Last updated on October 8, 2024
To help ensure accuracy, this page was written, edited and is periodically reviewed by a knowledgeable team of legal writers per our editorial guidelines. It was approved for publication by founding attorney Samuel Siemon, who has amassed extensive experience as a Georgia family law attorney. Our last modified date shows when the page underwent a review.
Family Law Services For LGBTQ Couples In Atlanta
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell made same-sex marriage legal in Georgia, and our attorneys at The Siemon Law Firm Divorce and Family Law Attorneys, P.C. can help you with the challenges same-sex couples face during divorce. For same-sex couples, there are still many complexities to divorce in addition to the typical issues surrounding the often-contentious issues of child custody, child support, property division and spousal support. Our attorneys at The Siemon Law Firm Divorce and Family Law Attorneys, P.C. can help with these issues. To schedule a consultation, call 770-888-5120 to make an appointment at our Atlanta office.
Because same-sex marriage was not legal prior to Obergefell decision in Georgia, couples had few formal options. They may have been married outside of Georgia or been in a domestic partnership, but their relationship would not have been recognized. This can lead to additional challenges during a divorce.
Challenges For LGBTQ Divorce In Georgia
In 2105, same-sex marriage was recognized, but many couples who had been in a relationship before that recognition and who now divorce will have to deal with issues where the law is less clear. Many matters in a divorce are based on the length of the marriage. This calculation is more complex when the same-sex couple was together for 15 or 20 years prior to their marriage.
For instance, how do you determine the “length of the marriage” when a couple could not be married in Georgia, but lived together and raised children together. Their finances were intermingled during that time, but in the eyes of the law, they may have only been married for three or four years.
There may also be difficult questions of parentage, adoption and other issues of child custody and visitation. If you are not the biological parent, there may be additional challenges for obtaining the custody and visitation arrangements you want. Courts and judges simply lack experience dealing with these issues, but our attorneys can help. We work to create strong and compelling arguments to protect your rights and ensure you can maintain access to your children. We can also help deal with creating a parenting plan or dealing with relocations, as well as when there are issues of domestic violence and child abuse in the relationship.
Our Experience Handling LGBTQ Family Law Can Help
We know these are very complex and sensitive issues, and we work to achieve the resolution of your divorce with understanding and compassion. We strive for divorce settlements with LGBTQ families that are tailored to your specific situation and which lessen the stress and conflict that can follow the breakup of any relationship. Our many years of experience with the full range of family law issues allows us to provide knowledgeable counsel and help you achieve a successful resolution of your divorce, child custody, child or spousal support and any other family law issue.
Contact Our Atlanta Firm
LGBTQ family law issues can be complex and difficult to work through. We have the experience to work with you and help you achieve your goals. To speak to an experienced family law attorney at our Atlanta office, please contact us today at 770-888-5120.
