Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of a Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling allowing same-sex marriages. The result is that Virginia same-sex couples may now legally marry. South Carolina is also in the Fourth Circuit. While this ruling does not negate the current state constitutional ban on marriages in South Carolina, it leaves room for the South Carolina case Bradacs v. Wilson to be decided in favor of marriage. Charleston County and Richland County Probate Courts accepted their first marriage license applications from same-sex couples this week. This move is undoubtedly foreshadowing events to come.
State and federal recognition of same-sex marriages provides rights and benefits to those couples. And like other couples, it is important to have your estate plan and health care directives carefully reviewed by your estate planning attorney.