PASSAIC COUNTY DIVORCE LAWYER

The New Jersey Legislature has voted to allow civil unions between same-sex couples. The civil union law was promulgated in response to an October 2006 New Jersey Supreme Court decision, Lewis v. Harris, to assure that gay and lesbian couples are guaranteed the same rights as married heterosexual couples. New Jersey would be the third state, after Vermont and Connecticut, to establish civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. Same-sex marriages are allowed only in Massachusetts, which has a residency requirement, although many gays and lesbians have married in Canada. If enacted by the Governor, the measure would amend New Jersey's matrimonial laws by writing civil unions into all sections, such as those governing divorce, prenuptial agreements, custody, inheritance and powers of attorney in financial and medical matters. It also would create a three-year study commission to decide whether the state should go further and establish the right to gay marriage. Bloomberg.com, December 15, 2006