Are there any legal recognition of same-sex marriages?

In California, same-sex marriages are legally recognized. Same-sex couples who wish to marry must comply with the same requirements as any other couple. They must first obtain a marriage license from their county’s clerk office and have the ceremony performed by an authorized officiant. California has a long history of support for same-sex marriage. In 2008, California became the second state in the US to recognize same-sex marriage. Five years later, in 2013, the US Supreme Court decision in United States v. Windsor struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This federal law had denied federal recognition and benefits to married same-sex couples. This ruling also made same-sex marriage legal across the United States. Since then, California has both upheld and expanded the rights of same-sex couples. In 2020, California passed the Respect After Death Act which requires a surviving partner in a same-sex marriage to receive the same protections and benefits as a surviving partner in a heterosexual marriage. In sum, same-sex marriages are legally recognized and supported by the state of California. Same-sex couples must meet the same requirements as any other couple in order to marry, and they are eligible to receive the same benefits and protections as any other married couple.

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