<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> A California domestic partnership is a legal relationship available to all same - sex couples, and to those opposite - sex couples where at least one party is age 62 or older . It affords the couple "the same rights, protections, and benefits, and...the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties under law ..." as married spouses . </P> <P> Enacted in 1999, the domestic partnership registry was the first of its kind in the United States created by a legislature without court intervention . Initially, domestic partnerships enjoyed very few privileges--principally just hospital - visitation rights and the right to be claimed as a next of kin of the estate of a deceased partner . The legislature has since expanded the scope of California domestic partnerships to include all of the rights and responsibilities common to marriage . As such, California domestic partnerships are functionally equivalent to civil unions offered in several other states . </P>

Can opposite sexes be domestic partners in california
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