育兒

關係（跳至章節)

Family | Parenting | New Hampshire

On July 20, 2020, Governor Sununu signed into law HB 1162, which significantly increased the protections for all families, but in particular gave LGBTQ+ families increased access to parentage protections.  

親子關係是什麼意思？

「親子關係」表示您在各方面都是孩子的合法父母。親子關係賦予您一系列權利（例如，醫療或教育方面的決策權，在與孩子的另一方父母分離時享有撫養時間），同時也承擔著責任（例如，提供醫療保險、滿足基本生活需求、支付子女撫養費）。穩固的合法親子關係對於孩子的長期穩定和福祉至關重要。

誰是法定父母？

A biological parent who has a relationship with their child is a legal parent. An adoptive parent is similarly a legal parent. Even without a biological or adoptive connection, certain individuals are presumed to be legal parents by law. For instance, a spouse is presumed to be a parent if he/she is married to the child’s mother.

Similarly, parentage is presumed when a person “receives the child into [their] home and openly holds out the child as [their] child.” In a groundbreaking 2014 case, In Re Guardianship of Madelyn B., the New Hampshire Supreme Court established that this presumption applies equally to same-sex parents. The court also held that a lack of biological connection did not bar the application of the presumption, since the “presumptions are driven not by biolog[y]…but by the state’s interest in the welfare of the child and the integrity of the family

While this decision is an incredibly important victory for all LGBTQ+ families, having to go through a court to establish parenthood is painful and costly. 

How can New Hampshire families establish parentage?

A bill critical to ensuring expanded access to adoption, particularly for children of LGBTQ+ parents, became law July 20, 2020 when signed by Governor Sununu. Provisions in the new law, HB 1162, ensure that unmarried parents can adopt children; that LGBTQ+ parents can confirm their parentage through adoption; and that children born through assisted reproduction can have their parental relationships secured through a court judgment of parentage. A legal parent-child relationship provides a foundation for the well-being of children, and through that core relationship numerous rights and responsibilities flow, including care, financial support, and health insurance, as well as custody, parenting time, and decision making.

New Hampshire parents can establish their parentage in the following ways:

• 生育（代孕除外）
• Being married to a person who gives birth
• The following can obtain parentage through adoption:
  • A single unmarried person;
  • Two adults together (married or unmarried); 
  • The unmarried parent of an adoptive child;
  • In some cases, a married adult can adopt without the spouse joining in the adoption;
  • An unmarried adult with the assent of at least one of the adoptee’s parents and with the intention to share parenting responsibilities with one of the adoptee’s parents;
  • A person or persons who are parents of a child conceived via assisted reproduction as defined in RSA 168-B:1, II for the purpose of confirming the legal relationship between child and parent.
• The following can petition a court for parentage:
  • Intended parent(s) through surrogacy
  • A person who holds the child out as their own
  • A person who has a genetic connection to a child

共同收養、第二父母收養（也稱為共同父母收養）和單親收養之間有什麼區別？

聯合收養是指夫妻雙方同時收養一個孩子。第二父母收養是指一方收養另一方的孩子。單親收養是指由一個人收養孩子。這三種收養方式在康乃狄克州都是合法的。

進行第二父母收養或共同收養有什麼好處？

Both joint adoptions and second-parent adoptions ensure your child has two legal parents, Both married and unmarried couples can do a joint or second parent adoption. Adoption allows a non-legal parent to become a legal parent, entitled to make decisions for the child without special authorization. It also permits the adoptive parent to automatically assume custody of the child if their partner dies. Likewise, if the adoptive parent dies, the child will have the right to inherit from that parent even absent a will and may be able to collect Social Security survivor benefits.

最後，如果夫妻分居，收養可以確保父母雙方都擁有監護權和探視權，並且任何糾紛都將根據孩子的最大利益來決定，而不是根據誰是法定父母來決定。

如果我們已婚，我們需要進行第二父母收養嗎？

When a child is born into a marriage, New Hampshire law and the law of all states, presumes that both spouses are the parents of the child and both names are listed on the child’s birth certificate. However, this is only a presumption and can be challenged in court, so GLAD recommended that married couples do a second-parent adoption to ensure the parentage of the non-biological parent because adoption is a court judgment creating a parent-child relationship and must be respected by other states. GLAD Answers can provide referrals to attorneys in GLAD’s Lawyer Referral Service who have expertise in second-parent adoptions.

Some states, like Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont, have a second way to protect the parentage of the non-biological partner by signing a voluntary Acknowledgement of Parentage. This is a form that only needs to be witnessed or notarized by the parents and so saves the expense of hiring an attorney and there is no need to make a court appearance, and yet, by federal law, this document has the same force as a court judgment. Unfortunately, this option is not yet available in New Hampshire for same-sex couples.

新罕布夏州是否有與代孕相關的法律？

Yes. In 2014, the New Hampshire General Court passed Senate Bill SB353, An Act Relative to Surrogacy, which updated New Hampshire’s surrogacy law to reflect advances in assisted reproductive technologies. Previously, New Hampshire law allowed surrogacy only when the intended mother’s eggs were used, and only when the intended parents were married. The new Act allows all individuals to become parents via surrogacy regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.

The Act also simplified the legal process for intended parents, establishing standardized criteria for gestational carrier agreements and ensuring that all parties are legally protected. It sets minimum requirements for gestational carrier agreements and recognizes that these agreements are legally enforceable contracts.

Here are the key elements of this law:

1. It ensures that there is appropriate and clear statutory language that establishes updated and consistent standards and procedural safeguards.
2. It facilitates the use of assisted reproductive technologies.
3. It defines, confirms and protects the legal status and best interests of children born as a result of gestational carrier agreements.
4. It protects the rights of the intended parents and gestational carrier.
5. It ensures that all parties in a gestational carrier arrangement (GCA) are legally protected and enter into the GCA with the same rights, expectations and responsibilities.
6. It standardizes the minimum requirements of gestational carrier agreements and recognizes that they are valid and enforceable legal contracts.

Does NH’s surrogacy law now apply equally to same-sex couples?

Yes. SB 353 is written in a gender-neutral way that should apply equally to same-sex couples seeking to use assisted reproduction in order to have a child together.

We are a gay male couple who want to have a child through a gestational surrogate in New Hampshire. What are we required to do prior to any medical procedures to impregnate the gestational carrier?

You must have a consultation with an attorney regarding the terms and potential legal consequences of the GCA before you sign it. Your attorney must be separate and independent from the attorney used by your surrogate. You must have completed a mental health consultation.

 What are the requirements for a woman to be a gestational carrier?

1. She is at least 21 years of age.
2. She has given birth to at least one child.
3. She has completed a physical medical evaluation in substantial conformance with the guidelines set forth by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
4. She has completed a mental health consultation in conformance with the statutory requirements.
5. She and her spouse or partner, if any, have consulted with an attorney regarding the terms and potential legal consequences of the GCA.

Who will be the legal parents of the child resulting from gestational surrogacy?

Under the new law, the intended parents shall be the sole legal parents of a child resulting from gestational surrogacy. The gestational carrier, her spouse or partner, if any, shall not be found to be legal parents. This understanding must be included in the GCA before any medical procedure to impregnate the gestational carrier can occur

The law distinguishes between gamete(s) or embryo(s) from a “donor,” who has no parental rights, and gamete(s) or embryo(s) that may be provided by an intended parent.

What are the minimum requirements for a GCA?

Yes, a GCA must meet the following requirements:

1. Be in writing;
2. Be executed before any medical procedures to impregnate the gestational carrier;
3. All parties must be represented by legal counsel, and the legal counsel of the gestational carrier and her spouse or partner, if any, must be independent from the legal counsel for the intended parents;
4. The gestational carrier must agree to:
   1. Undergo embryo transfer, become pregnant by means of assisted reproduction, and attempt to carry and give birth to the resulting child;
   2. Relinquish all rights, obligations, and duties as a parent of the child; and
   3. Surrender physical custody of the child to the intended parent(s) immediately upon birth of the child;
5. The gestational carrier’s spouse or partner, if any, must agree to abide by the terms of the GCA including the relinquishment of all parental rights, obligations, and duties;
6. The intended parent(s) must agree to:
   1. Accept sole rights, obligations and duties as parent(s) of the child;
   2. Accept sole physical custody and responsibility for the support of the child upon birth;
7. Agreement of all parties as to how reasonable compensation, if any, will be paid to the gestational carrier;
8. Agreement of all parties as to how, if the gestational carrier breaches a provision of the GCA or the law in a way that causes harm to the child, the gestational carrier will cover her potential liability;
9. Agreement of all parties as to how decisions regarding termination of the pregnancy shall be made.

Can the intended parent(s) get a pre-birth order declaring them to be the child’s parent(s)?

Yes. Any of the parties to the GCA may petition the court for a parentage order declaring that the intended parent(s) are the sole parent(s) of the child and directing that the birth certificate reflect that. The parties may also seek such an order after the birth of the child.

Is traditional (genetic) surrogacy legal in New Hampshire?

Yes. Traditional surrogacy is not prohibited in New Hampshire, although intended parents who pursue this path will not be able to obtain a pre-birth order to establish their parental rights.

如果同性父母共同撫養一個孩子，但只有其中一人是「合法」父母，那麼非法定父母對該孩子擁有什麼權利？

These are tricky cases, but a non-legal parent may be able show that they stand in loco parentis to their child, entitling them to a limited number of rights, including the ability to intervene in custody proceedings. To establish in loco parentis, an individual must show that they admitted the child into their family and treated the child as a family member, forming a “psychological parent-child relationship.”

Short of second-parent adoption, how can a family protect the interests of the child vis-à-vis their non-legal parent?

There are a number of steps that can be taken, although none offer the security of a second-parent adoption.

• 共同撫養協議： A co-parenting agreement is an agreement setting out the parents’ expectations about each other’s roles and their plans in the event of separation, disability, or death. While these agreements may not always be given full effect by courts, which are bound to make custody and visitation decisions based on the child’s best interests, they are important indicators of what the couple believed was in the best interests of the child and may influence a court’s ultimate decision.
• 共同監護： A legal parent may choose to name the non- legal parent as a co-guardian. This process allows the non-legal parent to make the same kinds of decisions for the child that a legal parent makes, including medical decisions. The best interest of the child standard controls appointments of guardians, and a guardian must file annual reports on the minor’s welfare. This status is not permanent and any person, including the legal parent, may petition to have a guardian removed.
• 遺囑： 法定父母可以透過遺囑指定監護人，在其去世後接管孩子的監護權。法院優先考慮此類意願。但是，如果孩子另有法定父母在世，則該監護人將優先於指定的監護人。

資源

HB 1162 (law expanding parentage for LGBTQ+ families): Bill Text: NH HB1162 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended | LegiScan. 

SB 353 (modernized surrogacy law): Bill Text: NH SB353 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced | LegiScan. 

保護家庭： 保護家庭：LGBT 家庭標準 – GLAD. 

養育變性孩子： 養育跨性別或性別擴展的孩子：如何保護你的家人免受虛假的虐待兒童指控. 

Family | Relationships | New Hampshire

GLAD 在爭取婚姻平權的鬥爭中扮演了什麼角色？

GLAD led the fight for marriage equality in the United States. In the beginning, many states, instead of offering marriage to same-sex couples, provided the exact same state rights, protections and responsibilities of marriage but called them civil unions or registered domestic partnerships.

同性戀者聯盟爭取婚姻平權的鬥爭始於佛蒙特州的訴訟， 貝克訴佛蒙特州同性戀者反歧視聯盟（GLAD）贏得了訴訟，但佛蒙特州最高法院允許立法機構決定如何執行該裁決。佛蒙特州立法機構沒有允許同性伴侶結婚，而是創建了民事結合。 GLAD隨後於2004年在其訴訟中首次在美國為同性伴侶贏得了婚姻權利。 古德里奇訴公共衛生部. 

隨後是：

• 緬因州於 2004 年批准了同居關係，為其提供了部分婚姻保護；
• 2005 年康乃狄克州的民事結合；
• GLAD 的訴訟， 克里根訴公共衛生專員案，於 2008 年為康乃狄克州同性伴侶贏得了結婚權利； 
• 2008 年新罕布夏州的民事結合；
• 佛蒙特州於 2009 年允許同性伴侶結婚；
• 佛蒙特州不再允許民事結合，但在 2009 年不將其民事結合轉為婚姻；
• 2010 年在新罕布夏州結婚；
• 康乃狄克州於 2010 年將所有民事結合轉為婚姻；
• 2011 年新罕布夏州民事結合轉為婚姻；
• 2011 年羅德島州的民事結合； 
• 2012 年在緬因州結婚； 
• 2013 年在羅德島結婚；
• 羅德島州的民事結合已於 2013 年終止，但現有的民事結合並未轉為婚姻。

在聯邦層面，國會通過了 婚姻保護法（DOMA） 1996年，美國最高法院對同性伴侶進行了先發制人的攻擊，聲稱如果同性伴侶被允許結婚，聯邦政府將不會承認這些婚姻。 2013年6月26日，美國最高法院在 美國訴溫莎案 稱《婚姻保護法》違憲，同性已婚夫婦首次能夠獲得聯邦福利。

最後，在 奧貝格費爾訴霍奇斯案2015年6月26日，美國最高法院裁定美國憲法保障同性伴侶結婚的權利，從而在全國範圍內實現了婚姻平等。同性戀者反歧視聯盟（GLAD）的瑪麗·博諾托（Mary Bonauto）代表原告參加了口頭辯論。 奧貝格費爾，所有 50 個州都必須向同性伴侶頒發結婚證書；並且所有州都必須尊重在其他司法管轄區內進行的同性伴侶的婚姻。

Can same-sex couples marry in New Hampshire?

Yes. On June 3, 2009, Governor Lynch signed a marriage equality bill48 that extended the right to marry to same-sex couples. The bill became effective January 1, 2010, simultaneously ending the availability of New Hampshire civil unions on the same date. On January 1, 2011, all existing New Hampshire civil unions were transformed into marriages. For information about how to get married in New Hampshire see: Marriage Licenses | Concord, NH – Official Website. 

其他州和聯邦政府會尊重我的婚姻嗎？

是的。 奧貝格費爾訴霍奇斯案 該決議保證所有州和聯邦政府必須以與異性已婚夫婦同等的方式對待同性已婚夫婦。這意味著，各州和聯邦政府為異性已婚夫婦提供的所有保護、權利和義務也必須提供給同性已婚夫婦。

如果我的配偶過世，我可以獲得社會安全遺屬福利嗎？

是的，因為如上所述，同性已婚夫婦有權享有異性已婚夫婦享有的所有福利。

然而，直到 奧貝格費爾訴霍奇斯案 2015年6月26日的判決顯示，許多同性伴侶生活在一些違反憲法的婚姻法禁止同性伴侶結婚的州。因此，當他們的配偶去世時，他們無法滿足社會安全遺屬福利的條件，即結婚9個月。

為了糾正這種不公平現象，Lambda Legal 提起了兩起訴訟， 伊利訴索爾案 和 桑頓訴社會安全專員案 並成功為從未結婚的同性伴侶申請社會安全遺屬福利（伊利訴索爾案）或最終能夠結婚，但結婚不到 9 個月，其配偶就去世了（桑頓訴社會安全專員案). 

這兩項裁決允許因歧視性州法律而被禁止結婚，從而沒有資格申請社會安全遺屬福利的同性伴侶提交申請。然而，申請的成功取決於能否提供足夠的文件，向社會安全局證明他們未能滿足9個月婚姻要求的唯一原因是歧視性州法律。

以下連結提供了更詳細的信息，並包含每起訴訟的常見問題解答，並列出了一些您可以提供獲得遺屬撫卹金所需文件的方式： 因違憲的州婚姻法而被排除在社會安全遺屬福利之外的同性伴侶和配偶的相關資訊 | Lambda Legal. 

如果我們需要結束婚姻該怎麼辦？

後 奧貝格費爾訴霍奇斯案, same-sex spouses everywhere can dissolve their marriages on the same terms as different-sex spouses. New Hampshire applies its divorce statutes to same-sex couples.

However, spouses should note that when New Hampshire courts divide marital property and award alimony, one of the factors a judge considers is length of marriage. Unfortunately for spouses whose partnership pre-dates marriage equality, the length of the marriage may not accurately reflect the true length of the relationship, resulting in an unbalanced division of assets. A recent New Hampshire Supreme Court case, In the Matter of Munson & Beal, addressed this issue and ruled that a judge may consider premarital cohabitation when dividing marital property. GLAD submitted an amicus brief in the case, See: In the Matter of Deborah Munson and Coralee Beal. 

If you are going through divorce proceedings in New Hampshire and believe your division of assets may be unfairly affected by the length of your marriage, contact GLAD Answers for referrals to attorneys in GLAD’s Lawyer Referral Service.

Does New Hampshire still allow civil unions?

Not anymore. Effective January 1, 2010, New Hampshire stopped issuing civil union licenses; and effective January 1, 2011, all existing New Hampshire civil unions were converted into marriages by operation of law. If you have a civil union (or registered domestic partnership) from another state, New Hampshire will grant you the same rights and benefits, and hold you to the same responsibilities, as a married couple in New Hampshire. However, with the exception of Social Security, the federal government will not recognize your civil union.

What steps can a couple take to legally safeguard their relationship in New Hampshire?

有各種法律文件可以保護夫妻關係，無論夫妻之間沒有正式的法律關係還是已經結婚。

1. 關係協議或合約： A couple has the option of drafting a written cohabitation agreement, outlining their respective rights with regards to property, finances, and other aspects of their relationship. Although the New Hampshire Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the subject, these agreements should be enforced like any other contract. A number of states, Massachusetts included, explicitly enforce cohabitation agreements. Although a couple can choose to use a cohabitation agreement to make plans for the custody and support of children, a New Hampshire court will not uphold any agreement it finds to contravene the child’s best interests.
2. 持久授權書： A couple can choose to grant each other the durable power of attorney, allowing one partner to make financial decisions on the other’s behalf in the event of incapacity or disability. The requirements are minimal: any competent person may appoint another person as their “attorney-in-fact,” although the power of attorney form must be signed and notarized. If no appointment is made, a family member will be empowered to make decisions for the incapacitated individual.
3. Advance Directive for Health Care: A couple can choose to each create an “advance directive,” allowing them to make medical decisions on one another’s behalf in the event of an emergency. Absent an advance directive, medical care providers look to next- of-kin to make health care decisions for an incapacitated individual. If an unmarried couple wants to make decisions for one another, they need an advance directive.

An advance directive has two parts: a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and a Living Will. In the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, you appoint a person to act as your health care agent and make medical decisions for you when you are incapacitated. You may also express your desires about end of life issues, including nutrition, hydration, and other life-sustaining treatments. The Living Will is a short statement about whether you want life-sustaining treatment continued when you are near death or permanently unconscious. You should give a copy of the advance directive to your doctors and may also consider giving it to family members.

An advance directive may either be signed by yourself and two witnesses, or signed by just yourself in the presence of a notary public. The following individuals do not count as witnesses: your spouse or heir, beneficiaries under any will or trust you may have, and the person you are appointing as your health care agent. Only one witness can be an employee of your healthcare provider. An advance directive can only be revoked by you.

If you later become incapacitated and a guardian is appointed for you, the appointing court should not revoke your health care agent’s authority unless there is clear and convincing evidence that doing so would be in your best interests.

1. 將要： Without a will, a deceased unmarried person’s property passes to: (1) their children; (2) their family; or (3) if next-of-kin cannot be located, to the state. If you wish to provide for others not on this list, such as your partner, a will is essential. Even if you have few possessions, you can name who will administer your estate in your will. If you have children, you can also nominate someone to be their future guardian in a will.
2. 葬禮計畫文件： Upon death, a person’s body is given to his or her next-of-kin. This can mean that a person’s own partner has no right to remove the body or make plans for a final resting place. To avoid confusion and persuade relatives to honor your wishes, you can leave explicit written directions giving another person (such as your partner or a friend) control over the funeral and burial arrangements. While this document is not binding, it should help avoid complications in any but the most adversarial families. Some people include these instructions as part of a will, but since a will may not be found for days after death, it is preferable to give the instructions directly to the person you want to take care of matters, as well as to family members.
3. Guardianship: New Hampshire’s broad guardianship laws allow, among other things, an individual to nominate another person as the guardian of their person, estate, or both.68 The advantage of nominating a guardian in advance is that you are selecting the person to take over all aspects of your financial matters.

一個人是否需要律師來取得這些文件？

GLAD 建議與律師合作處理這些文件。

雖然表格可用，但表格可能不適合您個人的需求和願望。此外，律師或許能夠更好地幫助您實現目標，例如，透過起草遺囑，使其更有可能避免因家庭成員不滿而提出的遺囑異議，或指定一位提供非常具體指示的醫療代理人。此外，律師還可以協助解決因這些文件之間存在重疊部分而產生的法律不確定性。 GLAD Answers 可以為您推薦 GLAD 律師轉介服務的會員律師。

如果未婚夫婦分居，關係或合作協議/合約的法律地位是什麼？

分居時，如果夫妻雙方有關係協議或伴侶關係協議/合同，則將依據其條款進行分割，夫妻雙方的資產將按照協議進行分割。如果沒有協議，未婚夫妻可能被迫就財產和財務問題進行昂貴且持久的訴訟。

請注意：如果您改變了主意，不再選擇您的「事實上的律師」、醫療保健代表、遺囑受益人或執行人、葬禮策劃人、監護人或指定文件下的指定人，則應撤銷這些文件（並通知所有獲得這些文件副本的人員），並準備反映您當前意願的新文件。

什麼是同居關係？

Although it is a term used in many contexts, “domestic partnership” most often means a status which recognizes an unmarried couple and their children as a family for certain limited purposes, most commonly employee benefits. Some states, cities, and towns have also enacted domestic partner laws. In other contexts, “domestic partner” is a shorthand term for family, replacing “lover,” “friend,” and “roommate.” Some people call cohabitation agreements “domestic partner agreements.”

Does New Hampshire provide domestic partner benefits to state employees?

Yes. Here is a link to the application form: Employee Health Benefit Program Affidavit of Same Sex Domestic Partnership .

Can cities and towns in New Hampshire provide domestic partner health insurance benefits to their own employees?

Yes, and some do.

私人雇主可以提供哪些類型的同居伴侶福利？

私人雇主可以為同居伴侶提供許多福利，例如健康保險、家庭醫療或喪假、平等的退休金福利、搬遷費用或使用公司設施

Even when employers provide these benefits, federal and state laws require different tax treatment of the benefits for domestic partners as compared to spouses. For example, an employee must pay federal and state income tax on the value of his or her partner’s health insurance benefits (unless the partner is a tax dependent), but a spouse does not. Partners do not qualify as spouses under federally-controlled Flexible Spending Accounts unless the partner is also a tax dependent.

至於退休金，根據2006年《聯邦退休金保護法》，雇主可以修改其401(k)計劃，以便非配偶受益人可以保留該資產作為退休資產。如果計劃修改，受益人可以根據員工的死亡情況將401(k)「轉入」個人退休帳戶（IRA），而先前的法律要求受益人一次性提取並繳納401(k)的所得稅。

However, other discriminatory aspects of federal law remain regarding pensions. A domestic partner has no right to sign off if his or her partner decides to name someone else as the beneficiary of a pension, although a spouse would have that right. In addition, a domestic partner has no right comparable to that of a spouse to sign off on his or her partner’s designation of another person for survivor benefits.

有孩子的同性伴侶分手後該遵守什麼標準？

有孩子的同性伴侶分手後應該：

1. 支持 LGBTQ+ 父母的權利；
2. 尊重現有的關係，不論其法律標籤如何；
3. 分手後尊重孩子現有的父母關係；
4. 為孩子保持連續性；
5. 尋求自願解決方案；
6. 記住，分手很難；
7. 調查虐待指控；
8. 不允許因缺乏協議或法律關係而決定結果；
9. 將訴訟視為最後的手段；
10. 拒絕訴諸恐同/恐變性人的法律和情緒來達到預期結果。

有關這些標準的更多詳細信息，請參閱出版物《保護家庭：LGBTQ+ 家庭標準》，網址為： 保護家庭：LGBT家庭標準. 

法院通常如何做出監護權裁決？

When a married couple divorces or two unwed legal parents separate, a court encourages them to work together to create a “parenting plan” that allows them to share in the rights and responsibilities of raising their children. If the parents are unable to create a parenting plan, the court will create it for them. The court will treat both parents as equals. All decisions a court makes about custody are based solely on the best interests of the child and the safety of the parties. A court may award visitation or custody to step-parents or grandparents, and may also appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the best interests of the child.

監護權有不同的種類嗎？

是的，四種：

1. “唯一法定監護權” 意味著只有一位家長有權為孩子做出重大的人生決定，包括教育、醫療以及情感、道德和宗教發展等議題。
2. “共同法定監護權” 意味著父母雙方都參與並做出這些決定。
3. “單獨監護權” 意味著孩子只與一位家長一起生活並受其監督，但另一位家長可以合理地探視孩子，除非法院認定探視不符合孩子的最佳利益。
4. “共同監護” 意味著孩子與父母雙方居住在一起，並能確保與父母雙方經常接觸。

如果我與前任異性戀伴侶育有一子，而我現在與同性伴侶有關係，我的前任可以在監護權訴訟中利用我的性取向來對付我嗎？

如上所述，康乃狄克州法院以兒童的最大利益為依據來安排監護權。一般而言，父母的性取向或婚姻狀況不應影響兒童的最大利益。

然而，你的前伴侶可能會試圖辯稱你的性取向對你的孩子有害。理由有很多，例如，LGBTQ+ 父母的性取向導致其他人取笑或排斥孩子，父母沒有樹立好榜樣， 

或父母的新伴侶對孩子不好。在絕大多數情況下，這些問題都能得到法官滿意的答复，且不會對同性戀父母或孩子造成不利影響。請聯絡同性戀者反歧視聯盟 (GLAD) 以取得更多處理此類情況的資源。

Is it considered harm to the child if he or she is teased about having a gay or lesbian parent?

不應該。身為同性戀父母，額外的責任之一就是幫助孩子應對這種可能性或現實。當然，孩子可能會因為各種原因被嘲笑，從耳朵的大小、父母的口音，到缺乏時尚感，所以所有父母都需要幫助孩子培養應對同儕騷擾的機制和策略。

就法律問題而言，美國最高法院的一個案例尤其具有啟發意義， 帕爾莫爾訴西多蒂，美國最高法院在該案中推翻了佛羅裡達州法院將監護權從母親轉移到父親的判決。監護權轉換的原因是白人母親與一名黑人男子有染，後來她嫁給了該男子。最高法院承認偏見和歧視的現實存在，並且孩子可能會被戲弄，但拒絕迎合這些偏見或通過改變先前的監護權安排賦予其法律效力。在一份適用於所有人的憲法原則聲明中，最高法院一致表示：“憲法不能控制偏見，但也不能容忍偏見。私人偏見可能超出法律的範圍，但法律不能直接或間接地使其生效。”

如果我的前任在我們分手前就知道或懷疑我是 LGBTQ+，這有關係嗎？

這可能會對未來修改監護權法院命令產生影響。當情況發生變化，影響到孩子的最大利益時，人們可以尋求修改監護權法院命令。如果配偶在法庭訴訟時不知道你的性取向或性別認同，但後來才知道，他們可能會辯稱這是情況變化，監護權問題應該重新進行訴訟。

當然，如果一方配偶或前異性戀伴侶在法院審理確定監護權時知道另一方的同性戀傾向，那麼以此為由提出修改請求就毫無意義。

當我的伴侶在場時，法院可以阻止我的孩子探望嗎？

探視限製本身就值得懷疑。在 勞倫斯訴德克薩斯州美國最高法院所做的遠不止性行為合法化。它承認同性戀者有權建立和維持充滿愛的人際關係，並享有不受政府限制和法律譴責的私人生活。由於同性戀者可以做出“與家庭關係[和]撫養子女相關的個人決定”，因此監護權和探視權的限制必須得到相應處理。法院與父母之間道德價值觀的差異、對同性戀父母行為的推定，或對他們關係的“社會譴責”，如果曾經是，就不應再成為允許的因素。

法院有權這樣做，但除非這顯然符合兒童的最大利益，否則不應這樣做。康乃狄克州法院駁回了任何特定生活方式本身都會對兒童造成傷害的觀點，因此堅持要求提供具體證據。

資源

美國同性婚姻的歷史： 美國同性婚姻的歷史—維基百科. 

Guide to Wills and Estate Planning: Guide to Wills and Estate Planning. 

Divorce: How to File a Divorce Petition | New Hampshire Judicial Branch. 

Divorce/Parenting: Divorce/Parenting | New Hampshire Judicial Branch. 

Divorce, Separation & Annulment: Divorce, Separation & Annulment | New Hampshire Legal Aid. 

案件與辯護

To see Family cases or advocacy which GLAD has been directly involved with in New Hampshire, go to: 案件與辯護 – GLAD and under “By Issue” click on “Family” and under “By Location” click on “New Hampshire.”

新聞與新聞稿

To see news and press releases about Family in New Hampshire, go to: 新聞與新聞稿 – GLAD and under “By Issue” click on “Family” and under “By Location” click on “New Hampshire.”