Key Facts About LGBTQ+ Rights in Maryland
Since January 1, 2013, same-sex couples can marry in Maryland; Maryland also recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other states.
Understanding LGBTQ+ Legal Challenges
With changes in the law, LGBTQ+ individuals and families in Maryland still face unique legal issues.
Given that laws on surrogacy, parental rights, marriage, and divorce all vary from state to state, you and your family may need additional legal help.
How We Can Assist You
- Did you get married in one state and now live in Maryland?
- Are you thinking about having children and want to ensure that you and your partner both have parental rights?
- Do you and your partner want to protect certain legal rights regardless of your marital status?
As the legal landscape for LGBTQ+ families continues to evolve, having an attorney who is knowledgeable about the best and most current ways to secure family rights is extremely important.
At FLAG, we engage in thoughtful planning, address potential custody issues, and ensure parentage rights while approaching these matters with concern for consistency and respect.
Some of the areas in which our attorneys can assist include:
Reproductive Rights and Family Planning
FLAG can assist you with planning for your growing family. We can help you:
- obtain a second parent adoption
- ensure that your child’s birth certificate will accurately reflect parentage
- understand your rights surrounding surrogacy and gamete donors
Comprehensive Estate and Medical Care Planning
Without having a will, you and your loved ones may be legal strangers under Maryland’s estate laws.
Even if you are married, you and your spouse may wish for different arrangements than the default laws of intestacy (not having a will) provide.
Regardless of your marital status, having estate plans, powers of attorney, and advanced directives can help ensure that your loved ones have the rights that you want them to have. FLAG can assist you in creating these powerful documents.
Navigating Marriage and Divorce for LGBTQ+ Couples
Maryland recognizes same sex marriage for marriages performed both in Maryland and in other jurisdictions.
However, the patchwork of changes to marriage equality across the U.S. means that some civil unions are now legally recognized as marriages, while others are not.
Having an attorney who understands same-sex marriage law and your rights, both when entering a new marriage and when a relationship is dissolving, is imperative to ensuring that you get the same legal protections and rights as other couples in Maryland.
The attorneys at FLAG can assist you with:
Support for Name and Gender Changes
At FLAG, our attorneys have extensive experience working with transgender individuals as they seek to affirm their identities through appropriate documentation.
FLAG attorneys can assist you with:
- changing your name
- updating your identity documents
- changing your gender on your birth certificate
Our Commitment to LGBTQ+ Families
FLAG believes in supporting all individuals with family-related legal issues. Whether your family consists of a single individual or many members, our attorneys understand how to assist clients in getting the appropriate legal protections for their families.
Although we often work with parents who are separating, one of the most rewarding areas of our practice is helping to protect families as they are newly forming.
Contact FLAG for assistance with any LGBTQ+ legal issues.
Click to read our Blog articles on LGBTQ+ Law.
