As of July 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is now legal throughout the United States. What does this spell for family law attorneys like Knochel Law Office? According to the firm's lawyers, it means lots of marriages, divorces, and unique issues.

Same-sex marriage was already recognized as legal in over 30 states, but this new ruling, as predicted by Knochel Law Office, will have implications in the legal field. Like traditional marriages, disputes are to be expected, and this could include child custody conflicts, alimony requests or other common family law issues.

Other Legal Implications

• Estate Planning: In the past, if a spouse wanted to leave their assets to a significant other at the time of death, all that would be needed, legally speaking, would be a will. This wasn’t the case for same-sex couples whose marriage wasn’t recognized in many states. Now, this norm is set to change with the new endorsement of same-sex marriage. The same is true when making medical decisions on a spouse’s behalf, which is now possible with the new ruling.
• Divorce: According to the National Center for Lesbian Rights, if a married same-sex couple decided to end their union, divorce could only be filed in states where the marriage was considered legal. Now that these marriages are recognized in all states, there’s no need to file for divorce in the original state of marriage. It can be filed virtually anywhere the couple resides.

For more information about your legal rights as an LGBT married couple and legal aid, call Knochel Law Office at (928) 444-1000 today.