 | ||||
© 2015 The Gormly Law Firm, PLLC.
Under the rules of certain jurisdictions, this communication may constitute 'Attorney Advertising.'
The Fight for Equality
and
The GLBT Life Planning Roadmap
• Defending Your Rights
• Protecting Your Interests
• Enforcing Your Intentions
For example, in Texas, as in many other states:
• State law specifically denies to same-sex couples the same rights it automatically grants to a heterosexual marriage.
• State law refuses to even recognize the existence of any same-sex relationship, even one granted in another state. A same-sex relationship has no legal standing in Texas.
• Lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgenders in Texas often face obstacles in attempting to gain or enforce their rights as parents or guardians.
This is where the GLBT Life Planning Roadmap comes in.
One of the great advantages of the Roadmap is that, once in effect, the instruments are legally enforceable in any state. For same-sex couples who already have a marriage, civil union or domestic partnership from another state, this acts as an insurance policy when they travel or move elsewhere. It gives you an effective way to maintain most if not all of the same rights you attained when you declared the legal status of your domestic relationship.
NOTE: Some states have declared they will not recognize contractual agreements and the like if they appear to create legal rights for a same-sex couple. However, these claims run counter to a host of federal laws, not the least of which are the Fair Faith and Credit Clause and the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The GLBT Life Planning Roadmap: What We Offer
Legal Instruments
- Wills (simple and complex)
- Trusts
- Revocable (Living) Trusts - Irrevocable Trusts - Trust Administration
- Powers of Attorney (Medical Care, Mental Health Care, Business and Personal Actions)
- Directives, Declarations and Authorizations (such as Living Wills and HIPAA Authorizations)
- Partnership Agreement (also called Relationship Agreement, Cohabitation Agreement, Living Together Agreement)
- Dissolution of Relationship Agreement
- Contracts
- Business Formation
- Asset Distribution
- Probate Assistance
- Probate Litigation
- Estate Administration
Legal Representation
- Custody Rights
- Visitation Rights
- Adoption & Guardianship
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Embryo Adoption
- Surrogacy
- Civil Litigation
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community face legal and social challenges that those outside of the community may never even have to consider, let alone confront. Despite recent gains in a number of states and the District of Columbia, other states have seen significant setbacks and most remain unchanged.
Furthermore, any rights and protections you may have gained for a same-sex relationship in another state or country -- be it a marriage, civil union or domestic partnership -- can evaporate the minute you cross the state border.
In a comprehensive study of Texas statutes, Eric Gormly of The Gormly Law Firm has identified every right, protection and benefit that the state of Texas bestows on a married couple or a parent.
Using this research and our knowledge of the relevant areas of law, we have created the GLBT Life Planning Roadmap. The Life Planning Roadmap is an extensive collection of options and legal documents developed as an effective, legal alternative to provide you, your partner and your family the fullest slate of marital-like and parental rights possible under current law.
Those options may include individualized powers of attorney, wills, trusts, business formations, partnership contracts, third-party adoptions, guardianship declarations, Medicaid planning, and numerous other directives, declarations, authorizations and other so-called "legal instruments."
