ABA Family Legal Guide

Family Law

Marriage

Requirements for Getting Married

What is a domestic partnership?

Some cities have passed laws providing for domestic partnerships, which can apply to homosexual couples, and heterosexual couples, who are living together without being married. To become domestic partners, the partners must register their relationship at a government office and declare that they are in a "committed" relationship. Domestic partnerships provide some--but not all--of the legal benefits of marriage. Some of the common benefits are the right to coverage on a family health insurance policy, the right to family leave to take care of a sick partner (to the same extent a person would be able to use family leave to care for a sick spouse), bereavement leave, visiting rights to hospitals and jails, and rent control benefits (to the same extent a spouse would retain reduced rent if his or her partner died.)