Civil Unions in New York

Long Island Family Law Attorney

A civil union is a legally recognized partnership similar to marriage. While the federal government does not recognize these unions, many states have participated in allowing similar rights to same sex couples in a partnership similar to marriage. According to the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, other states are not required to recognize these unions either.

While New York recognized marriages from other states, they had put a long-time ban on same sex marriage in New York until July of 2011. When the Marriage Equality Act was passed, this gave way to those in civil unions and domestic partnerships all across Long Island and the rest of New York. Suddenly, dozens of same sex couples all across the state prepared their marriage licenses and began planning for a wedding.

Prenuptial Agreement & Planning for Your Wedding

Planning for a wedding can be quite difficult and extremely expensive. You will need to speak to a Long Island family lawyer to learn your rights and options, and to get help with your prenuptial agreements. Prenuptial agreements are vitally important to have when making the decision to get married. Due to the long amount of time this bill has been waiting to be passed, many same sex couples have postponed marriage and dating to work, save money and obtain valuable estates. If you have much to lose in case of a divorce, you will want to ensure that all of your valuables are protected by a prenuptial agreement.

Call the legal team at the Meyers Law Group today to learn more about your rights and the options you have if you are currently in a civil union with your partner or you are planning to get married in the future. We have extensive experience in handling all family law matters, including gay marriage, divorce, fathers' rights, child custody, child support, domestic violence, maintenance and more.

Contact a Long Island family lawyer today to learn more about civil unions and gay marriage in New York.