February 25, 2014 (Press-News.org) If you are in a valid Washington state same-sex registered domestic partnership or RDP and neither of you has reached age 62, mark the date June 30, 2014, on your calendar. Washington's marriage equality law that recently made same-sex marriage legal contains provisions that will automatically convert your RDP to a marriage as of that date if you take no action.
RDPs in which proceedings for dissolution of the partnership (or for separation or annulment) have been filed and are pending on June 30, 2014, will not be converted to marriage on that date.
Registered partners who wish to separate, but miss the June 30 deadline by which to begin proceedings, must instead go through a same-sex divorce because they will then be legally married.
Any domestic partner facing this deadline must decide whether to do nothing and let the RDP become a marriage, begin dissolution proceedings to end the RDP and become an unmarried couple or not a couple at all, or get married even sooner.
RDP status will no longer be an option after that date, except for couples with at least one partner who is 62 or older, the law's nod to protecting older couples -- both same- and opposite-gender -- from negative impact on their pensions or Social Security should they marry.
Public sentiment of many won out at the state legislature that younger gay couples should only have marriage as an option for a legal union going forward, reasoning that since straight couples did not have a domestic partnership option, neither should same-sex couples.
Legal advice crucial
A Washington domestic partner facing this deadline should speak as soon as possible with a Washington family lawyer with RDP experience who has worked with same-sex couples in family law matters. A knowledgeable marriage attorney can answer important questions to help you decide whether to allow your RDP to convert to marriage or to end it.
While the decision is deeply personal, such a partner should understand all of the legal implications involved, including issues of hospital access, inheritance, property rights, parentage, custody and visitation, spousal maintenance, estate planning, spousal benefits, prenuptial agreements and more. A skilled Washington marital lawyer can help to educate the partner and can provide legal representation to begin the RDP dissolution process before the deadline if that is the desire of the partner.
Spread the word
According to the Washington Secretary of State website on Feb. 21, 2014, there were about 9,700 RDPs. The agency reportedly will send out notices about the June 30 date to all registered partners twice before then, but apparently a significant number of the addresses in the state RDP records are out of date, making it feasible that many registered partners will be unaware of the issue and become unknowingly married on June 30.
How do you find out if you are part of a registered domestic partnership? Just type your name in here: http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/domesticpartnerships/
Article provided by DuBois Cary Law Group, PLLC
Visit us at www.duboislaw.net
June 30, 2014, crucial date for Wash. state same-sex domestic partners
If you are in a valid Washington state same-sex registered domestic partnership or RDP and neither of you has reached age 62, mark the date June 30, 2014, on your calendar.
2014-02-25
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Seamen injured on Louisiana drilling rig may seek "punitive" damages
2014-02-25
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently ruled that the victims in a drilling rig accident on a Louisiana waterway may seek "punitive" damages in their lawsuit against the company. The accident resulted in the death of one seaman and injuries to three others.
Because the accident occurred on a barge on a navigable waterway (Bayou Sorrell), the matter is covered by maritime law.
While the lower court agreed with the company's argument that this particular claim for damages is not available under statutory maritime law, the federal ...
Estate planning considerations common to baby boomers in Colorado
2014-02-25
If you were born between 1946 and 1964, you are a member of the baby boomer generation. At the end of World War II, returning military personnel married in droves and, shortly thereafter, had many babies, creating a "baby boom." As this generation of children aged, they gained a reputation as the wealthiest and most physically fit generation of their time.
Whether due to a struggling economy or the high cost of long-term medical care, the parents of baby boomers often do not have many financial resources to leave behind as they pass away. However, longevity ...
Statistics show PA workers' comp prescription costs among highest
2014-02-25
The workers' compensation system provides a crucial safety net for people hurt on the job, as anyone in Pennsylvania, who has faced a workplace injury knows. Unfortunately, recent reports indicate that Pennsylvania is among the states with the highest workers' compensation program costs resulting from physician dispensing of prescription drugs. Although this may not directly affect people who draw on workers' compensation, it could put a financial strain on the workers' compensation system, making it harder for injured workers to receive the benefits they are entitled to.
Repackaging ...
How old is too old to drive? The answer varies
2014-02-25
As our loved ones get holder, we owe it to them to do our part to help them stay safe and healthy. In some cases, this may mean having a difficult discussion about whether your elderly friend or relative should still be driving a car.
Some elderly people will be able to drive safely for their entire lives. However, for others, the physical and mental changes that come with getting older substantially increase the likelihood of a serious, or even fatal, car accident.
Recognizing the warning signs
Because age related changes often come on gradually, it can be hard ...
SSA increases oversight of judges in disability determinations
2014-02-25
In an effort to improve consistency in the disability determination process, the Social Security Administration recently announced plans to step up its oversight of the administrative law judges who are responsible for awarding or denying disability benefits.
The Social Security Disability Insurance program provides financial benefits to people who are unable to work because of a mental or physical disability. The program has increased substantially in the years since the U.S. economy took a downturn in 2008, and there are now approximately 11 million people receiving ...
Report urges Connecticut to pass new laws to make its roadways safer
2014-02-25
Many motorists in Connecticut have experienced a situation where they narrowly avoid being in a car crash. These near-misses often provide an excellent reminder of how important it is to practice safe driving habits. While the state has taken a very aggressive approach to distracted driving, there are still opportunities to improve safety for all motorists.
A recent report by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety examined traffic safety rules across the United States. Connecticut ranks in the middle of the pack, as the agency feels that the state could pass additional ...
Investigative sting uncovers a purported sex trafficking operation
2014-02-25
A lengthy investigative operation, which narrowed in on sex trafficking at the recent Super Bowl, has led to the ultimate liberation of 25 child prostitutes and the detention of at least 45 individuals. The adult suspects have been arrested for purportedly exploiting young children as prostitutes in New Jersey, federal authorities indicate.
According to a spokesperson from the Criminal Investigative Division of the FBI, "High-profile special events, which draw large crowds, have become lucrative opportunities for child prostitution criminal enterprises."
The ...
Can you make your spouse leave the marital home in an Illinois divorce?
2014-02-25
In many cases, one spouse voluntarily leaves the home when a couple decides to divorce. However, some spouses refuse to leave the home, even though the other spouse tries to force the issue. Illinois law does allow one spouse to make the other leave in certain cases, and an appellate court ruling handed down in June 2012 helped clarify when one spouse can make the other leave their home.
Illinois law about possessing the marital home
There are two ways that a person can force his or her spouse to leave the marital home in Illinois. A person can file a petition for ...
Bankruptcy protection extends to people from all walks of life
2014-02-25
The perceived social stigma attached to bankruptcy makes filing for financial protection unattractive to some. Many people worry how bankruptcy will affect their credit rating, future purchasing power and their ability to provide for their family. Bankruptcy can feel like "giving up" -- there may be feelings of personal failure, or guilt and shame when contemplating bankruptcy. But bankruptcy is not waving a white flag of surrender; it is acknowledging a tricky problem and resolving it in the best way possible. Contrary to many popular notions, bankruptcy is a ...
Massachusetts court allows both former spouses to teach children religion
2014-02-25
A recent ruling of the Massachusetts Appeals Court amends a divorce judgment to allow the mother to provide religious education to the children of the marriage. The mother had appealed the divorce judgment, arguing that the paragraph prohibiting her from providing Christian education to the children violated her constitutional rights.
After affirming that the objective of child custody arrangements is to serve the best interests of the children, the court determined that no harm would result from the provision of Christian instruction to the children (in addition to ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Development of a global innovative drug in eye drop form for treating dry age-related macular degeneration
Scientists unlock secrets behind flowering of the king of fruits
Texas A&M researchers illuminate the mysteries of icy ocean worlds
Prosthetic material could help reduce infections from intravenous catheters
Can the heart heal itself? New study says it can
Microscopic discovery in cancer cells could have a big impact
Rice researchers take ‘significant leap forward’ with quantum simulation of molecular electron transfer
Breakthrough new material brings affordable, sustainable future within grasp
How everyday activities inside your home can generate energy
Inequality weakens local governance and public satisfaction, study finds
Uncovering key molecular factors behind malaria’s deadliest strain
UC Davis researchers help decode the cause of aggressive breast cancer in women of color
Researchers discovered replication hubs for human norovirus
SNU researchers develop the world’s most sensitive flexible strain sensor
Tiny, wireless antennas use light to monitor cellular communication
Neutrality has played a pivotal, but under-examined, role in international relations, new research shows
Study reveals right whales live 130 years — or more
Researchers reveal how human eyelashes promote water drainage
Pollinators most vulnerable to rising global temperatures are flies, study shows
DFG to fund eight new research units
Modern AI systems have achieved Turing's vision, but not exactly how he hoped
Quantum walk computing unlocks new potential in quantum science and technology
Construction materials and household items are a part of a long-term carbon sink called the “technosphere”
First demonstration of quantum teleportation over busy Internet cables
Disparities and gaps in breast cancer screening for women ages 40 to 49
US tobacco 21 policies and potential mortality reductions by state
AI-driven approach reveals hidden hazards of chemical mixtures in rivers
Older age linked to increased complications after breast reconstruction
ESA and NASA satellites deliver first joint picture of Greenland Ice Sheet melting
Early detection model for pancreatic necrosis improves patient outcomes
[Press-News.org] June 30, 2014, crucial date for Wash. state same-sex domestic partnersIf you are in a valid Washington state same-sex registered domestic partnership or RDP and neither of you has reached age 62, mark the date June 30, 2014, on your calendar.