Child Support Enforcement - Sarpy County Nebraska

Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Iowa, Maryland*, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington State*. (* not yet effective)
California also recognizes the 18,000 same sex marriages that were performed in the
Golden Bear State before the state law changed to stop same sex marriage in 2008. In addition,
a federal court has declared that the California initiative blocking same sex marriages violates
the federal constitution. That is now on a trajectory to be appealed to a panel of the 9 th Federal
Circuit in December, 2010.
Massachusetts approved same sex marriage in 2005. Iowa began issuing same sex
marriage licenses in April 2009 (some 13,000 couples were married in the first year).
Connecticut also began issuing licenses in early 2009. California’s judicial marriage ruling was
rescinded by popular vote in 2008, however it is now on appeal in the federal court system on an
equal protection argument. NY rejected such legislation in December 2009. Maryland’s
attorney general has decided that the Old Line State will also recognize such marriages when
performed elsewhere. In addition, eight states:
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, N.H.,
N.J., Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington State, have approved full civil union
legislation that has many (or all) of the same effects of marriage for same sex (and in some
instances opposite sex) couples. California’s Supreme Court ruled in May, 2009 that while the
voters could restrict the word “marriage” to unions of one man and one woman, homosexual
couples must be afforded all the rights and privileges associated with the institution of marriage,
just under another name, such as “civil union.”
No one really knows how that will play out on an interstate basis. In addition, about two
dozen foreign nations recognize either same sex civil unions or marriages, or both (this number
seemingly increases by the month). Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and portions of Mexico apply their marriage
laws equally to all citizens. A list of nations that Nebraska maintains reciprocity with can be
found under the “Reciprocity” subject heading.
The reader is advised to verify the status of any same sex marriage or civil union
performed outside Nebraska through independent sources, as this is the most fluid area of family
law at the present time.
Hills v. State, 61 Neb. 589, 85 N.W. 836 (1901)
If marriage is valid where celebrated, it is valid in this state.
Second Families/Step-parents
Brooks v. Brooks, 261 Neb. 289, 622 N.W.2d 670 (2001)
We conclude that there is no precise mathematical formula applicable to situations
where a court deviates from the guidelines when children from subsequent
relationships are involved. Subsequent familial relationships vary widely from case to
case. When a deviation from the guidelines is appropriate, the trial court should
consider both parents’ support obligations to all children involved in the
relationships. In considering the obligation to those subsequent children, the trial
court should take into consideration the income of the other parent of these children
as well as any other equitable considerations.
We hold that the specific formula for making such calculations is left to the discretion
of the trial court, as long as the basic principle that both families are treated as fairly
as possible is adhered to. We again emphasize that the trial court shall include the
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