Do civil unions provide the same legal rights as marriage?

In Oregon, the answer to this question is both yes and no. Civil unions are legally recognized relationships in Oregon and provide couples with specific legal rights. Some of these rights include the ability to make medical decisions for one another, to have access to insurance benefits, and to hold joint property. However, civil unions are not the same as marriage and do not provide the exact same rights. For example, civil unions do not provide couples with the legal benefits of filing taxes jointly or those provided by Social Security. Additionally, while civil unions are legally recognized, they may not be recognized in other states or by the federal government, meaning couples may not have legal recognition while traveling or living in other states. It is important to note that, although civil unions and marriage are different, they also share many of the same rights. For instance, couples in civil unions have the same right to adopt children as those in a marriage. In addition, Oregon offers similar domestic violence legal protections for those in a civil union as those married. Overall, while civil unions provide couples with certain rights, they are not the same as marriage and lack the full scope of legal benefits available to those in a marriage.

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