In some states, a domestic partnership is a legally recognized relationship between members of a same-sex couple, with rights similar to those of a marriage relationship.
In Delaware, domestic partnerships are not recognized as a legal status. Instead, Delaware recognizes same-sex marriage, providing same-sex couples with the same legal rights as opposite-sex couples. This change followed the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Prior to this ruling, Delaware had established civil unions for same-sex couples in 2012, which provided them with rights similar to marriage. However, after the legalization of same-sex marriage, the state converted existing civil unions to marriages and ceased to offer civil unions. Therefore, in Delaware, same-sex couples looking to have their relationship legally recognized should pursue marriage, which grants them comprehensive rights and responsibilities equivalent to those of heterosexual married couples.