A civil union is a legally recognized relationship between members of a same-sex couple, with rights similar to those of a marriage relationship.
In Alabama, civil unions are not legally recognized. The state does not offer a legal status that is equivalent to civil unions or domestic partnerships. Instead, following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, same-sex marriage became legal across the entire United States, including Alabama. This ruling granted same-sex couples the right to marry, and with marriage, they are afforded the same legal rights and responsibilities as opposite-sex married couples. Therefore, in Alabama, same-sex couples looking to have their relationship legally recognized must pursue marriage rather than a civil union or domestic partnership.