Greetings and Best Wishes for 2019. In the thirty years that I have been practicing LGBT family law, I have seen so many changes, mostly positive. Last year was full of progress – and challenges. Here are a few highlights. CHALLENGES Today, the biggest legal, and cultural, threat to our families is the balancing of...Read More

Excellent advice from my friend Liz in Florida. https://www.forbes.com/sites/debtfreeguys/2018/07/11/how-to-protect-yourself-in-a-post-marriage-equality-world/#42b41824742f From the article: Tighten your legal protections Marriage equality does grant access to all U.S. citizens to marry, but it doesn’t provide legal protections in every facet of life, including financial and family protections. From Schwartz’s legal background, she says that same-sex couples can’t be too...Read More

Dear Friends and Clients, Immediately after Trump became President, I had many inquiries about the future of LGBTQ rights. Now that a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court is inevitable, I am again being asked what it all means – and what we can do to protect ourselves. Nobody has a crystal ball to...Read More

Texas does not have a state-wide law prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people.  This is more important than ever after the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision by the US Supreme Court.  Please get involved in upcoming elections. https://www.hrc.org/blog/new-hampshire-governor-signs-legislation-protecting-transgender-peopleRead More

The backlash is real!  Read this article about a GLAAD survey and do everything you can to protect your relationship and your family. “Compared to last year’s survey, significantly more respondents said they would be uncomfortable with a family member, a child’s teacher, or their doctor who was LGBTQ.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/02/05/i-thought-gay-rights-were-safe-now-i-know-i-was-wrong/?utm_term=.abf325a0d3d3&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1Read More

I am so proud of former clients, Harvest and LaDonna, for their willingness to share their story with the Family Equality Council. This is such an important case and their story added a lot to the Masterpiece Cakeshop Amicus Brief. Courtesy of Equality Case Files    Read More

The following report below is a good example of the fact that our rights are moving in the right direction, but not without bumps in the road.   Like Arkansas judges, Texas judges have broad powers at the trial level.  Please be sure to try and resolve issues outside of court – or know about...Read More

Two contacts this week reminded me why I am passionate about my work to create stable families with two legal parents. First, I received a call from a couple that was adopting though CPS and was refused by the judge just two hours before the adoption hearing – solely because they were a lesbian couple. ...Read More

The Masterpiece Cakeshop case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court is very important to our families.  Religious freedom/liberty are important to our society – but not when they are used as an excuse for discrimination.   This brief makes the arguments for our families.  Please follow what is happening with this case. Brief of Amici...Read More

The good news is that Arizona’s highest court recognized a birth mother’s wife as a legal parent. The bad news is that she had to spend four years and lots of money to be recognized as her child’s mother. The legal trend is going in the right direction and more courts in liberal states are...Read More