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 Massachusetts, domestic partnerships are not as commonly discussed or utilized as in some other states because Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004. With the legalization of same-sex marriage, same-sex couples in Massachusetts can marry and thereby obtain all the state and federal benefits of marriage. This includes rights related to inheritance, property ownership, medical decisions, and more. While some municipalities may offer domestic partnership registries for the purpose of extending certain local benefits, these do not provide the full legal recognition or rights equivalent to marriage at the state or federal level. Therefore, in Massachusetts, the primary and most comprehensive legal recognition for same-sex couples is through marriage rather than domestic partnership.