California Domestic Partnership Lawyers • Rights of Domestic Partners

Aggressive, Passionate, and Caring California Domestic Partnership Attorneys

California law recognizes gay and lesbian domestic partnerships. The California family law attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert J. Tennant will help you understand California domestic partnership law and how it affects your current living situation. Our attorneys are at the forefront of domestic partnership law and have helped many couples resolve their partnership legal issues. Contact the California domestic partnerships attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert J. Tennant to discuss your particular circumstances.

Laws about cohabitation in California are very complex. The term common law marriage is typically used to refer to long term co-habitation relationship, but California laws are specific. Registration is accomplished with the State of California, based on certain criteria. If you qualify and are registered, you have several rights of domestic partners that were formerly reserved for married persons. Some of these expanded rights include:

• The right to use step-parent adoption procedures
• Health care and medical emergency rights
• Protections on the death of a partner
• Employment benefits
• Tax benefits.

A Special Note about Cohabitation Law and California Registered Domestic Partner Law

Due to the legal requirements for establishing a domestic partnership relationship in California, it is wise to obtain legal counsel. We can advise and guide you through the process. Additionally, we routinely draft domestic partnership agreements to establish rights and responsibilities between partners. Cohabitation agreements are basically contracts establishing rights between heterosexual unmarried couples. Similar to pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, these agreements establish rights and responsibilities between couples who wish to live together but not marry.

When actor Lee Marvin and his "wife" Michelle separated after a long relationship but with no formal marriage, Michelle successfully obtained half of Lee Marvin's property based on their agreements during the relationship. If your long term non-marital relationship has ended, the Law Offices of Robert J. Tennant can help you determine if your situation merits a Marvin proceeding claim based on California's line of cases interpreting this relationship right.

For more specific information about California family law and "Marvin" action law, visit these practice information pages on this website:

• FAQ - California family law
• Marvin action law, palimony

For more information about registered domestic partnership law, contact the California domestic partnerships attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert J. Tennant.