Same-Sex Partners Both have Parental Responsibility

The California Supreme Court ruled this week that both partners in a lesbian relationship may qualify under state law as parents of a child born to one of them.

"We conclude that a woman who agreed to raise her children with her lesbian partner, supported her partner’s artificial insemination using an anonymous donor, and received the resulting twin children into her home and held them out as her own, is the children’s parent under the Uniform Parentage Act and has an obligation to support them," Justice Carlos Moreno wrote in the court’s opinion.Please see Elisa B. v. the Superior Court of El Dorado County

Divorce Rate Declines because more couples are "Living Together."

More Americans are taking "til death do us part" seriously. According to the recently released Rutgers University National Marriage Project the number of divorces is declining. But the lower divorce rate is largely because couples are postponing, choosing not to, or are legally unable to get married. Like Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham, and Elton John and David Furnish, these 11 million unmarried couples are in committed relationships and sharing financial obligations, but aren't entitled to the 1,140 federal laws that apply to married couples.

More importantly, State laws concerning property rights, inheritance and even hospital visitations do not protect unmarried partners. Therefore, it is urgent that couples living together prepare estate plans (Will, Trust, Durable Power of Attorney,) Medical Power of Attorney and burial instructions. For the complete article click here.

See http://www.saveyourestate.com/