Long Island Adoptions Attorney

Adoptions for Same Sex Couples

With the official enactment of New York's Marriage Equality Act on July 24th, 2011, same sex couples across the state are finally able to be granted the same rights, benefits and protections as their opposite sex counterparts. Although same sex marriage is not officially recognized in many states, nor is it recognized by the federal government, couples who reside in New York are now able to legally wed.

There are key differences, however, in the rights afforded to same sex couples, especially in regards to what happens should the marriage be dissolved at some point in the future. How will they determine the division of assets? Who gets what property? How is spousal support determined? What about child custody, child support and visitation rights? Each of these is a factor which is commonly addressed in a pre-nuptial agreement but if left unaddressed can lead to long, drawn out and costly court battles.

One of the most important issues, and one which is commonly disregarded, is that of adoptions. Whenever a child is involved, extreme care and attention must be taken in order to ensure their best interests are addressed. Parental rights must also be protected. Additionally, there are different adoption situations which may arise for same sex couples and each must be reviewed and dealt with privately.

When you consult with a Long Island adoption attorney at our firm, we will thoroughly review your situation, advise you of your legal rights and options, and assist you in all your adoption needs. Our attorneys are here to help, regardless of whether you are a same sex couple who seeks to adopt a new child, or if one party wishes to officially adopt and become the step-parent to the child from the other party's previous marriage or relationship, or perhaps one party has given birth and the other party wishes to adopt the child as well, in order to become his or her legal parent or both partners are adopting together.

Same Sex Family Attorney in Long Island

In a same sex marriage, if the child is not biologically your child, adoption may be essential to protect your parental rights and responsibilities should the marriage ever be dissolved. Do not let the special bond and connection you have as a parent be severed because legal adoption steps were neglected.

Our dedicated attorneys have over 171 years combined experience successfully representing clients in all types of family law cases, including same sex family law cases. We believe there is nothing more important than protecting our clients, now and for the future.

Contact a Long Island adoptions attorneyat Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C. today in order to discuss your adoption needs and protect yourself and your family.