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 New Mexico, civil unions are not specifically recognized as a legal status because the state has legalized same-sex marriage. Since 2013, following a decision by the New Mexico Supreme Court in the case of Griego v. Oliver, same-sex marriage has been legal statewide. This ruling effectively provided same-sex couples with the same rights, responsibilities, and benefits as opposite-sex couples in marriage. Therefore, in New Mexico, same-sex couples can choose to marry rather than enter into a civil union, and by doing so, they are entitled to all the legal protections and obligations that marriage entails under state and federal law.