Heath Newton LLP Presents Seminar on Domestic Partnership Equality Act

TITLE: Understanding the Domestic Partnership Equality Act

SPONSOR: Heath Newton LLP; heathnewton.com

SPEAKER: Jane Aceituno, associate at Heath Newton LLP

WHEN: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 @ 7:30 PM

WHERE: San Francisco LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street

DESCRIPTION: The California Supreme Court ruled that domestic partners are entitled to the same rights and responsibilities of marriage outside of sharing the term "marriage." Despite this promise, several inequalities remain between the two systems of governing relationships. In line with past legislation, the state legislature in 2011 passed the Domestic Partnership Equality Act to address some of the inequalities between marriage and domestic partnership. The law addresses the residency requirement to become domestic partners, confidential domestic partnerships and minors becoming domestic partners. In a bold move, the law also addresses the residency requirement for out of state same-sex couples who married in California but could not divorce when they went back to their home states. The lecture will explore the law and the background regarding domestic partnership and same-sex marriage that situates the law.