Pet Trusts in Husky Country
Our pup, Daphne, is a fixture in Freed Marcroft’s office and has so many opinions of her own that she is even on Twitter at @thatlawyerdog. As a dog lover myself, I understand why one of our trust and estate clients’ common concerns is what will happen if they predecease their pets. Happily, in 2009, Connecticut […]
WNPR’s Colin McEnroe Show on the Psychology and Sociology of Coming Out
The good people of the Colin McEnroe Show on WNPR, including of course our dearest Chion Wolf, did an important show today on the psychology and sociology of coming out of the closet. Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra discusses what it is like to be an out gay man in politics, and Brian Murray, who currently […]
Transgender People and the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles: Name and Gender Marker Change
Prior to a transgender individual’s being able to able to change his or her name on a Connecticut driver’s license, typically a probate court must have granted a name change petition, and the name must also already be updated with the Social Security Administration. Once those things are accomplished, you can go to a Connecticut Department […]
The Full Faith and Credit Clause and Same Sex Marriage: Why Aren’t States Required to Recognize Out of State Marriages?
So why aren’t states required to recognize marriages performed in other states?
Article 4, Section 1 of the United States Constitution reads:
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings
We Are Family: New U.S. Custom’s Rule Liberalizes Declaration Process for Same Sex Couples and Their Families
It was a glorious vacation out of the country. Happy but tired from travel, you begin filling out a Customs Declaration for your family on the plane home to the United States . But wait, you wonder. Are we a family? In the Windsor decision, the United States Supreme Court held that restricting the federal interpretation […]
Transgender People and the Social Security Administration: Name and Gender Marker Change
Once a probate court has granted a transgender client’s petition for name change, a common next visit is to the Social Security Administration to change the name and gender marker in the Social Security Administration’s records.
To change your name on your Social Security card, you will need to submit an Application for a Social
Connecticut Stepparent Adoptions: Is a Home Study Required?
“Second parent adoption” is the term used to describe adoptions in which the biological parent of one child agrees to allow another person responsible for the child’s care to legally adopt the child. This person may be a same sex spouse.
If you are interested, I have written more extensively previously about what second parent adoptions are
Ten Connecticut Companies Earn Perfect Scores on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index
Last week we discussed how Connecticut cities fared in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2013 Municipal Equality Index. This week, the Human Rights Campaign released its 12th annual Corporate Equality Index.
So how did Connecticut-based companies do this year?
The HRC Foundation
Transgender People and Probate Court Name Change Petitions
When transgender clients call upon us to assist them with a name and/or gender marker change, it can often be a time of stress for them. People whose gender identity is inconsistent with the sex ascribed to them at birth understand intimately how societal expectations can shape people’s responses to how one expresses that gender identity.
As GLAD writes:
Why Legally Married Same Sex Couples Should Adopt Their Children
This week we got one of our favorite calls — a couple looking for assistance with their child’s adoption.
Prior to marriage equality in Connecticut, second parent adoption was critical for same sex couples because it provided a route to legal recognition of parenthood for them, even though they were unable to marry. Now that same sex couples are able to marry
