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In New Jersey, marriage equality also means divorce equality. To effectively end a civil union, you must legally terminate the relationship or, in everyday parlance, get "divorced." The process for dissolving a civil union is similar to the process for dissolving a marriage. Seek legal advice from a New Jersey attorney who specializes in family law if your situation involves child custody, significant property or significant debt.
Employees in a union shop may find themselves in a situation in which they are unsatisfied with their union leadership. Perhaps there is a feeling that the union is ineffective or that it is corrupt. Federal law defines certain periods when a union can be changed, and prescribes precise means of doing so. Unions cannot simply be overthrown by either members or management.
In the state of New Jersey, domestic partnerships are legally recognized and are given certain specific rights. Domestic partnership laws apply to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples; however, both partners must be age 62 and older.
A civil union in California is called a domestic partnership and it is a legal union between two people recognized and governed at the state level. Marriage is a legal union recognized and governed at the state and the federal level and, as of October 2010 in California, can only be between two people of the opposite sex.
The New Jersey Domestic Partnership Act grants rights to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples if they meet specific requirements. The act was amended in 2007 by the Civil Union Act. In order to obtain these benefits, both individuals must complete and file an affidavit form. Benefits include health coverage, hospital visitation rights and employee rights. New Jersey recognizes couples who have already entered into a domestic partnership in another state.
Same-sex marriage and civil unions are two topics that have been the center of controversy for quite some time now. As church, state and government bodies have attempted to establish the difference, this debate has raised more questions about what constitutes marriage, and how closely civil unions currently match, or whether they should match, the rights afforded to married couples.
