What is a Putative Spouse?

California’s system of family law is in place to provide protection to spouses and children and typically comes into play for divorce cases. Unlike some states, California does not recognize common-law spouses as legally married no matter how long they lived together as though married or whether or not they presented themselves as married to others. Because the courts always consider the best interests of children, the family court does…

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Heterosexual Couples Can Register for Domestic Partnerships Under New California Law

A new California law makes it legal for heterosexual couples to file for domestic partnerships. This gives all couples in the state the right to choose between either a marriage or a domestic partnership option to declare their commitment to each other and to gain state rights that are available to couples. Prior to the new law, only same-sex couples and heterosexual couples over the age of 62 were legally…

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