Faqs

NOTE: This document is supposed to offer information for same-sex partners who will be considering engaged and getting married in Ca. It’s not designed to be advice that is legal and mayn’t be used as such. For legal counsel concerning your situation that is particular consult legal counsel.

Engaged and getting married in Ca

Same-sex couples experienced the freedom to marry in Ca since 2013, once the Supreme Court declined to know the appeal in Hollingsworth v. Perry. This reinstated the trial court ruling invalidating Proposition 8, which had stripped same-sex partners for the freedom to marry. Due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex couples have actually the freedom to marry for the United States. On June 26, 2015, the Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment calls for states to permit couples that are same-sex marry also to recognize marriages of same-sex partners done away from their property state.

Also, due to the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling in Windsor v. United states of america, all married people in Ca – including same-sex partners – should be addressed by the authorities as married, equally, sufficient reason for respect. Any of the federal benefits, protections, and responsibilities based on marriage, violated our Constitution’s guarantees of equality and liberty on June 26, 2013, the Court ruled that Section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) latin women dating, which had required the federal government to treat same-sex couples as unmarried and prohibited them from granting same-sex married couples.

1. Can same-sex couples have hitched any place in Ca?

Yes. The legal order that prevents their state of California from enforcing Prop 8 relates to federal government officials through the entire state.

2. Exactly What do we need to do in order to marry in Ca?

To marry in Ca, both you and your partner must get a married relationship permit through the working office associated with the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk of any Ca county, after which have ceremony done by somebody authorized to solemnize marriages in California (such as for example a judge or clergy user) within 3 months.

Both lovers must get together to your county workplace, fill the marriage license application out, and provide a government issued picture ID and evidence you are over 18 years old. (If either or both is younger than 18, various procedures apply. ) Some counties have actually their wedding license applications posted online before you arrive at the County Clerk’s office so you can fill them out. The permit cost varies by county but generally speaking is not as much as $100. No blood health or test certification is needed. Phone ahead or go to the county’s web site to discover the full hours, areas, and costs regarding the county offices that issue licenses.

The wedding permit is legitimate for ninety days, therefore you have actually ninety days to go get married. Your wedding can be done anywhere in Ca. The one who executes your ceremony needs to be authorized to solemnize marriages in California and must finish and signal your wedding permit following the ceremony. In addition, one or more witness 18 yrs old or older must signal the marriage permit. The permit then becomes your wedding certification, which must certanly be came back to the county that is same that you obtained the license for filing within ten days of the ceremony. You may even manage to have your ceremony done at the county workplace for a passing fancy day you have a wedding permit for the extra cost.

3. Who is able to marry us?

In California, individuals that are legitimately authorized to solemnize marriages include: clergy users; active and state that is retired judges and court commissioners and associate commissioners; commissioners of civil marriages or retired commissioners of civil wedding; justices or retired justices of the U.S. Supreme Court or judges, magistrate judges, resigned judges, or resigned magistrate judges of other federal courts; state legislators or constitutional officers of this state; and people in Congress whom represent an area inside this state.

Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of Civil Marriages perform civil marriage ceremonies by visit at designated county workplaces. There clearly was a charge, which generally is lower than $50. Call ahead or go to the county site to find out more. A few also can have a buddy deputized to perform their marriage service through a county «Deputy Commissioner for on a daily basis» program. The requirements that are specific by county.

4. Should my wife and I marry?

Wedding is a critical appropriate and commitment that is personal. Prior to getting hitched, partners should teach by themselves concerning the appropriate effects of wedding.

Particular individuals should always be particularly careful before making a decision to marry, including individuals getting specific federal government advantages (especially those getting SSI impairment advantages, TANF, or Medicaid) and folks about to follow young ones internationally. If you should be in this case, we highly recommend you consult legal counsel in what marriage means for you personally before carefully deciding to marry.

5. Is a wedding license a record that is public?

Yes, wedding licenses are public information; nevertheless, in Ca, partners can use for the «confidential» wedding permit. Truly the only additional demands for getting a marriage that is confidential are that the partners needs to be at the very least 18 yrs. Old, should be residing together during the time they submit an application for the wedding permit, and must signal an affidavit from the permit attesting to those facts. The few needs to be married into the county in which the permit is granted. The marriage permit is really a private record and is registered in the County Clerk’s workplace into the county where it had been released. Just the partners may get copies regarding the wedding permit.

People apart from the partners may get copies of the private wedding permit just through getting a court purchase allowing them to take action. Whenever a couple obtains a private wedding permit, the actual only real information available as being a matter of general public record is that each one of the people is hitched; whom, whenever, and where in fact the person hitched, plus the man or woman’s target are not publicly available. This can be an option that is good those that do not want other people to learn the title of the partner or where they live.

6. What the results are when we marry in California and later desire to divorce?

The actual only real appropriate option to end a wedding is always to visit court to obtain a divorce or separation. Typically, to be able to divorce in Ca, a minumum of one regarding the partners must certanly be a resident of Ca for at the least half a year, and a resident associated with county when the breakup is filed for 90 days, before filing a breakup petition.

7. When we got hitched in Ca before Prop 8 went into impact is my marriage legitimate? Do we must get hitched once again?

In the event that you got hitched in Ca between 16, 2008 and November 5, 2008, your marriage is still valid and recognized by the state of California june. The California Supreme Court held that Proposition 8 didn’t state that it would have any impact on the marriages of same-sex couples who married in California before Prop 8 passed, and therefore couldn’t affect them in 2009, in the case of Strauss v. Horton. If you hitched in California throughout that duration, your wedding is totally valid and eligible to recognition that is full respect. You don’t have to get re-married.

8. If my wife and I had been lawfully hitched an additional state or country, will Ca recognize our wedding, or should we remarry in Ca?

Partners that are legally hitched in another jurisdiction are thought to be hitched in California also, no matter once they married. Your relationship will not involve some other style of status such as for example a domestic partnership; it is properly addressed as a married relationship. There’s no necessity for you really to re-marry in Ca.

Registered domestic partnerships & marriage

9. Will partners who’re registered domestic lovers in California immediately be hitched?

No. Partners who’re registered partners that are domestic liberated to determine whether or otherwise not they would like to marry. People who do desire to marry must have the formal steps that are legal for just about any few in Ca to legitimately marry.

10. Will subscribed domestic partnerships in California continue steadily to occur?

Yes. Domestic partnerships continue to exist under present Ca legislation.

11. When we’re currently in a registered partnership that is domestic Ca, do we must reduce our domestic partnership before we are able to marry?

No. The Ca domestic partnership statutes allow someone to be both married plus in a registered domestic partnership, provided that it really is to your person that is same.