Gay marriage in massachusetts

20 years ago, same-sex marriage in Massachusetts opened a door for LGBTQ rights nationwide

Bonauto, who has been an attorney with GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, or GLAD, since , said she was a “mess” of emotions at her clients’ wedding and started crying before the ceremony even started. But the most powerful moment, she recalled, came when the minister officially married the couple. 

“In that packed church that day, when the minister said, ‘By the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ — those are words no one had heard before — the place went wild,” Bonauto told NBC News. “I felt chills. I continue to feel chills when I hear that, because that is just such a statement of belonging in this culture. It’s not the only one, but boy, it was certainly a statement of non-belonging to be excluded from marriage.”

Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall wrote in the majority perspective that paved the way for Compton and Wilson’s wedding, that marriage is “a vital social institution” that “imposes weighty legal, financial, and social obligations.”

“The question before u

LGBTQ couples legally verb in Massachusetts for first time in U.S.

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    Same-Sex Marriage in Massachusetts

    Will Massachusetts Respect my Marriage?

    Massachusetts will respect the legal marriages of same-sex couples regardless of where the marriage was completed. All states will now respect the marriage of a same-sex couple married in Massachusetts.

    Additionally, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that civil unions would be treated as a marriage in Massachusetts, and registered domestic partnerships would be treated as a marriage in Massachusetts with rights and obligations functionally identical to marriage. These unions will be accorded the alike respect as marriages by Massachusetts courts.

    After Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex spouses should be able to dissolve their marriages on the same terms as different-sex spouses. For instance, Massachusetts explicitly applies its divorce statutes to same-sex couples. Specifically, using the divorce statutes for “husband” and “wife” to a same-sex couple. However, spouses should note that when Massachusetts courts divide marital property and award alimony, one of the factors a judge considers is th

    Questions & Answers for Same-Sex Couples Considering Tying the Knot

    Can same-sex couples receive married now in Massachusetts?

    Yes! As of July 31, , even out-of-state couples can marry in Massachusetts. Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill repealing a law that barred couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their marriage would not be recognized in their home state. Lawmakers included a provision to make the repeal operative immediately.

    Do we need a marriage license?

    Yes. Both people must apply in person to any city or community clerk within the state. There is a three-day waiting period between the date of the application and the date the license is issued. Weekends and holidays are included in the three-day period, but the morning the application is made is not. (If you apply on Friday, the license will be issued on Monday.) Many couples have gotten the waiting period waived so that they could get their licenses on the notice. If you're interested in such a waiver, demand the clerk at the office where you propose to apply for your license.

    What's the age requirement?

    Both