A civil partnership is a legal partnership between a couple of the same sex, it gives you and your partner the same rights and responsibilities that are held in marriage. Legally there are very few differences between a civil partnership and a marriage, this is because they both carry the same legal rights and responsibilities for the parties involved.
Civil Partnerships
Registering your Civil Partnership
This is a two-step process, firstly you must give notice to the district registrar that you wish to register your partnership. You will be required to provide relevant documentation to prove your identity and your legal right to enter into this relationship.
A Civil Partnership Schedule will be provided for you which means you can register your partnership. This must be actioned within three months. Once the schedule has been signed by you and your partner in front of two witnesses and the registrar your civil partnership will be legal enacted.
Can same sex couples get married?
The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 has made it possible for same sex couples to marry. Those civil partnerships in place when the law came into force can automatically be converted to marriage should the couple wish to do this.
To convert your civil partnership into marriage is a simple administrative process which involves the signing of a conversion to marriage declaration in front of a registrar to confirm the transfer
Ending a civil partnership
A civil partnership can only end should one person die or if an application is made to the court for dissolution. Should civil partners decide to get married, their civil relationship will end on the day the marriage takes place. Should you wish to end your civil partnership the grounds are the same as the grounds for divorce.
At Cath Karlin Family Law you will be advised on the possibility of any financial disputes that may arise as a result of your decision to end your civil partnership and we will work to ensure a satisfactory settlement prior to the dissolution taking place.
Cost
There are many routes that can be taken to end your relationship. The cost of dissolving your civil partnership will vary depending on the route you have chosen. All options will be discussed with you and where possible legal costs can be minimised if you and your partner can come to agreement on some issues in advance.
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Cath Karlin is a vastly experienced lawyer and uses this alongside her expertise to assist you however possible. She is very familiar with the process of divorce and can expertly guide you whatever your situation. Her divorce and separation expertise spans a number of issues including child custody, division of assets, prenuptial cohabitation agreements, surrogacy cases and expatriate divorce. If you’re curious about costs, we have a page breaking down the initial costs of a consultation. Read her reviews to see how great she is at what she does and get in contact today. I really pride myself on my local reputation, with 60 5-Star Google reviews.
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Cath Karlin Family Law
51 William Street
Edinburgh
EH3 7LW