06-28-2013, 05:26 AM
Andy,
Check out this website: http://health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords/ab...il-unions/
I think your retired judge was a little off in his interpretation. The way I read the info from the state website, if you're in a valid legal union (like a legal gay marriage from Calif. or another state's civil union) that doesn't fit the Hawaii definition of a marriage (like gay marriages, as of now) but does meet the civil union criteria (same sex couple, etc.), then your legal union is considered a civil union in Hawaii. However, if you were married in a way that meets Hawaii's current definition of marriage (a non-same sex marriage) then you need to divorce in order to get a civil union.
Lamda Legal offers basically the same interpretation: http://data.lambdalegal.org/publications...-union.pdf
Check out this website: http://health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords/ab...il-unions/
I think your retired judge was a little off in his interpretation. The way I read the info from the state website, if you're in a valid legal union (like a legal gay marriage from Calif. or another state's civil union) that doesn't fit the Hawaii definition of a marriage (like gay marriages, as of now) but does meet the civil union criteria (same sex couple, etc.), then your legal union is considered a civil union in Hawaii. However, if you were married in a way that meets Hawaii's current definition of marriage (a non-same sex marriage) then you need to divorce in order to get a civil union.
Lamda Legal offers basically the same interpretation: http://data.lambdalegal.org/publications...-union.pdf