Upcoming Panel – Closer to Married: Three Practical Ways for LGBT Families to Cut the Red Tape

MC900391804Schmidt Law Services is proud to partner with Affirmations and the Ferndale Public Library to present a 3 person panel on practical issues for LGBT families.  Here’s the press release with more details on this exciting event:

“Closer to Married: Three Practical Ways for LGBT Families to Cut the Red Tape”

Ferndale Public Library – Community Room
Monday, June 24
7:00 PM
Free
Open to the Public

Attorneys Lisa J. Schmidt and Lloyd Paley and Dr. Abigail Schildcrout discuss legal and medical ways to cut the red tape and protect your family.

FERNDALE, Mich. (May 31, 2013)–Michigan LGBT families seeking advice about family medical and legal issues will want to mark Mon., Jun. 24 on their calendars. The Ferndale Public Library will host “Closer to Married: Three Practical Ways for LGBT Families to Cut the Red Tape” in their Community Room at 7:00 pm. Three speakers will discuss different aspects of this issue.  “We’re also partnering with Affirmations. They’ll had a table loaded with all kinds of helpful information, “ says program coordinator, Darlene Hellenberg. “The library is really hoping that this event will help a lot of people.”

Dr. Abigail Schildcrout, founder of Practical Medical Insights, will speak about some of the practical aspects of advocating for your loved ones when they are in a hospital setting.

Attorney Lisa J. Schmidt will tell you how a Domestic Agreement can help ensure a continuing relationship between your children and both of their parents. She will also discuss second parent adoptions: the law, the politics, and anticipated changes.

Attorney Lloyd Paley’s presentation will focus on Wills, Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney, Patient Advocate Designations, and agreements between unmarried couples.  In addition, he will distribute free of charge, the self-help Five Wishes directive (valid in Michigan and most other states) to those who wish control over how they are to be treated if they become seriously ill.

Closer to Married Flyer

Tough Questions: LGBT Divorce

MC900391804Gay marriage is a popular topic these days. People on both sides are making aggressive arguments, but regardless of politics, one thing is true: Michigan does not allow same-sex marriages. But what about same-sex divorce? The answer, it turns out, is all in your genes. (more…)

Staight Talk on Gay Marriage UPDATE: The Arguments

This week the Internet was buzzing with speculation on the Supreme Court oral arguments in two cases challenging laws relating to gay marriage: California’s Proposition 8 and the Defense Of Marriage Act. For those curious about what happened, here is a summary. (more…)

Straight Talk on Gay Marriage: Possible Outcomes

This is the final post in a blog series stemming from Straight Talk on Gay Marriage, a talk that Attorney Lisa J. Schmidt presented at the Ferndale Public Library. After having reviewed the current law, the debate, California’s Prop 8, and DOMA, this post will look at the potential outcomes available to the Supreme Court.  Arguments are scheduled for March 26 and 27. An opinion is expected in late June or early July. (more…)

Straight Talk on Gay Marriage: DOMA

MP900309404This 4th post in a continuing series of posts from Straight Talk on Gay Marriage, presented by Attorney Lisa J. Schmidt at the Ferndale Public Library, looks at the controversial federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on this law on March 27, 2013. Earlier posts in this series discussed current laws, the debate, and California’s Proposition 8. The next post will look at possible outcomes for the Supreme Court. (more…)

Straight Talk on Gay Marriage: California’s Proposition 8

MP900382890This 3rd of 5 blog posts on Attorney Lisa J. Schmidt’s presentation, Straight Talk on Gay Marriage, will explain the Supreme Court case Dennis Hollingsworth, et al., v. Kristin M. Perry, et al., which challenges California’s ban on gay marriage (Proposition 8). The case will be heard on March 26, 2013. Previous posts explained the current law and the debate over gay marriage. Future posts will cover the challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act and explain possible outcomes by the Supreme Court. (more…)

Straight Talk on Gay Marriage: The Debate

ChangingAttitudesThis is the 2nd of 5 posts anticipating the gay marriage hearings before the Supreme Court later this month. These posts are based on Straight Talk on Gay Marriage, presented by Attorney Lisa J. Schmidt at the Ferndale Public Library in January. A previous post reviewed the current state of the law. Future posts will look at the two cases before the Court and look at the scope of possible outcomes.

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Straight Talk on Gay Marriage: Current Law

Image source: http://www.freedomtomarry.org/states/

Current State Laws
Image source: http://www.freedomtomarry.org/states/

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear two cases on Gay Marriage at the end of this month. Attorney Lisa Schmidt provided an overview of the issue in Straight Talk on Gay Marriage at the Ferndale Public Library. This series of posts will get you ready to hear the arguments and tell you what to look for when the opinions are released this summer. This post will look at current laws across the country. Later posts will cover the debate, the history of the two cases, and possible outcomes. (more…)

Schmidt Law Services Hosts Straight Talk on Gay Marriage on MLK Day at the Ferndale Public Library

Gay WeddingAttorney Lisa J. Schmidt of Schmidt Law Services, PLLC, will present a free one-hour talk on the issue of marriage equality vs. the traditional definition of marriage and the upcoming Supreme Court cases at the Ferndale Public Library on Monday, January 21, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. (more…)

What’s the big deal about DOMA?

The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently ruled that at least one portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional.  This ruling has raised the distinct possibility that the Supreme Court could examine the issue in the near future.  At the same time, petitions like this one from Change.org, and this one from RepealDOMA.com have been circling the Internet asking Congress to repeal the law itself.  But for many people, DOMA is a bit of a mystery.  Why, they ask, do people who live in states that allow gay marriage worry about what some short federal law says?  Don’t the states have the right to make laws about things like this anyway? (more…)