal appeals court in Boston (U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit) unanimously ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) was unconstitutional, thereby paving the way...
View ArticleSupreme Court Still Quiet on Gay Marriage
There are presently 10 pending appeals potentially before the Supreme Court addressing the issue of same sex marriage. 8 of the 10 appeals directly challenge the controversial Defense of Marriage Act...
View ArticleU.S. Supreme Court Will Address Gay Marriage
As a follow up to my last blog post, on Friday December 7, 2012, the United States Supreme Court announced that it would hear, not one, but two gay marriage cases. The first is Windsor v. United...
View ArticleThe U. S. Supreme Court Hears Marriage Equality Cases
Article written by Michele M. Jochner and Shannon R. Burke Recently, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments on two consecutive days in two cases which have generated national headlines...
View ArticleThe Nation’s Highest Court Speaks on the Issue of Marriage Equality
Article written by Michele M. Jochner and Shannon R. Burke Waiting until the final day of its 2012-2013 Term, the United States Supreme Court issued two long-awaited decisions regarding same-sex...
View ArticleThe Nation’s Highest Court Speaks on the Issue of Marriage Equality
Article written by Michele M. Jochner and Shannon R. Burke Waiting until the final day of its 2012-2013 Term, the United States Supreme Court issued two long-awaited decisions regarding same-sex...
View ArticleLesbian Couple Seeks Spousal Immunity in Kentucky Murder Trial
Geneva Case and Bobbie Jo Clary, a lesbian couple in Kentucky, are seeking to invoke spousal immunity to shield Case from testifying against Clary in Clary’s criminal murder trial. Clary has been...
View ArticleIRS Recognizes Same Sex Marriage for Federal Income Tax Purposes
As of September 16, 2013, through Revenue Ruling 2013-17, the Internal Revenue Service will recognize the marital status of legally married persons, including persons married to others of the same sex,...
View ArticleTwo Dads and a Surrogate
The break-up of My Fair Wedding host, David Tutera, and his partner, Ryan Jurica, hit the news this week bringing to light the added difficulties couples face when determining custody of children...
View ArticleSpouse Defined for ERISA Plans
On September 18, 2013, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued Guidance to Employee Benefit Plans on the Definition of “Spouse” and “Marriage” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974...
View ArticleMany Family Types, One Goal: Children’s Best Interest in Custody Agreements
Although Ryan Jurica’s initial divorce filing is loaded with inflammatory allegations, My Fair Wedding host, David Tutera, and his partner, Ryan Jurica, have entered a temporary custody agreement that...
View ArticleIllinois House Approves Gay Marriage Bill
On Tuesday afternoon, the Illinois House voted 61-54, narrowly surpassing the required 60 vote threshold, to approve gay marriage. The measure previously passed the Illinois Senate on Valentine’s Day....
View ArticleMarriage Equality and Divorce Equality Reach Illinois
On November 20, 2013, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, which will make same-sex marriage legal in Illinois as of June 1, 2014. At this time,...
View ArticleNorth Dakota Attorney General Issues Legal Opinion That a Man in a Same-Sex...
A man who was validly married to another man in a state that recognizes same-sex marriages moves to North Dakota. He then seeks to marry a woman in North Dakota, which does not recognize same-sex...
View ArticleSocial Security Survivor Benefits to Same Sex Couples
The Social Security Administration announced Monday, December 16, 2013, that it will begin processing claim for survivor benefits for individuals in same sex marriages. The Social Security is taking...
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