Orange County Domestic Partnership Attorney

Domestic partnerships can provide legal benefits for couples who choose to remain together without being married. You can prove you are in a domestic partnership using information such as contact information, shared residency, bank accounts, and other information. With the help of A domestic partnership attorney can provide additional guidance on what is required to help you establish this title. They can also help you differentiate between common-law and domestic partnership to help clear up any confusion. Call a family law attorney at Kaufman and Steinberg for a consultation. 

What is a Domestic Partnership?

A domestic partnership is a formal legal relationship that can be registered with the government and officially recognized by your state. This allows you some of the same rights that married couples have without the requirement of marriage. California is a state that has recognized domestic partnerships since 1999, and it is legally available to any two people that are over 18 years of age regardless of gender. 

What Types of Cases do Domestic Partnership Attorneys Manage?

If you and your domestic partner are confused about rulings that normally apply to married couples, you can request the help of an attorney. Here are some examples:

Establishing Domestic Partnership

Your attorney can help you gather the paperwork and information necessary to file for a domestic partnership in court. This will require financial information, residential information, account statements, and more. 

Adoption

You and your domestic partner may experience unexpected difficulties from adoption agencies that prefer married couples. They do this in the interest of the child, because in most cases adoption agencies may be biased against couples that don’t plan to marry. Your attorney can help you through this process. 

Property Division Arguments

If you and your domestic partner decide to split or divide your assets, you may argue over property. In general, property is divided equally for both couples if it was acquired when the couple were married. This means that property division doesn’t apply the same way for domestic partners. You will have to negotiate a settlement between you and your partner. 

Debt Arguments 

When you or your partner has massive debt, if the account is only in one person’s name, the non-account holder may not be liable. Only debts that accrued during a marriage can be split evenly across both couples. Your attorney can help mediate how this occurs if you have proof that your partner helped incur the debt. 

Child Custody

You can establish paternity with the help of your attorney if you and your domestic partner had children and attempt to split. This can help circumvent any arguments or disagreements. 

The Break of a Domestic Partnership

Domestic partners must file a court summons and petition the dissolution of their domestic partnership. Both partners can file the petition jointly and a summons won’t be necessary. 

What Are the Rights of a Domestic Partner? 

Your attorney can educate you on what benefits you can receive from a legal relationship between two individuals living together that are not married. For example, domestic partners can be guaranteed the right of survivorship, hospital visitation, power of attorney in estate and will planning, and other important legal matters. The domestic partnership agreement is a legally binding contract that will define the obligations and rights of both individuals. 

Learn More About Domestic Partnerships

If you are confused about what the legal prohibitions or allowances of a domestic partnership are, you can seek answers from an educated attorney. They can inform you on how the legally binding contract works and what to expect. This is helpful when you are trying to manage your finances, assets, and children.