How is a civil union distinguished from a domestic partnership?

Civil unions and domestic partnerships are two different legal relationships between two people that are not married. In Arkansas, civil unions are a legally recognized relationship between two people, regardless of gender. It provides couples the same rights as married couples do, such as rights to inherit, rights to sue for wrongful death, and rights to make medical decisions for one another. A domestic partnership, on the other hand, is not legally recognized in Arkansas. This type of relationship grants couples some rights that married couples have, but not all. This includes limited access to health care and other employment benefits and living arrangements rights. Domestic partnerships also do not grant couples the same inheritance or wrongful death legal rights as civil unions do. Overall, a civil union provides a legally recognized relationship between two people, while a domestic partnership does not. Although a domestic partnership grants some rights to couples, it does not provide all of the rights that those in a civil union benefit from. While marriage is a legal relationship recognized by all states, not all states recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships.

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