Although a significant portion of Americans is still attracted to the idea of marriage, couples are, on average, getting married later in life. For many families, marriage is still a cornerstone and foundation of life. Marriage carries the weight of both romance and tradition. What Are the Benefits of a Domestic Partnership?
Exceptions include relationships among minors, blood relatives, people who are legally incapacitated, and people who are already married or in a domestic partnership with someone else.
However, beginning in January of 2020, all couples can now choose between marriage and domestic partnerships. The efforts increased in 2013 when California granted marriage rights to same-sex couples, who could then choose between both types of legal relationships.Ĭonservative and religious groups have protested this shift due to the fear of losing the institution of marriage entirely. Almost immediately, several advocacy groups begin to push the state to provide this same option to all couples. In 1999, California established the domestic partnership option for same-sex couples and couples over age 62 as a substitution for marriage.