what is a civil partner

A civil partnership is a legally recognized relationship between two people who are not related to each other. It is similar to marriage and gives the couple legal rights and responsibilities in the relationship. Civil partnerships are available to both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. Once registered, a civil partnership confers the same rights and responsibilities as marriage. Some of the legal rights and benefits of civil partnerships include inheritance rights, employment benefits, property, parental rights, and more. The exact level of rights, benefits, obligations, and responsibilities of civil partnership partners varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Registering a civil partnership will give the relationship legal recognition, and it can only be ended if one of the partners dies or by applying to court to bring the partnership legally to an end. It is not legal to be in both a civil partnership and a marriage.