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Same-Sex Marriage
Same-sex
couples can marry in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Supreme Court of
California ruled that same-sex couples could marry in that state, but the
California constitution was amended to prohibit same-sex marriage.
Same-sex
couples can marry in Canada. There is no residency requirement for marriage
in Canada, and therefore United States citizens may go to Canada, marry, and
return to the United States. In order to divorce in Canada, however, one of
the married persons must have lived in Canada for at least a year.
We recommend
that before marrying in Massachusetts, Connecticut or Canada, couples talk
to an attorney. It is not clear what the legal ramifications will be for
couples who marry in Massachusetts or Canada and then return to Colorado.
Many states, including Colorado, have laws that prohibit recognition in
Colorado of a legal same-sex marriage.
Civil unions
and domestic partnerships
There are a
number of states that give same-sex couples legal recognition, and provide
for rights and duties of same-sex couples in committed relationships. Those
states are:
California
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Maine
Maryland
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Oregon
Vermont
Washington
Domestic
partnership contracts
In Colorado,
and most other states, non-married couples can enter into contracts that set
forth what will happen in the event the couples break up. These contracts
usually deal with property and debt division.
Kim Willoughby
wrote:
Ordinary Issues, Extra Ordinary Solutions: A Legal Guide For Colorado’s GLBT
Community.
This book can be purchased from Bradford Publishing, Inc. at
www.bradfordpublishing.com.
This book
covers a variety of issues affecting same-sex couples, such as domestic
partnership agreements, estate planning, financial planning, and parenting
issues.
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