Then again, to join in a civil union could mean you're a "unionist ... Lawmakers batted around terms like "spousal partnerships" and "equal benefits" before going with civil unions. I'd have been up ...

Legally, civil unions define who we are relative to other couples ... an ability to make health care decisions for our partner, the right to inherit property and the right to protect our property ...

Among those are the right to visit a sick partner in the hospital ... And federal law wouldn't recognize the civil unions, meaning gay Illinois couples couldn't file joint tax returns.

The new Act thus recognises a civil marriage, a registered customary law union ... is being witnessed on the meaning, scope and implications of the concept of civil partnerships, and the extent ...

Partners to a civil union lawfully entered into pursuant to ... was made moot by an amendment to Hawaii's constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. Of course DOMA had ...

Nor does Michigan recognize civil unions. However, various state agencies do provide domestic partner benefits ... Giving marriage to gays doesn't mean taking it away from straights, after all. (2) ...

When will my partner and I be able to get a civil union in New ... you should do it before getting married. If we get a civil union in New Jersey, will that mean that my spouse automatically becomes ...

April 26 marked the 25th anniversary of civil unions becoming state law in Vermont. Here's why it's so significant.