Tompkins County Courthouse, Second Parent Adoptions and Marriage Equality, 320 N. Tioga St

Tompkins County was one of the first counties in New York State where the Family and Surrogate’s Court judges granted second-parent adoptions to the partners of legal parents in same-sex relationships. A second-parent or co-parent adoption allows a second parent to adopt their partner's child without the first parent losing any parental rights. In this way, the child comes to have two legal parents. It can be an important legal procedure for LGBT parents.This right was formally recognized in 1995 by the New York Court of Appeals in Matter of Jacob, 86 N.Y.2d 651.

Several early marriage equality cases involving Ithaca residents were also heard here during the 1990s and early 2000s. The Ithaca City Hall and Mayor's Office location on this tour provides additional information about the roles of the city and county in establishing marriage equality.