What legal rights do civil unions provide?

Civil unions provide a legal recognition of a committed relationship between two individuals, usually of the same sex. In Tennessee, civil unions are recognized by law as a form of “domestic partnership.” This means that two individuals who enter into a civil union are granted certain rights and protections which are similar to those provided by marriage. The most basic legal right provided by civil unions is the right to visitation in hospitals, jails, and correctional facilities. This means that an individual in a civil union has the right to visit their partner in times of medical or legal need. Other rights include the right to inherit from a partner in the event of death, the ability to make medical decisions on behalf of their partner, the ability to use their partner’s insurance, the right to joint adoption, and the right to joint creation of wills and trusts. In addition, some civil unions provide similar tax benefits to those provided by marriage. Through civil unions, individuals are able to obtain the legal recognition and protection of a committed relationship. While civil unions may not offer all of the same rights as a marriage, they provide important rights that can provide support and security for those in civil unions.

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What legal rights do civil unions provide?

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