California Partition Law Blog
Registered Domestic Partnerships are a legally recognized form of union between two adults who willingly engage in a relationship of mutual caring without marriage. Under California law, registered domestic partnerships receive the same state-level rights and responsibilities as married couples. Federal law does not, however, afford registered domestic partnerships the same legal recognition, rights, or responsibilities. In fact, many states may not recognize registered domestic partnerships to the same extent as California, if at all. Understanding how registered domestic partnership’s rights and responsibilities differ at the federal and state levels is crucial to ensuring access to all the legal rights and responsibilities your partnership is entitled to.
What is a Registered Domestic Partnership?
California defines Registered Domestic Partnerships as “two adult who have chosen to share one another’s lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring.” (Fam. Code, § 297.) Registered domestic partnerships are functionally like marriage, but do not require formal marriage proceedings to receive state recognition. But, because California law does not recognize common law marriage, couples seeking registered domestic partnership status must still meet several registration requirements.