Pet Trusts Gain Respect

The New York Times published an article describing the difficulties pet owners face when planning for the care of their pets after the owners die. See The Pet Problem published on February 3, 2012.  Glickman Turley LLP is ready to help you develop a comprehensive solution for the care of your pets when you are no longer able to do so.  Attorney Donna Turley was instrumental in writing and advocating for the passage of the recent Massachusetts legislation enabling the establishment of Pet Trusts in Massachusetts.  She is a nationally recognized advocate for animals.  Please call Glickman Turley LLP to discuss taking care of your feathered or four footed loved ones.  Our focus in estate planning is on nontraditional families.

Federal Appeals Court Ruling: California Ban on Same-Sex Marriage is Unconstitutional

The Boston Globe reported that a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that California's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional and that the lower court "correctly interpreted the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court precedents when [the judge] declared in 2010 that Proposition 8 was a violation of the civil rights of gays and lesbians." Fifty-two percent of California's voters passed Proposition 8, the law that banned same-sex marriage in the state, during the November 2008 election, igniting public interest around the country.

As of now, it remains unclear when same-sex marriages will be permitted again in California. There was a five-month window before the November 2008 elections where same-sex marriage had been legalized in the state and those marriages have been upheld by the the California Supreme Court.  Opponents of same-sex marriage have vowed to appeal this decision to a bigger 9th Circuit panel and even the U.S. Supreme Court.

Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.

Valentine's Day Action to Celebrate Immigrants Event in Boston

On Tuesday, February 14, 2012, there will be a celebration at Boston City Hall honoring the positive contributions that immigrants offer in Massachusetts. For more information, see the press release below:

When: Tue, February 14, 11am – 12pm

Where: Boston City Hall (1 City Hall Ave., Boston MA 02201) (map)

This Valentine's Day, celebrate all the positive contributions that immigrants offer to Massachusetts! Immigrants represent progress and the future wellbeing of American society. Come and support our Just Communities campaign in front of Boston City Hall! Supporters: AFSC Project VOICE, Boston New Sanctuary Movement, Brazilian Immigrant Center, Cambridge United for Justice With Peace, Centro Presente, CISPES, Immigrant Workers Center Collaborative (IWCC), Jobs With Justice - MA, Justice at Work, Neighbors United for a Better East Boston (NUBE), and Student Immigrant Movement.

Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.

DHS Announced Initiatives For Highly Skilled Immigrants in the United States

The Department of Homeland Security announced a set of initiatives designed to attract and retain highly skilled immigrants in the United States. The Obama Administration has expressed that these immigration reforms will encourage further job creation as the country continues its economic recovery in the future. The President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness released a report that said, "Highly skilled immigrants create jobs, they don't take jobs."

President Obama stated in his State of the Union address that keeping highly skilled immigrants in the United States will help boost the nation's competitiveness in an ever-changing world economy. His administration supports legislation such as "creating a 'Startup Visa,' strengthening the H-1B program, and 'stapling' green cards to the diplomas of certain foreign-born graduates in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields."

To read more on the Department of Homeland Security's future administrative reforms for highly skilled immigrants and foreign entrepreneurs, click here.

Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.

Mass. Appeals Court Holds Same-Sex Parents Share Parenting Role in Della Corte v. Ramirez

The Massachusetts Appeals Court held that when there is a marriage between same-sex partners, the need for a second-parent adoption to, at least, confer legal parentage on the nonbiological parent is eliminated when the child is born of the marriage.

In Della Corte v. Ramirez, Gabriella Della Corte appealed a judgment entered in the Suffolk Division of the Probate and Family Court Department maintaining joint legal custody of her child with Angelica Ramirez. Della Corte argued that Ramirez was not the child's legal parent because Ramirez is not the biological parent of the child and that they were not married at the time of conception. The Court held that because Ramirez and Della Corte were married when the child was born, then she is the legitimate child of both parents as "there was no requirement that the parties be married at the time of conception, as the statute plainly states '[a]ny child born,' not 'any child conceived.'"

Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.

Senate in Washington State Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Washington state inches closer to becoming the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage, according to a report by CBS News. The measure was passed by the state senate after an hour and a half of debate on the floor Wednesday evening. Four Republicans voted with the majority Democrats in support of the bill on a 28-21 vote. The public gallery was "packed" and "burst into applause" when the bill passed. 


The bill moves on to the House where it is expected to pass and Gov. Chris Gregoire said she will sign it into law. The language of the legislation states that 9,300 couples who are registered as domestic partners would have a two-year window to get married or dissolve their domestic partnership with the deadline set at June 30, 2014. Domestic partnerships will then automatically become marriages. Senior couples where at least one partner is 62 years old or older would be permitted to continue as registered domestic partners in order "to help seniors who don't remarry out of fear they could lose certain pension or Social Security benefits." 


Opponents of same-sex marriage are gearing up to file a referendum against the legislation should the bill be signed into law. They have until June 6, 2012, to obtain 120,577 required signatures to move forward with the referendum. If opponents are able to meet that requirement, same-sex couples would have to wait for the results of the November 2012 election before being able to marry legally. 


Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.

Fourth Circuit Reverses Silva-Trevino

In a significant immigration ruling, the fourth circuit court of appeals, encompassing Virginia and other Southern states,  ruled today that a rule of the Board of Immigration Appeals permitting immigration judges to examine police reports and other information to evaluate whether a crime was a crime of moral turpitude violates Federal law.   The Court found that the Attorney General's opinion allowing the immigration courts to examine evidence outside the record of criminal conviction "if doing so is necessary and appropriate"  was without legal basis. The First Circuit, including Massachusetts still permits immigration judges to examine police reports and other records.


Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.