Same Sex Marriage and Civil Partnerships

Same Sex Marriage and Civil Partnerships

Sherrey and Associates deal with all issues relating to same sex couples. This ranges from negotiating pre-marriage and pre-civil partnership agreements to negotiating divorce and the dissolution and separation process.

Since December 2005 it has been possible for same sex couples to enter into a civil partnership and since 29 March 2014 same sex couples have been able to get married.

Civil partnership is akin to a civil marriage and, in almost all respects, is legally equivalent. For example:

• Civil partners enjoy the same tax treatment as
• married couples
• Civil partners can acquire parental responsibility for
• each other’s children in the same way as married
• couples
• Civil partners may adopt a child or apply for a
• parental order (in respect of a surrogate child)
• in the same way as a married couple
• The divorce process (known as dissolution) is the
• same as for divorce although the grounds
• for dissolution are slightly different
• Financial settlements on dissolution of a civil
• partnership are the same as on divorce
• Civil partnership agreements are treated in the
• same way as marriage agreements (pre-nuptial
• agreements)