When it passed, Referendum 74 made same-sex marriage legal in Washington State. Along with providing equal rights to marriage to same-sex couples, this referendum changed domestic partnership law. After June 30, 2014, pursuant to RCW 26.60.030, to enter a state registered domestic partnership two people must meet the following requirements:
- They must share a common residence;
- Both must be over 18, and one must be at least 62 years of age;
- Neither person may be married to someone else, or in a domestic partnership with someone else; and
- Both parties must be able to consent, and may not be too closely related by blood.
The major change, of course, is that now one person in the domestic partnership must be at least 62. So what does this mean for domestic partners when both parties are 61 or younger? On June 30, 2014, all state registered domestic partnerships not including a person over the age of 62, and not otherwise changed through marriage or dissolution of partnership, will be merged into legal marriages. RCW 26.60.100.
If you have any questions regarding your domestic partnership, marriage, or other family law issue. Please contact us.