According to the Chicago Tribune, Cook County Illinois has issued more than 9,200 same-sex marriage licenses since February 2014 and is expecting to hit the 10,000 mark this summer. The county first began issuing same-sex marriage licenses in February 2014, months before gay marriage became legal statewide in June 2014. During that year, a total of 6,215 same-sex marriage licenses were issued – approximately 17 percent of all marriage licenses issued in Cook County. In 2015, 2,613 marriage licenses were issued to same-sex couples, representing 7 percent of all marriage licenses. Lake and Kane Counties had a more modest turn-out for same-sex marriage licenses: Lake County has had a total of 362 same-sex marriage applications, while Kane County handed out 360. All county figures include civil unions that were converted to marriages.
And what of same-sex divorce? So far so good. Although there are few states that track divorces of same-sex marriages alone, the ones that do indicate that the divorce rate among same-sex couples is slightly less than that of different-sex couples. Some attribute this stability to the fact that gay couples who get married now are older on average and more mature. Many are less likely to divorce because they have been together for so long, and the opportunity has only recently been granted for them to get married. As for future generations of, perhaps, younger, more impulsive same- sex couples tying the knot, it remains to be seen. Odds are, there will be many similarities between the staying power of same-sex and different-sex marriages.
If you have a family law matter, contact the Law Offices of Ronald L. Bell, PC. Ron handles a variety of family law issues including same-sex prenuptial agreements, spousal maintenance and divorce. The process for dissolving a same-sex marriage is the same as a different-sex divorce and our goal is to provide experienced and knowledgeable legal assistance to achieve the best outcome for our clients. Call today for help.
Source: The Chicago Tribune, “Same-Sex Marriage Licenses Could Hit 10,000 in Cook County this Summer”, by Leonor Vivanco, April 18, 2016.