June 26, 2015 will likely go down as a historic date, not only for the gay community, but as a bellwether moment for the human rights movement as well. By voting to legalize same-sex marriage, the United States Supreme Court paved the way for couples that live in Texas that heretofore would not recognize such unions, to finally be married under the eyes of the law.
Within three hours time from the announcement of the Court’s decision, the clerk’s office of Bexar County was issuing licenses of marriage to same-sex couples. The scene was described as being quite active, which given the circumstances, is understandable.
Almost 100 same-sex couples wound up tying the knot at the Bexar County Courthouse. One of the judges performing the wedding ceremonies commented that she had never seen that many happy people in a single room.
Yet, there still remained a slightly dark cloud hanging over the festivities. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wanted county clerks to refrain from issuing the licenses until getting further word from his office. And Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated that God, not man, defined marriage.
Hopefully, the Court’s decision will be the overriding law of all the U.S. If this is the case, it is a whole new ballgame for same-sex couples in the state. For the first time, same-sex couples will be approaching the legal ramifications of marriage in the same manner as heterosexual couples. This means that considerations can be made for things such as prenuptial agreements when entering a marriage.
And should the marriage not work out, same-sex couples will also have to contend with divorce-related issues, such as property division. If you are planning on entering a same-sex marriage and have questions regarding the legal aspects of this serious step, you may wish to reach out to a Texas family law attorney for information and advice.
Source: San Antonio Express-News, Nearly 100 same-sex couples marry at Bexar County Courthouse after historic Supreme Court ruling,” Joshua Fechter, Kolten Parker, Guillermo Contreras, June 26, 2015