Reading Around: Social Security FAQ, Sperm Donors Paying Child, More Social Networking Troubles

Another post of selected articles that bear some looking at but not quite needing comment from me.

What I would call a Social Security FAQ from The Ohio Law Blog:  Commonly asked Social Security Disability / SSI questions.

Gay Dads, Surrogacy and Portable Parenthood discusses a recent Pennsylvania case imposing a child support obligation on a sperm donor.

Gabriel Cheong published Same-Sex Marriage Statistics and it packs a punch for all of its brevity. I think most lawyers see this as an issue of fairness being denied to a select group.  Most of the political talk on the subject miss these points:  1) the state court decisions are based on state constitution provisions incorporating the natural rights of the Declaration of Independence, 2) by denying these rights we are saying that we can deny other natural rights, and 3) the granting of rights cannot constitutionally detract from our religious rights.  Good job, Mr. Cheong.

A bit more on the McCourt divorce from Family Law Guy in his McCourts: Minding (And Dividing) The Family Store. I noted this case here.  Still glad Indiana is not a community property state but it made me think of what might happen to the Yankees if New York were a community property state.  The Red Sox might want to think about this....

If you think your divorce is/was bad, I offer Billion Dollar Divorce as an antidote.

Maryland Father's Rights Blog nails why to be very discreet with social networking sites with his Social Networking and Litigation:

But if I do have to try a case, evidence is the thing that either wins, or loses, my case. It’s true in any litigation, whether it’s a divorce case with adultery allegations, or complicated financial issues....

We may know things - call them facts.  But if we cannot get those facts before the court, then they are not evidence.  Photos of partying the night away posted to a MySpace page open to the public becomes evidence rather easily.  Related to this:  Ed Poll's Revenge and Social Media.

Finally,  a few words about bankruptcy and divorce from Upstate Family Law Blog.  Check out Bankruptcy During Divorce.