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Step 1
Note that the law creates civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, and that those aren't exactly the same as marriages.
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Step 2
Go to any town clerk in Vermont with your partner and get a license, then have your union certified by a judge or a member of the clergy. That's all there is to the actual union.
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Step 3
Expect to get many of the legal rights and privileges of marriage, such as joint property rights, inheritance rights, shared health care benefits, hospital visitation privileges and immunity from having to testify in court against your partner.
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Step 4
Forget about getting any of the federal benefits of marriage, such as coveted tax breaks and immigration rights. Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, making sure you wouldn't get those.
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Step 5
Try not to get your hopes up about the unions being valid in other states. The Defense of Marriage Act also allows states to ignore same-sex marriage licenses issued elsewhere, and 30 states have banned gay marriages outright.
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Step 6
Be aware that nothing stops couples who live anywhere in the United States from coming to Vermont to get a civil union license - it just probably won't do any good in any other state.
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Step 7
Understand the implications of the license. Civil unions, according to the law, can be broken up only by the family courts - just like when married couples divorce.










Comments
vermontjp said
on 4/29/2009 If you are in neeed of an officiate for a same sex wedding in Vermont you can find a professional Justice of the peace at www.vermontjp.com