Protect Your LGBT Parenting Rights
Legal Issues Faced By LGBT Parents
LGBT individuals working toward parenthood can face unique legal challenges when it comes to LGBT parental rights, whether they plan on adopting, fostering, or making donor arrangements. Legal concerns for prospective LGBT parents generally come down to the state you live in, your desired path to parenthood, and your relationship status. The language of the law in Texas often presupposes a two-person heterosexual relationship, which can result in a gray area surrounding LGBT legal rights. You can navigate this with the help of an experienced Goranson Bain Ausley family law attorney who is well-versed in the issues surrounding same-sex couples and legal parental rights.
How Can Goranson Bain Ausley Help You?
Second Parent Adoption
Second-parent adoption is the most common way for a non-biological parent to secure their legal parental rights. It gives both partners equal legal status in terms of their relationship to the child. Second-parent adoption is strongly recommended for LGBT individuals, even if they are married to their child’s biological parent, to ensure that LGBT parenting rights are upheld.
Single Parent Adoption
There are many misconceptions about the ability to adopt children if you do not fit within a specific set of criteria. Contrary to popular belief, individuals are able to adopt in the state of Texas whether they are single, married, divorced, or widowed. LGBT parental rights are largely the same in these cases. There are, however, other factors that may affect your journey toward adoption. For that reason, it’s best to speak to an experienced family law attorney about your options.
LGBT Divorce
There are specific factors that may influence LGBT parenting rights in the event of a divorce. For example, the court may favor a biological parent over the non-biological parent when it comes to child custody if the non-biological parent has not established their same-sex parenting rights by formally adopting the child.
Child Custody
Couples going through an LGBT divorce have the same options when it comes to child custody scheduling if they are both legal parents. Between legal parents, there is no preference between biological and non-biological parents in child custody cases. If you and your co-parent need to set up, modify, or enforce a child custody agreement, an experienced Goranson Bain Ausley lawyer can help you protect your same-sex couple parental rights.
LGBT Parental Rights by Texas Legal Services Center
Speak With One of Our Experienced Texas Family Law Attorneys
At Goranson Bain Ausley, we believe in the strength and dignity of all families. Our experienced family law attorneys in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Granbury, Midland, Plano, and San Antonio are dedicated to providing answers, advice, and guidance to our LGBT clients in a safe, inclusive environment. If you face obstacles in your parenting journey as an LGBT individual, contact an experienced Goranson Bain Ausley attorney today for help with protecting your same-sex parental rights in Texas.
Awards & Credentials
- Thomas P. Goranson 1997
- Thomas L. Ausley 1997
- Diana S. Friedman 1998
- Thomas A. Greenwald 2003
- Kathryn J. Murphy 2004
- Eric Robertson 2007
- Kelly Ausley-Flores 2009
- Cindy V. Tisdale 2010
- Kristal Thomson 2014
- Aimee Pingenot Key 2015
- Kristen A. Algert 2017
- P. Lindley Bain 2020
- Ryan R. Bauerle 2022
- Lindsey Obenhaus 2023
- Charla Davies 2024
- John J. Kappel 2024
- Angeline Lindley Bain 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2009 2008
- Hayley Collins Blair 2021 2018
- Kevin Davidson 2025
- Jeff Domen 2025
- Esther R. Donald 2025
- Diana S. Friedman 2017 2016 2015 2013
- Thomas P. Goranson 2011 2009 2008
- Thomas A. Greenwald 2022 2018 2012 2011 2009 2008
- Aimee Pingenot Key 2025 2024 2020 2019 2017
- Beth E. Maultsby 2010
- Kathryn J. Murphy 2024 2023 2020 2019 2018 2017 2010 2009 2008
- Lindsey Obenhaus 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
- Katie Flowers Samler 2020 2019 2018
- Thomas L. Ausley 1980
- Gary L. Nickelson 1984
- Kathryn J. Murphy 1995
- Diana S. Friedman 1996
- Kristen A. Algert 1997
- Thomas A. Greenwald 1997
- Eric Robertson 1997
- Kelly Ausley-Flores 2000
- Curtis W. Harrison 2002
- Cindy V. Tisdale 2003
- Jeff Shore 2006
- Clint Westhoff 2006
- Jeff Domen 2009
- Kristal Thomson 2009
- Angel J. Berbarie 2010
- P. Lindley Bain 2012
- Aimee Pingenot Key 2012
- Kevin Davidson 2017
- Charla Davies 2017
- Rob Frazer 2018
- Ryan R. Bauerle 2018
- Hayley Collins Blair 2019
- Lindsey Obenhaus 2019
- Katie Flowers Samler 2019
- Jonathan James 2020
- John J. Kappel 2020
- Chris Nickelson 2021
- Chandler Rice Winslow 2023
- Kristiana Butler 2024
- Cassidy Pearson 2024
- Angelica Rolong Cormier 2024
- Mona Hosseiny Tovar 2026
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