Same-Sex Divorce

With all the attention that same-sex marriage has garnered over the past few years, could the focus on same-sex divorce be far behind? The divorce cases, with their attendant issues, are just beginning to manifest.

The problem for many same-sex married couples that hit the skids is that, when they move to states that do not recognize their same-sex marriage, they cannot get divorced in that state. At that point, they face a series of undesirable options: moving to one of the 14 states that recognize same-sex marriage to secure a divorce, staying in an emotionally unhealthy relationship, or informally deconstructing their marital estate and family.

Recently, we spotted an article in the NYT featuring just this problem for a couple in Mississippi. The couple was married in California -a state that, through much blood and sweat, recognizes same-sex marriage post-Hollingsworth. While the Sunshine State allows non-residents to prosecute a divorce by waiving the six-month residency requirement, the couple would not likely have the important issues of custody and property division resolved in their judgment of divorce; they wind-up with a piece of paper but not any peace of mind.

One option they apparently missed was the preparation and execution of a prenuptial agreement. These agreements operate as binding contracts which can then be enforced in many states. Whether such a contract would have been enforceable in Mississippi, however, remains to be seen.

These and similar issues can be expected to surface more frequently as same-sex marriages become more common and, as such marriages inevitably fail.