LGBTQ Divorce

LGBTQ Divorce Attorney Tampa

Same-sex couples face the same legal issues in divorce as any other couple — division of assets and debts, alimony, parenting plans, and child support. But there are unique considerations that require an attorney who understands them.

Pre-2015 Relationships

Many same-sex couples built lives together for years or decades before marriage equality made legal marriage possible in 2015. Under Florida’s alimony statute, support duration is calculated from the date of legal marriage — not the length of the relationship. For couples with a long history before 2015, this can create a significant disparity. Under § 61.08, we can argue for consideration of the full history of the relationship and financial interdependence to prevent an inequitable outcome.

Parental Rights

For families where one parent is not the biological parent, legal documentation matters enormously. Being named on a birth certificate is not the same as having a legally protected parental relationship. We work to ensure non-biological parents have the formal legal standing they need — through confirmatory adoption or other available frameworks — to protect their relationship with their children regardless of what happens in the divorce.

Privacy

For couples who value privacy, the collaborative divorce process offers a path that keeps sensitive family and financial matters out of the public record entirely.

The LGBTQ family issues continue to grow with the 2015 legal landmark Supreme Court ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex marriage. According to the ruling, all states must recognize all marriages, even those performed in other states. Hughes Law Group recognizes the unique challenges that same-sex couples face and we are here to represent your family.

Legally, same-sex couples are treated the same as divorcing heterosexual couples. They face the same legal issues of distribution of marital assets and debts, alimony, and co-parenting and child time-sharing (with adoptions), but recognize there may be unique issues such as surrogacy and non-biological parents.

Hughes Law Group is poised at the forefront of the developing area of same-sex family law. Allyson Hughes recognizes the subtle nuances that make LGBTQ divorce unique, and is committed to supporting her clients in every aspect of their divorce recognizes the subtle nuances that make LGBTQ divorce unique, and strives to support her clients in every aspect of their divorce.