Before January 2025:
If you are a USAmerican in a relationship that might be affected by legislation that dissolves same-sex marriages, who may no longer be recognized as next-of-kin, especially if you have children, get your rights in writing!
Your marriage certificate may not be enough to prove you have rights to make medical decisions for non-biological children or for a same-sex spouse or partner.
Go to a lawyer, get it spelled out as clearly as possible that you have a voice in emergency medical and legal situations.
For those of us who aren’t lawyers or well-versed in law generally, can someone clarify what kind of document, by name, people should be drafting with their lawyers? Is it a type of letter, or is there a name for this classification of document? I’m aware that it probably varies by US state, but a lot of people are likely feeling extremely lost right now and don’t know where to start on this. I definitely don’t. I live in a state that isn’t likely to nullify existing marriages or prevent new ones from taking place, but who knows what they’re going to try at the national level and enforce from the top down.
Power of Attorney should cover most partners and spouses to ensure that they will be making each other's health care decisions in cases of serious illness. LGBTQ+ spouses and domestic partners must execute proper Health Care Power of Attorney documents listing each other as the highest priority agents for making each other's health care decisions in case of incapacity.
Here's a resource from GLAD.
#PSA: YOU NEED TO BE EACH OTHER'S EXECUTOR OF ESTATE IN THE EVENT OF A DEATH#PoA generally speaking does not maintain your rights in the event of the death of the person over whom you have that power#i deal with this nearly every day in my Real Life Job. PoA stops applying the moment one of you is dead#so PoA is very good for medical decisions etc but for their belongings? the funeral decisions? you need to be EXOE#don't be left with only your lover's box fan. please