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• Defending Claims
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  • Civil Partnerships
    • Parenthood for same sex couples
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Civil Partnerships

From 1 December 2005, the Civil Partnership Act gave same sex couples who undergo a civil ceremony the same legal rights as those governing married couples. Couples looking to register their partnership should be aware of the binding commitment that they are entering into.

Once a partnership has been registered this puts the same sex couples on an equal footing, in many ways, as married couples. Following separation and divorce, legal rights for civil partners now cover financial provision, property and pension sharing, as well as potential inheritance claims on death. As with marriage, a petition to dissolve a civil partnership cannot be filed until after the first anniversary of the civil ceremony and only where the relationship has 'irretrievably' broken down. However, adultery is not a permissable reason for dissolution.

We can help with:

• Pre-registration Agreements
• Financial Provision
• Children
• Co-habitation
• Dissolution of a Civil Partnership
• Wills, Trusts & Tax Planning
• Administration of Estates

By entering into a Civil Partnership there are a number of legal matters you should be aware of, including:  

Wills

Entering into a Registered Civil Partnership will automatically revoke (nullify) any Will you have made previously, unless that Will specifically mentions in it that it is made in contemplation of your Registration with your partner and it must also state that the subsequent Registration is not to revoke that Will.

Death

Under the Rules of Intestacy your civil partner will automatically be one of your heirs if you have registered your partnership, but they will not necessarily be your sole heir (depending on how much you have to leave). Your partner will not automatically be your Administrator (the Intestate equivalent of Executor) and other heirs could apply for this post. If you want to make your partner your sole heir and your executor then you need to make a Will saying so.

We recognise that cost issues are important to you and are transparent about our fees. Before any work is undertaken we will outline what we propose to do on your behalf and provide you with written confirmation of our estimated total fees. We will consult you if the total fees are likely to exceed the original estimate and always provide you with an indication of the timescale it will take to complete your matter.