Keiba Shaw Media Statement on Tampa Same Sex Divorce Appeal

On May 29, 2015, Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal released its opinion in the matter of Shaw v. Shaw.  It determined that Florida should give full faith and credit to a same-sex marriage entered into under the laws of Massachusetts, and that Florida courts have the authority to dissolve the marriage.

This has been a long, tough road, but this is truly a great day for equality.

Keiba Shaw has authorized the release of the following statement:

An uncontested divorce between a man and a woman in Florida can be resolved in as little as a month. That’s just four weeks to dissolve a negative situation that both parties agree needs to end. It doesn’t matter how long they were married or WHERE they were married.

My [soon-to-be] former spouse and I used a next generation process, collaborative divorce, that was designed to resolve conflicts in a manner that was private, non-litigated, peaceful, and respectful. We reached a full agreement on all issues in two meetings that were one week apart.

And yet, because my former spouse and I are both women, my divorce has taken more than a year to be granted and has unnecessarily disrupted my life and that of my family members. The legal complexities have limited my options and the resulting financial burden has made it harder to take care of my family the way I envisioned.

Sadly, that is because both parties in this situation are women — women in Florida; women who were married outside the state; and so, women who have to fight for some very fundamental rights, including the right to shape their personal lives as they see fit.

Resolution and closure are so important after any relationship comes to an end. I have control over the personal aspects of this process, which are successfully and happily resolved, but the courts have final control over the legal end. Fortunately, the progress made thus far in the courts means that all women, as well as men in same-sex marriages, will now be able to divorce in Florida as they, as responsible adults, see fit — just as a opposite sex couples do nationwide.

I would like to thank my attorneys, Adam B. Cordover, Deborah Thomson, and Lara Davis, for helping me though this difficult process and supporting me throughout.

During this difficult time, I ask that the media respect my privacy. If you have any questions, you may direct them to Adam B. Cordover at (813) 443-0615,  adam@cordoverlaw.com, or www.familydiplomacy.com.