Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement
Meta-description: A Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement is a legal contract that is made between a couple that have elected to cohabit but are not married to each other. The agreement establishes the legal rights and responsibilities of every party.
Definition of Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement
A Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement is also referred to as a Cohabitation Agreement. It entails a form of legal agreement that is made between a couple that elect to reside together but are not marries. A Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement outlines the responsibilities of every party. This is especially regarding the financial expenses linked with residing with one another. It also outlines the parties’ responsibilities for their individual debts.
A Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement may be entered in as a form of security to safeguard every party. This is in relation to the stress and costs that relate to litigation if the parties decide to terminate their agreement. A Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement also permit both parties to regulate their property. It also permits both parties to make the necessary arrangements regarding certain assets. Such include those acquired before agreeing to reside together. The assets include those that the parties anticipate they will acquire during the cohabitation period.
More significantly, a Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement allows every party to set forth their agreement in relation to parenting and child-related issues. Such agreements are legally binding on the parties when it comes to financial issues. Nonetheless, the custody and general welfare of the children can be reviewed by the courts. Hence a written agreement regarding custody could be reviewed or altered by the courts if the circumstances or needs of the children change. This applies to minor kids whose needs are dynamic as they grow up hence the need of altering the written agreement.
Pennsylvania domestic partnership laws
Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreements grant the parties some rights that only apply to married couples. Such include leave to take care of a partner under the Family Medical Leave Act as well as hospital visitation rights. Before the legalization of gay marriages, Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreements were often an attractive choice for same sex couples. This is because they could enjoy legal benefits from their relationships notwithstanding their inability to marry. However, some couples, notwithstanding their sexual orientation, still use Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreements for legal, financial, and personal reasons.
Pennsylvania is yet to recognize the domestic partnerships at a statewide level. Nonetheless, the Philadelphia City has included an exemption for individuals in a same-sex domestic agreement. The domestic couples that qualify for the exemption are afforded similar benefits to those of spouses for leave and health spouses. Furthermore, domestic partners’ health benefits are not considered as personal income for tax purposes.
Domestic partnerships
Not all every American state offers domestic partnerships. Further the qualifications for a domestic partnership vary though some nations and cities could offer such an option even if their state does not provide for it. Partners that desire to establish a domestic partnership are required to meet certain qualifications. Such include qualifications required in marriage like consent, age of majority, and mental capacity. The partners must also complete certain form and register at a courthouse and other designated offices in a similar way to individuals that seek a marriage license.
Alternatives to a Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement
There are stated that do not appreciate or recognize the domestic partnership agreements. Cohabitation contracts are legal documents where unmarried cohabitants could grant certain rights to each other similar to those that are granted to marries couples.
Such agreements serve purposes like:
- Protection of income and assets of the cohabitants.
- Definition of how the property acquired in a relationship is treated.
- A clear definition of rights and duties of every individual in the relationship.
Further, cohabitation agreements are considered valid in the majority of the states. However, generally such agreements should be in writing. They may also be complemented by wills or power of attorney in relation to finances and health care. This ensures that the directives and wishes of every cohabitant are adhered to in the event of death or incapacitation.
Prenuptial and Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement
More often, we think that marriages and other relationships shall last for an eternity. However, the statistics reveal that more than half of the marriages conducted legally end up in divorce. Hence most people opt to have prenuptial agreements drafted. Such acts as a security in the event the marriage ends in a tragic divorce. The partners are thus guaranteed that their assets will be safeguarded from any uncertainty of division of property in the divorce proceedings.
Pre-nuptial agreements are also part and parcel of Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreements. They are, however, more notorious in second marriages where there are children from an initial relationship. In such instances, it is in the best interest of the child or children that they are protected. It also applies where both parties have a significant property before the marriage that they want to protect from any risks.
Pre-nuptial agreements could accomplish several key tasks that include:
- Safeguarding assets that are owned prior to the marriage or relationship from getting split up or lost in the divorce proceedings.
- Deciding how property acquired in the subsistence of the marriage or relationship will be divided upon divorce or separation.
- Safeguarding children and other loved ones from losing inheritance upon divorce or death of a partners.
- Evading expensive, long and chaotic divorce proceedings by outlining how the property will be divided upon divorce.
- Permitting unmarried partners to split the property and solve their financial problems without resorting to stressful and expensive litigation.
The drafting of a prenuptial agreement in a marriage or Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement requires an experienced and competent attorney. Such a lawyer would aid in negotiating and establishing a contract that can be upheld and enforced by courts if it is challenged. Just like other legal documents, resorting to do-it-yourself or relying on documents that are computer generated could lead into the failure of the document. Such would also be hard to enforce in court.
Dissolution of a Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement
Notwithstanding same-sex marriages being legalized by all states, most have still stuck to the civil union or domestic partnership route. Pennsylvania does not offer the option of domestic partnership or civil union and instead offers same-sex marriages. Hence if a same-sex couple moves within the state bounds, their partnership will be appreciated and recognized. Nonetheless, if the couple ran into issues later in their relationship, they may experience problems dissolving their marriage or relationship in court.
Since same-sex marriages are now legal, most of the Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreements are recognized and appreciated as forms of “marriages”. They are thus subjected to a similar dissolution process of divorce. Nonetheless, if the spouses remain committed to the Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement, rather than a formal marriage, they will have separate process. The process will involve dissolution of the Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement in a manner simpler than divorce.
Further, a Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement could be dissolved if the couple or one of the parties starts pursuing other partners. A Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement could also invalidate the chances of the couple or one of the partners at marriage in a novel state. Such situations can, however, be remedies through the legal system of Pennsylvania.
Dissolving a Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement
There are two main ways of dissolving a Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement or a civil union. They include the equity jurisdiction and comity. In some instances, courts are, for whatever reasons, unwilling or unable to dissolve a Pennsylvania Domestic Partnership Agreement. In such instances, the couples should dissolve the partnership in the state that recognizes the partnership.
- Equity jurisdiction
Equity jurisdiction is often used to dissolve domestic partnerships made in other states. The process is meant to remedy situations and safeguard the partners’ rights. This method is mostly suitable for domestic partners that are unable to end their relationship. Also, for those that enter into other novel and legal relationships. Equity jurisdiction often applies where the state recognizing the domestic relationship lacks laws that equate it to a marriage.
- Comity
Comity refers to a common law doctrine that permits a state to make decisions regarding matters decided by other states. It is only utilized where the state laws do not directly conflict. The method is often used where a domestic partnership or civil union is on an equal footing with a marriage. The involved couple could undergo the normal divorce proceedings. Pennsylvania will then recognize the partnership as a from of marriage through comity. This makes dissolution complex since the couple is bound to go through the entire Pennsylvania divorce process.
While the preceding two processes could be used in Pennsylvania to dissolve a domestic partnership agreement, there are exceptions. Such partnerships that are legitimized and recognized by other states are not guaranteed. Depending on the situation, the court may be unable or unwilling to dissolve the partnership.
References
https://www.lawdepot.com/onlineforms/domesticpartner
https://www.pafamilylawyers.com
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