What legal rights do civil unions provide?

In Illinois, civil unions provide same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples the same legal rights that married couples have when it comes to inheritance, adoption, medical decisions, and hospital visitation rights. After a civil union has been established, the individuals in the civil union will be held to the same legal obligations of marriage, such as dividing property in the event of dissolution and filing taxes jointly. Civil unions also grant legal recognition of the relationship between two individuals. This means that if one partner passes away, the other will have legal rights as a surviving partner and will be eligible to receive a portion of any inherited property. The partner will also be eligible to receive Social Security and other survivor benefits. In terms of adoption, a partner in a civil union has the right to adopt the other partner’s children, as well as to have the same rights and responsibilities as a married couple in terms of raising and caring for the adopted children. This also applies in the case of a pregnant partner, as the other partner in the civil union has the same guardianship rights as a married couple. In regards to medical decisions, a partner in a civil union has the legal right to make medical decisions for the other partner in the union if they become incapacitated or unable to make decisions for themselves. This includes decisions such as end-of-life care and treatment options. Overall, civil unions provide ensure that same-sex and opposite-sex couples in Illinois receive the same legal rights and protection as married couples.

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