Yes. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Massachusetts for well over a decade. All of our mediators have handled same-sex divorces in the mediation or litigation context, and while some of the dynamics of same-sex divorces can differ from opposite-sex divorce, these differences are generally minor.
Where same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts in 2004, our courts have had more exposure to same-sex divorce than most states. Special concerns can arise in same-sex divorces involving children, where many same-sex couples rely on adoption or in vitro fertilization to have children, resulting in legal issues that are not present in natural birth contexts. At the same time, many of the special issues arising out of differences in state and federal law have been resolved or mitigated since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. Although some unique challenges remain for divorcing same-sex couples, experienced mediators are well-equipped to address these issues as they arise.
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Choosing Mediation