How same-sex divorce differs from traditional divorce, and where the law still has gaps

kAm%6? J62CD 27E6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DFAC6>64@FCE]8@G^s@4<6E!su^a`^a`\cfe^aafggc^a_aa_e`c`babbgh_`0cad_`Ta_A57Ta_v@=5DE6:?]A57Qm~36C8676== G] w@586Dk^2m[ D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6D 92G6 E96 =682= C:89E E@ 5:G@C46 ;FDE =:<6 2?J @E96C 4@FA=6[ 3FE 72>:=J 4@FCED 2C6 DE:== C6D@=G:?8 BF6DE:@?D E92E E96 CF=:?8 ?6G6C 7F==J 2?DH6C65] x? E9:D 2CE:4=6[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D<:==6C?7:C>]4@>^Qm$<:==6C? u:C> s:G@C46 U2>Aj r9:=5 rFDE@5J {2HJ6CDk^2m[ 2 %6I2D 72>:=J =2H 7:C>[ 6I2>:?6D 9@H D2>6\D6I 5:G@C46 AC@4665:?8D 5:776C :? AC24E:46[ 2?5 H96C6 E96 =2H DE:== 92D 82AD E92E 27764E C62= 72>:=:6D]k^Am

kAm%96 82AD 5@ ?@E 2=H2JD >2<6 9625=:?6D[ 3FE 7@C E96 6DE:>2E65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^H:==:2>D:?DE:EFE6]=2H]F4=2]65F^AF3=:42E:@?D^>2CC:65\DD\4@FA=6D\@36C8676==\`_^Qmgab[___ >2CC:65 D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6Dk^2m :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ 2?5 E96 ?62C=J b__[___ 49:=5C6? 36:?8 C2:D65 :? E9@D6 9@FD69@=5D[ E96J >2EE6C D:8?:7:42?E=J]k^Am

k9bm$2>6\$6I s:G@C46 xD |@C6 p=:<6 %92? s:776C6?Ek^9bm

kAm|@DE @7 H92E 92AA6?D :? 2 D2>6\D6I 5:G@C46 >:CC@CD H92E 92AA6?D :? 2?J @E96C 5:DD@=FE:@? AC@4665:?8] r@FA=6D 5:G:56 >2C:E2= 2DD6ED[ ?68@E:2E6 DA@FD2= DFAA@CE[ 2?5[ H96C6 49:=5C6? 2C6 :?G@=G65[ H@C< E9C@F89 4FDE@5J 2?5 A2C6?E:?8 2CC2?86>6?ED] %96 4@FCE 2AA=:6D E96 D2>6 =682= DE2?52C5Di 6BF:E23=6 5:DEC:3FE:@? :? >@DE DE2E6D 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ AC@A6CEJ CF=6D :? @E96CD]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^H:==:2>D:?DE:EFE6]=2H]F4=2]65F^AF3=:42E:@?D^A2EE\C6=2E\C64@8\DD\4@FA=6\5:G@C46^Qmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 (:==:2>D x?DE:EFE6 2E &r{pk^2m[ D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6D 6?5 E96:C >2CC:286D 2E 2? 2G6C286 2??F2= C2E6 @7 23@FE `]`T[ H9:49 :D D=:89E=J =@H6C E92? E96 C@F89=J aT 2??F2= 5:G@C46 C2E6 7@C 5:776C6?E\D6I 4@FA=6D] p a_ad (:==:2>D x?DE:EFE6 2?2=JD:D @7 E96 64@?@>:4 :>A24E @7 >2CC:286 6BF2=:EJ 7@F?5 E92E 5:DD@=FE:@? C2E6D 7@C >2CC:65 D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6D 2C6 3C@25=J D:>:=2C E@ E9@D6 7@C 5:776C6?E\D6I 4@FA=6D[ 56D4C:3:?8 E96> 2D DE2E:DE:42==J Q:?5:DE:?8F:D923=6Q H96? >62DFC65 FD:?8 4@>A2C23=6 >6E9@5@=@8J]k^Am

kAm%9@D6 ?F>36CD[ E9@F89[ 5@ ?@E C67=64E E96 492==6?86D E92E 42? 2C:D6 H96? E96 4@FA=6 H2=<D :?E@ 2 4@FCEC@@>]k^Am

k9bm%96 !C6\a_`d !C@3=6>k^9bm

kAm~?6 @7 E96 >@DE A6CD:DE6?E =682= 4@>A=:42E:@?D :? D2>6\D6I 5:G@C46 :?G@=G6D 4@FA=6D H9@ 3F:=E E96:C =:G6D E@86E96C =@?8 367@C6 >2CC:286 H2D =682==J 2G2:=23=6 E@ E96>] |2?J 925 DA6?E 564256D D92C:?8 9@>6D[ 7:?2?46D[ 2?5 49:=5C6? 367@C6 ~36C8676== 82G6 E96> E96 C:89E E@ 7@C>2=:K6 E92E C6=2E:@?D9:A]k^Am

kAm(96? E9@D6 4@FA=6D ?@H 5:G@C46[ 4@FCED 7246 2 BF6DE:@? H:E9 ?@ F?:7@C> 2?DH6Ci (96? 5:5 E96 >2CC:286 24EF2==J 368:?nk^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH];FDE:2]4@>^=83EB^72>:=J\=2H\5:G@C46^D2>6\D6I\5:G@C46^QmyFDE:2VD {vq%"Z {682= #6D@FC46D r6?E6Ck^2m ?@E6D E92E 6G6? :7 2 4@FA=6 4@923:E65 2?5 3F:=E 2 =:76 E@86E96C 7@C J62CD 367@C6 E96:C =682= >2CC:286[ 2 4@FCE >2J @?=J 4@?D:56C 2DD6ED 244F>F=2E65 D:?46 E96 @77:4:2= H655:?8 52E6 2D >2C:E2= AC@A6CEJ] u@C 2 4@FA=6 E@86E96C D:?46 `hhd H9@ >2CC:65 :? a_`d[ E92E 4@F=5 >62? 564256D @7 D92C65 7:?2?4:2= 4@?EC:3FE:@?D 42? 8@ =682==J F?C64@8?:K65]k^Am

kAm$@>6 4@FCED 92G6 368F? 24<?@H=658:?8 E96D6 4:C4F>DE2?46D] pEE@C?6JD >2J 2C8F6 7@C 4@FCED E@ 4@?D:56C E96 7F== 5FC2E:@? @7 2 4@>>:EE65 C6=2E:@?D9:A[ A2CE:4F=2C=J H96C6 :E H2D AC6G:@FD=J 7@C>2=:K65 E9C@F89 2 4:G:= F?:@? @C 5@>6DE:4 A2CE?6CD9:A] ~FE4@>6D G2CJ D:8?:7:42?E=J 3J DE2E6 2?5 3J ;F586] %96C6 :D ?@ 7656C2= DE2?52C5[ 2?5 ?@ 8F2C2?E66 E92E 2 =@?8\E6C> D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6VD AC6\>2CC:286 9:DE@CJ H:== 724E@C :?E@ 2 AC@A6CEJ D6EE=6>6?E E96 H2J :E >:89E 7@C 2 4@FA=6 H9@ D:>A=J 4@F=5?VE 277@C5 E@ >2CCJ 62C=:6C]k^Am

k9bm%96 !2C6?E286 v2Ak^9bm

kAm%96 D92CA6DE =682= 5:G:56 36EH66? D2>6\D6I 2?5 5:776C6?E\D6I 5:G@C46 :?G@=G6D 49:=5C6?[ 2?5 DA64:7:42==J[ H92E 92AA6?D H96? @?6 A2C6?E 92D ?@ 3:@=@8:42= @C 25@AE:G6 =682= C6=2E:@?D9:A E@ 2 49:=5 E96 4@FA=6 C2:D65 E@86E96C]k^Am

kAmx? 2 EJA:42= 5:776C6?E\D6I >2CC:286[ A2C6?E286 :D =2C86=J AC6DF>65] (96? 2 49:=5 :D 3@C? 5FC:?8 E96 >2CC:286[ 3@E9 DA@FD6D 2C6 86?6C2==J C64@8?:K65 2D =682= A2C6?ED] u@C D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6D[ E92E AC6DF>AE:@? 6I:DED :? >2?J DE2E6D[ 3FE ?@E 2==[ 2?5 ?@E 4@?D:DE6?E=J]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH];FDE:2]4@>^=83EB^72>:=J\=2H\5:G@C46^49:=5\4FDE@5J\DFAA@CE^QmyFDE:2VD 49:=5 4FDE@5J C6D@FC46 7@C {vq%"Z 72>:=:6Dk^2m DE2E6D E92E H96C6 2 ?@?3:@=@8:42= A2C6?E 92D ?@E 7@C>2==J 25@AE65 2 49:=5 @C @3E2:?65 2 A2C6?E286 ;F58>6?E[ E96J >2J 92G6 5:77:4F=EJ 6DE23=:D9:?8 =682= 4FDE@5J @C G:D:E2E:@? C:89ED] qJ E96 D2>6 E@<6?[ E96J >:89E 2=D@ ?@E 36 @C56C65 E@ A2J 49:=5 DFAA@CE[ H9:49 42? =62G6 49:=5C6? 7:?2?4:2==J 6IA@D65]k^Am

kAmyFDE:2 ?@E6D E92E E9:D 2C62 @7 =2H :D DE:== 56G6=@A:?8[ 2?5 E92E 6G6? 4@FCED H:E9:? E96 D2>6 DE2E6 >2J C6249 5:776C6?E @FE4@>6D F?E:= 2AA6==2E6 AC64656?E :D 6DE23=:D965] %92E :?4@?D:DE6?4J :D ?@E 2 >:?@C AC@465FC2= :DDF6] xE :D 2 5:C64E 4@?D6BF6?46 @7 2 =682= DJDE6> E92E :D DE:== 42E49:?8 FA E@ 72>:=:6D E92E 6I:DE65 367@C6 E96 =2H C64@8?:K65 E96>]k^Am

k9bm%96 !@=:E:42= r@?E6IE :? a_adk^9bm

kAm%96 =682= 82AD :? D2>6\D6I 5:G@C46 6I:DE 282:?DE 2 324<5C@A @7 @?8@:?8 A@=:E:42= 2?5 =682= 492==6?86D E@ E96 =2HD E92E >2<6 D2>6\D6I >2CC:286 A@DD:3=6 :? E96 7:CDE A=246]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=2>352=682=]@C8^AC@E64E:?8\=83EB\72>:=:6D\4@FA=6D\>2CC:286\6BF2=:EJ\@36C8676==^Qm{2>352 {682= C6A@CE65k^2m E92E :? E96 7:CDE 92=7 @7 a_ad[ 3:==D 2?5 C6D@=FE:@?D H6C6 :?EC@5F465 :? 2E =62DE ?:?6 DE2E6D 492==6?8:?8 >2CC:286 6BF2=:EJ[ H:E9 7:G6 FC8:?8 E96 $FAC6>6 r@FCE E@ @G6CEFC? ~36C8676== 2?5 7@FC AC@A@D:?8 >2CC:286 42E68@C:6D =:>:E65 E@ 96E6C@D6IF2= 4@FA=6D] x? }@G6>36C a_ad[ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D4@EFD3=@8]4@>^a_ad^``^DFAC6>6\4@FCE\564=:?6D\E@\962C\42D6\@?\4@?DE:EFE:@?2=:EJ\@7\D2>6\D6I\>2CC:286^Qm$FAC6>6 r@FCE 56?:65 46CE:@C2C:k^2m :? 2 A6E:E:@? D66<:?8 E@ @G6CEFC? E96 CF=:?8[ =62G:?8 ~36C8676== :?E24E 7@C ?@H]k^Am

kAm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4@?8C6DD]8@G^3:==^``fE9\4@?8C6DD^9@FD6\3:==^gc_cQm#6DA64E 7@C |2CC:286 p4Ek^2m[ D:8?65 :?E@ =2H :? a_aa[ AC@G:56D 2 D64@?52CJ =2J6C @7 AC@E64E:@?i tG6? :7 ~36C8676== H6C6 6G6?EF2==J @G6CEFC?65[ E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 2?5 2== DE2E6D H@F=5 DE:== 36 C6BF:C65 E@ C64@8?:K6 D2>6\D6I >2CC:286D G2=:5=J A6C7@C>65 :? 2?J DE2E6] %96 AC@E64E:@?D E96 =2H @776CD :? 5:G@C46 AC@4665:?8D[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 2C@F?5 A2C6?E286 C:89ED[ 2C6 =6DD D6EE=65]k^Am

k9bm(92E E96 }F>36CD s@?VE $9@Hk^9bm

kAm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^H:==:2>D:?DE:EFE6]=2H]F4=2]65F^AF3=:42E:@?D^>2CC:65\DD\4@FA=6D\@36C8676==\`_^Qm(:==:2>D x?DE:EFE6VD a_ad C6A@CEk^2m >2C<:?8 E96 `_E9 2??:G6CD2CJ @7 ~36C8676== ?@E65 E92E 23@FE `fT @7 >2CC:65 D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6D 2C6 C2:D:?8 E96:C @H? 49:=5C6?[ 4@>A2C65 E@ bgT @7 >2CC:65 5:776C6?E\D6I 4@FA=6D] |2CC:65 76>2=6 D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6D 2C6 2AAC@I:>2E6=J E9C66 E:>6D >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 36 C2:D:?8 49:=5C6? E92? >2CC:65 >2=6 D2>6\D6I 4@FA=6D]k^Am

kAm%9@D6 72>:=:6D C67=64E E96 C62=:EJ E92E {vq%"Z A2C6?ED 92G6 3F:=E DE23=6 9@FD69@=5D F?56C =2HD E92E[ F?E:= G6CJ C646?E=J[ 5:5 ?@E =682==J C64@8?:K6 E96>] %96 5:G@C46 C2E6 52E2 DF886DE E92E E9@D6 >2CC:286D 2C6 ?@ >@C6 7C28:=6 E92? 2?J @E96CD] %96 =682= :?7C2DECF4EFC6 2G2:=23=6 H96? E96J 6?5[ 9@H6G6C[ :D DE:== 36:?8 3F:=E]k^Am

kAmk6>m%9:D DE@CJ H2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D<:==6C?7:C>]4@>^Qmk6>m$<:==6C? u:C> s:G@C46 U2>Aj r9:=5 rFDE@5J {2HJ6CDk^6>mk^2m k6>m2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2m]k^Am