Austin Divorce Lawyer

A Rhode Island Superior Court judge’s decision this week marked the latest setback for a lesbian couple who have been trying to get a divorce since last year.

On Wednesday, Judge Patricia Hurst refused to consider the case of Margaret Chambers and Cassandra Ormiston, saying that the court had no jurisdiction over such family law matters. Chamber and Ormiston, who married in 2004 not long after R.I. legalized same-sex marriage, were denied a divorce by the state Supreme Court last year. The Court held that, because the statute which created the family court system was predicated on the idea of a one man, one woman marriage, the family court had no authority to give a divorce to same-sex couples.

Though Judge Hurst declined to hear the couple’s case, she did question the constitutionality of the state Supreme Court’s ruling, and suggested that the law could be challenged in family court.

If your marriage is coming to an end, you will need competent legal representation to ensure that your rights are respected throughout the proceedings. Contact an Austin divorce lawyer from Slater & Kennon, LLP at 512-472-2431 today to learn more.