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 New Mexico, domestic partnerships are not specifically recognized as a legal status as of the current knowledge cutoff in 2023. Instead, New Mexico recognizes same-sex marriage, providing same-sex couples with the same legal rights and responsibilities as opposite-sex married couples. This change followed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Prior to this decision, some local jurisdictions in New Mexico may have recognized domestic partnerships, but since the legalization of same-sex marriage, the focus has shifted to marriage equality. Therefore, in New Mexico, same-sex couples looking to have their relationship legally recognized with rights similar to those of a marriage would pursue marriage rather than a domestic partnership.