In Scotland, a civil partnership is a legally recognised relationship between two people who are not married but have chosen to share their lives together in a committed relationship.
The rights and responsibilities granted to people in a civil partnership in Scotland are similar to those granted to married couples.
This includes the ability to make medical decisions on behalf of a partner, the right to inherit a partner’s property, and the ability to obtain parental responsibility for a partner’s children.
Civil partnerships in Scotland are formed by the registration of a civil partnership schedule at a registrar’s office. The schedule must be signed by both partners and two witnesses.
Once the schedule is registered, the partnership is legally recognised. Civil partnerships in Scotland can be dissolved in cases where the relationship has broken down, and the process for dissolving a civil partnership is similar to the process for getting a divorce.