civil union
September 25, 2008
Expecting the Unexpected
Recent events have reminded me that we are all vulnerable to unexpected events that can leave us helpless and dependent on others, such as our spouse, our family members, or our friends.June 5, 2008
Entering a Civil Union
This article discusses the entire process of entering a civil union, including determining whether you and your partner are eligible or even need to enter into a civil union in this State, how to obtain a license, and how to formalize the civil union. It also discusses changing your name.June 3, 2008
The Family Home, Part II
Most gay or lesbian couples choose to share ownership of their personal residence. If you are in a domestic partnership or simply living together as unmarried cohabitants, your most common choice is joint tenancy with rights of survivorship. If you are in a civil union, you have an additional choice, tenancy by the entireties.April 4, 2008
The Family Home
Whether you are buying your first home together or living together in a home that one or both of you currently own, you need to consider how the civil union law affects your home ownership.February 4, 2008
Tying the Knot
With civil marriage, domestic partnership and civil unions, there are more options available for same-sex couples than ever before, but getting recognition here and elsewhere is still a problem.November 22, 2007
Protecting Your Family
The only way for a non-biological parent to ensure recognition of their partner's child outside New Jersey is to obtain a formal judgment of your parental rights in a New Jersey court.September 7, 2007
Becoming a Family
Civil unions are not perfect, but they open up a whole new set of issues relating to same-sex families, including protections for our children.June 13, 2007
Family Pride
As we celebrate Pride Month, it is a good time to remember how far we have come in New Jersey, without forgetting how far we have to go. In my last two articles, I wrote about the comparison between civil...April 1, 2007
Civil Wars, Part II
Unquestionably, the October 25, 2006 decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in the Lewis marriage case has had a profound effect on the treatment of same-sex couples in New Jersey. The court's unanimous opinion that the New Jersey Constitution required thatcommitted same-sex couples be afforded the same rights, benefits and obligationsas married couples means that we have achieved a level of equality found only in four other states (Vermont, California, Massachusetts and Connecticut).
March 22, 2007
Much Ado About I Do
Much has been made about the relatively limited numbers of couples who have reportedly entered into civil unions in New Jersey. In my opinion, it is much ado about nothing. According to a report issued by the New Jersey Bureau of Vital Statistics, only 229 couples had entered into a civil union during the first 30 days the civil unions bill was in effect.March 10, 2007
Domestic Partners and Civil Unions
The change from domestic partnership to civil unions, although welcome, brings with it many questions, particularly for the more than 4,000 same-sex couples that registered as domestic partners in New Jersey.February 1, 2006
The Changing and Uncertain Status of Same-Sex Families
Over the last 30 years, there has been considerable expansion in the recognition of equal rights for homosexuals in New Jersey, particularly in regard to the parent-child relationship in same-sex couples with children.
October 27, 2004
Formalizing Same-Sex Partnerships
When I finished law school in 1996, I could not have imagined that eight years later I would be discussing any form of government-sanctioned legal protection for same-sex couples, other than Vermont's civil union. But with the recent enactment...May 27, 2003
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
In a recent New York Times article, it was pointed out that 85 percent of the approximately 5,400 couples granted civil union licenses were not from Vermont. But out-of-state couples will find it difficult or even impossible to dissolve that civil union.
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