Getting A Handle On Same Sex Divorce In Pennsylvania
By Brad Segall
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Now that Pennsylvania is recognizing same sex marriage that also opens the door to petitions for same sex divorces, and how they will be handled under the law.
Professionals say the same standards that have been applied for decades when husbands and wives get divorced will now be applied to same sex couples looking to dissolve their marriage.
Bucks County received its first petition for a gay divorce last month.
Paul Murray a mediator and certified divorce financial analysis says same sex couples will now have to consider things like alimony, child support and the importance of pensions and social security:
"It's truly groundbreaking in that all of the sort of benefits and or protections that are available to traditional marriages and spouses are now going to be available for the first time to same sex couples."
The learning curve he says will be for the spouses in a same sex marriage and he says the reality is there's a great deal of wealth that can realized through the divorce process that was previously unavailable to them.