Finding California Marriage and Domestic Partnership Records

Finding California marriage records is simple.  You can go to any national database online and pull up the records for a minimal fee.  However, what about the nine states allowing domestic partnerships--this includes Nevada, Wisconsin, Colorado, Hawaii, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and D.C.?  Can we find these records just as easily?  Domestic partnership and California marriage records are both registered with the courts, and therefore, available to the public.

On May 15, 2008, California residents accepted Proposition 8 regarding same sex marriages.  Although same sex marriages are invalidated, the California marriages occurring between June 16, 2008 and November 4, 2008 remain recognized.  Concerns about domestic partnership also remain active in the California's Domestic Partnership Registry.

Domestic partnerships were passed by the state of California on September 19, 2003.  This was a huge step for gay activists, but not exclusive to same sex marriages.  Any couple may enter into a domestic partnership that resides at the same residence.  Other advantages include health benefits, child guardianship, mortgage benefits, as well as other financial benefits.

The dissolution of a California domestic partnership differs slightly from a California marriage because the "domparts" just need to nullify the relationship in order to move forward with a separation.  As long as there are no revocations from either party, the judge will dissolve assets and finalize decisions on support and child custody.

Although domestic partnership is not popular to mainstream culture, it cannot be prevented.  Domestic partnerships have many of the same rights as a California marriage.  If one member became sick or died, it would protect the rights of the other to make funeral arrangements, make family hospital visits, grant child custody, and have access to their children's medical and school records

Some advocates of domestic partnerships compare this to the laws banning interracial marriage in the 1950s.  Eventually, the federal government banned any prosecution for interracial marriage in 1967.  In 1996, the federal government made it legal for other states to not recognize a same sex marriage.

Regardless of your thoughts on same sex marriage, domestic partnerships or civil unions are on the rise and in California treated like any public court record.  Finding a domestic partnership agreement is as simple as doing a records research.  If you are looking for records of a California marriage, keep in mind that California laws require many of the divorces to be performed in state.  If you know the first and last name of the person that entered into either one of these types of unions, find out answers regarding the status now.