Married Same-Sex Couples Can Legally File For Joint Bankruptcy in U.S. Court
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness ... 
Aw, they're broke like the rest of us.
Innit? The U.S. Justice Department last week decided to back off on its costly opposition to married same-sex couples' joint bankruptcies, using an L.A. case to set this precedent.
Last month a federal bankruptcy judge in L.A. ruled that Gene Douglas Balas and Carlos Morales could indeed file a joint bankruptcy petition, according to Reuters. After that ...
" ... Twenty of the 24 federal bankruptcy judges in Los Angeles signed onto the opinion," according to the news service.
Now the U.S. DOJ is backing away from its opposition, with Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler stating:
The Department of Justice has informed bankruptcy courts that it will no longer seek dismissal of bankruptcy petitions filed jointly by same-sex debtors who are married under state law.
So now gay couples can go underwater and throw up the white flag like the rest of us. Welcome to 2011.
You are free to be poor, America, no matter what your stripe.
[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]
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