When Do You Need a Same-Sex Marriage Lawyer?
If you have any concerns, questions, or issues that are related to same-sex marriage, you should consult with a lawyer for same-sex marriage. Your attorney will be aware of the most recent updates to same-sex marriage laws and how they apply in your location.
Right now, same-sex married couples have many legal rights, including:
- Employee benefits
- Estate planning benefits
- Tax benefits
- Hospital visitations
- Divorce
- Medical insurance, including employer-provided plans
- Family leave
- Retirement plans
- Paternity and maternity leave
- Property rights, including protections for spouses in the event of:
- Divorce
- Legal separation
- Death
- Medical leave, including leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Power of attorney
- Medical power of attorney
- Worker’s compensation rights
- Inheritance rights
- Spousal testimonial privilege, or marital privilege
Your attorney will help you ensure that you are able to exercise all of your legal rights.
Your lawyer can help you make the best use of these rights and ensure that your loved ones are cared for according to your wishes. Although same-sex marriage is legal, couples may still face civil rights issues, such as employment or housing discrimination.
Because the laws that govern same-sex marriage are evolving, it is very important to speak with a same-sex marriage lawyer near you who can provide you with advice on the current status of the laws that apply to you. Your attorney can also address any issues or questions you may have as well as give you advice about how you can protect and exercise your rights.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Same-Sex Marriage Lawyer in the U.S.?
The cost of a same-sex marriage attorney can vary depending on many different factors, such as:
- The complexity of the questions issues you have
- The type of fee arrangement your lawyer will use for your case, which may include:
- How many years of experience your attorney has
- How long it should take to resolve your issue
- The location where your lawyer practices
Many types of lawyers will charge an hourly fee for different services. This hourly fee may range from $100 to $700 per hour or more, depending on their location, experience, and firm size.
What to Look for in a Same-Sex Marriage Lawyer?
You should look for a same-sex marriage attorney with whom you are comfortable sharing information as well as who meets your needs and budget. You can look for several things, such as:
- Personalized attention: You seek out an attorney who takes the time to understand the unique aspects of your concern or issue and what outcome you desire.
- Experience: You should find a lawyer who has previous experience with same-sex marriage case and issues.
- Communication: Getting updates and notifications about your issue or case can help you feel more confident in your lawyer as well as how your claim is progressing.
- Practice area: It is important to find an attorney who practices in the legal area that is relevant to your issue or concern.
- This may mean finding a lawyer who handles estate planning needs for same-sex couples.
How to Prepare for Your Consultation With a Same-Sex Marriage Lawyer?
If you take the time to prepare for your consultation with your same-sex marriage lawyer, it will be helpful for resolving your issue. This can help your attorney create the best strategy possible to get the outcome you desire.
Examples of things you can do to prepare for your consultation include:
- Write down concerns and questions: Before your meeting, you need to make a written list of all concerns and questions you might have you have, such as:
- The attorney’s background
- Possible ways to resolve your concern
- How many similar cases the attorney has handled
- The possible outcomes of your issue
- Gather documentation: You should bring anything you have that may be related to your issue, for example:
- Documents showing your property ownership
- Documents from your employer
- Marriage documents
- Any other documents relevant to your issue
- Be honest: When you are sharing information with your attorney, it is important to be completely honest.
- If you do not share everything you know, your lawyer may not be able to successfully resolve your concern.
- Your lawyer is bound by professional confidentiality rules.
- Attorneys are not allowed to share information you tell them without your permission.
Where to Find Same-Sex Marriage Lawyers in the U.S.?
A fast, easy, and free way to find a same-sex marriage attorney to help you is LegalMatch. You may think of searching online for “same-sex marriage lawyers near me” or “same-sex marriage attorneys near me,” but you are not likely going to get very much helpful information.
Online search results will probably simply be overwhelming and not give you much detail or information about each attorney. By using LegalMatch’s matching services instead, you can locate a same-sex marriage attorney near you in just a few simple steps:
- Submit your issue: Submit your same-sex marriage question or concern in just about 15 minutes.
- Get matched: You will get matches from lawyers in your area in about 24 hours.
- Choose a lawyer: When you get a lawyer match, you will also get the following information about the attorney:
- Fee arrangements
- Education
- Background
- Client reviews
These responses can be helpful for finding a top-rated, licensed, and pre-screened same-sex marriage attorney in your area. You can communicate with any lawyer matches without an obligation to hire them.
