Ask-A-Lawyer

Q. Do civil unions and domestic partnerships offer the same rights and protections as marriage?

A. The extent to which civil unions and domestic partnerships give the same protections as marriage depends on the wording of the particular law. In Vermont, the civil union law extends all of the rights and benefits of marriage to partners in a civil union, but the domestic partnership laws of many cities and counties in the U.S. provide only limited rights, such as hospital visitation privileges.

Barbara Atwood, Professor
Mary Anne Richey Professor of Law at the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Q. If a couple of the same sex were to be married in Massachusetts would the couple be considered to be married in another state?

A. Under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution, and the federal Defense of Marriage Act, other states are not required to recognize a same sex marriage.

Barbara Atwood, Professor
Mary Anne Richey Professor of Law at the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ