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| Family law |
| Entering into marriage |
| Prenuptial agreement Marriage Common-law marriage Same-sex marriage |
| Legal states similar to marriage |
| Cohabitation · Civil union Domestic partnership Registered partnership Putative marriage |
| Dissolution of marriage |
| Annulment · Divorce · Alimony |
| Issues affecting children |
| Paternity · Legitimacy Adoption · Legal guardian Ward · Emancipation of minors Foster care Parental responsibility Contact (including visitation) Residence in English law Custody · Child support |
| Related areas |
| Spousal abuse · Child abuse Child abduction · Child marriage Adultery · Bigamy · Incest |
| Conflict of laws |
| Marriage · Nullity · Divorce |
Registered partnership is one of several terms synonymous with a civil union or civil partnership similar to marriage, typically created in order to provide same-sex couples the legal and social benefits of traditional marriage and thus could be described as quasi marriages. The term is used in the Scandinavian countries, The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Switzerland. The same concept under slight different terminology can also be found in Germany and the United Kingdom. Denmark was the first country in the world to offer registered partnerships to same-sex couples, beginning on June 7, 1989. The first union created under this new law took place on October 1, 1989 between Axel and Eigil Axgil.
In Finland, law on registered partnership came into force on 1 March 2002, having been approved by the Parliament in September 2001.
Registered partnerships in these countries are nearly equal to marriage. The Scandinavian registered partnership laws are short, and basically state that, wherever the word "marriage" or "spouse" appears in the country's laws, it will also be construed to mean "registered partnership" or "registered partner", respectively. However, certain rights of adoption (i.e., of foreign-born adoptees) and of a church ceremony are restricted under registered partnerships. In Sweden, however, same-sex couples were given all the rights of adoption in 2005. Iceland will legalize adoption as well by the end of 2006. Norway allows adoption of a registered partner's children only.
The main argument against registered partnership is that it creates a situation of separate but equal, called "marriage apartheid" by some. Others claim that these partnerships allow same-sex marriage by another name.
It is expected that same-sex couples in Scandinavia, Iceland, and Finland will soon be granted the right to marry, perhaps in 2008 or 2009 in Sweden. [1]
In other places, registered partnerships have been instituted by municipalities in recognition of same-sex relationships. These partnerships are often merely nominal, conferring few actual benefits or obligations.
Stonewall.org.uk - Countries that recognise or proposed to recognise same-sex relationships
Recent book by Darren Spedale and William Eskridge, Jr. on the Scandinavian Registered Partnership laws: [2]
Recent article by Darren Spedale, William Eskridge, Jr. and Hans Ytterberg on the effect of the Registered Partnership Laws on society: [3]
Partners Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Couples, list of municipalities in the United States and some other countries where same-sex couples can register: [4]
