June 2021 UPDATE: The Dallas Court of Appeals has withdraw their original opinion in this case from December 2020 and replaced it with a new opinion. The new opinion eliminates the dicta (lawyer word for unnecessary opining) about the issue
Continue Reading Status of Retroactive Same-Sex Marriage in Doubt
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined review of the Box v. Henderson case filed by the State of Indiana in June of 2020, which presented the Court with the issue of whether a state may adopt a biology-based birth certificate
Continue Reading Marriage Equality Prevails: Indiana May Not Discriminate Against Same-Sex Spouses
I had the opportunity to attend the 2019 John Hemphill Dinner with members of our firm and other guests, where Justice Neil Gorsuch was the featured speaker. After the event concluded, the attendees had a brief opportunity to meet and
Continue Reading Bostock, A Lesson in Diplomacy, and Always Take the Picture
Last month, the Texarkana Court of Appeals quietly released an opinion that should have some big shockwaves through LGBT family law in Texas. In the case of In re T.E.R., the Texarakana Court affirmed the decision of the trial court
Continue Reading Win for Non-biological Mothers out of appellate court
A new opinion out of the Court of Appeals in the Thirteenth District of Texas applies the paternity presumption under the Texas Uniform Parentage Act to a female non-bio parent in a same sex marriage, where the child was born
Continue Reading Is there really a presumption of maternity? Texas court says YES!
As I reflect on my first year of practicing family law (including divorce and child custody in Dallas, Texas), I realize that there were many moments where I felt the weight of the responsibility of my new title very heavily
Continue Reading Top 5 tips for LGBTQ+ custody litigation
Oklahoma Supreme Court finds non-biological parent to have the *same rights* to a child born during a same-sex relationship as the biological parent. “A nonbiological parent stands IN PARITY with a biological parent…. Lori did not act in the place
Continue Reading Update from Oklahoma on non-bio parent custody
Newly-elected Judge Sonya L. Heath of the 310th District Court of Harris County dismissed the Pidgeon case last week after ruling on competing final motions for summary judgment by either party.
In 2013, the Houston Mayor directed that the City
Continue Reading Back story: Pidgeon case on spousal benefits for same-sex couples dismissed
The American Bar Association’s Standing committee on Ethics released a formal opinion last week on guidance for judges performing same-sex marriage: In wake of landmark decision, ABA issues guidance for judges performing same-sex marriages. Their guidance interprets the Model
Continue Reading ABA Opinion on Judicial Ethics in Performing Same-Sex Marriages
Love is for everybody. It’s a nice thought. But sort through the greeting cards at literally any store and the chances of finding something queer-themed, or even remotely non-heterosexual, is going to be low, low, low.
It doesn’t feel nice
Continue Reading Will you be my LGBT Valentine?
