California Domestic Partnership and Same-Sex Marriage: Are They the Same?

California Domestic Partnership and Same-Sex Marriage: Are They the Same?


In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, ruling that the right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by the U.S. Constitution. Before the Obergefell decision, California was only the second U.S. state to allow same-sex marriage. In addition to having the right to marry in the state, California same-sex couples also had the option of entering into a domestic partnership. Today, the terms domestic partnership and same-sex marriage are still used in California. While both describe a legal relationship, there are some key differences between the two. California domestic partnership and same-sex marriage: Are they the same? Continue reading