Non Traditional Families

Helping Non-Traditional Families with Custody, Property Division and Estate Planning

Lenexa, Kansas Family Law Attorney

Although Kansas refuses to recognize the relationships of gay and lesbian couples, and other couples who choose to form a family outside of marriage, these relationships are no less real to the people who are in them and they benefit from having legal contracts to protect the interests of both partners and any children.

As an experienced family lawyer, I am pleased to provide legal services for gay and lesbian families, for unmarried couples, and for seniors who choose not to marry because of the negative effects marriage will have on social security benefits. Contact my Lenexa, Kansas, law office to schedule an initial consultation.

Formalizing Relationships

Cohabitation Agreements and Premarital Agreements: When couples choose to come together to create a household, they can draft a cohabitation agreement that formalizes how money and property will be handled in the relationship. Because the couple works with a lawyer to draft the cohabitation agreement they have an opportunity to include any issues they think will be important to their relationship.

Child Custody / Adoption: Whether you have chosen to build your family through the use of reproductive technologies like sperm donation or surrogate parenthood, or you have children from a previous relationship and you wish to formalize a second-parent relationship through adoption, I can help.

Estate Planning: It’s vitally important for gay and lesbian families and for unmarried couples to have an estate plan to ensure their loved ones can help them during times of crisis. A durable power of attorney for medical care and financial affairs allows partners to give each other decision making authority in case of emergency. A will or trust ensures that your partner can inherit from you.

Dissolution of Relationships

Gay Divorce / Dissolution of Non-marital Relationships: Because non-traditional couples have limited access to family courts, mediation and the collaborative law process can be particularly helpful options for couples who want to end their relationship. I can assist with some of the straightforward legal matters, such as partition actions for jointly-owned real estate, as well as help you mediate a property settlement agreement.

Child Custody: Child custody cases present considerable difficulty for gay and lesbian parents, especially second parents who are trying to establish a psychological basis for their relationship. This is largely uncharted water in Kansas, but I’m not afraid to take it on.

I invite you to contact my office to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your goals in family law.