Domestic Partnership
Sound Legal Advice Regarding Domestic Partnership in California
At the Bez Law Firm, P.C., in Sacramento, California, we offer advice and representation for all kinds of people —lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered (LGBT), or straight— who raise children together, or who work and live together regardless whether their domestic circumstances currently enjoy the protection of marriage.
It doesn't really matter what you call your arrangement: domestic partnership, civil union, cohabitation, or just plain owning a house together. Unless you're married or have a registered domestic partnership, the law is unlikely to protect your joint or individual interests unless you take steps to define your rights, intentions and expectations.
Registered or not, a domestic partnership agreement can protect you both.
Regardless how you define your relationship, negotiated written agreements can be extremely helpful in defining and protecting your rights against third-party interference in the event of a serious accident or breakdown in your relationship.
Contact attorney Dena Bez and her experienced staff for help with the practical and legal aspects of your domestic partnership. Her advice and guidance can help you in such situations as:
- Documentation and registration of a domestic partnership agreement
- Estate planning to define rights to inheritance, medical or financial decisions in the event of incapacity, or guardianship of minor children
- Adoption : joint adoption, adoption of a partner's child, or surrogate adoption
- Clarification of property rights and liability for debts in the event of dissolution
- Child custody and support concerns in the event of a discontinued relationship
The laws surrounding same-sex couples are ever-changing.
Laws concerning the recognition of same-sex couples are still unsettled. In some areas of the country, your domestic partnership may give you the same rights and responsibilities as married heterosexual couples. If you relocate to a state that does not have the same standards in place, you may risk inheritance rights, parental rights and the ability to make healthcare decisions for an incapacitated partner. Be certain you know your rights surrounding domestic partnership and relocation.
Contact a knowledgeable, non-judgmental lawyer at the Bez Law Firm, P.C., to discuss establishing or dissolving a domestic partnership or how various laws may affect you.
