Civil unions are now recognized by the City of Sedona, Arizona. As of October 24, 2013, the City of Sedona has provided a registry for two unmarried persons who share “a relationship of mutual support, caring and commitment” to document their relationship legally.
What is a Civil Union?
A civil union is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. In some places, civil unions are confined to gay and lesbian weddings and in others, such as Sedona, they are not.
The general purpose of a civil union is to provide the legal protections provided by marriage to couples who either choose not to or, more frequently, are not legally able to get married. This may include securing hospital visitation rights and the right to inherit property.
Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in several mostly developed countries in order to provide legal recognition of relationships formed by unmarried same-sex couples and to afford them rights, benefits, and responsibilities similar (in some countries, identical) to those of legally married couples. In the jurisdictions of New Zealand, Uruguay, Ecuador, France and the U.S. states of Colorado, Hawaii and Illinois, civil unions are also open to opposite-sex couples; in Brazil, such family entities that are of a different kind to civil marriage were first created for opposite-sex couples (in 2002), and then expanded to include same-sex unions through judicial decision (in 2011). -Wikipedia
Sedona Civil Union Rights
A civil union in Sedona, specifically, has the following rights:
- A right to visitation of one’s partner in a health care facility operating within the City, unless no visitors are allowed or the patient expresses a desire that visitation by the civil union partner be restricted
- All facilities owned or operated by the City, including but not limited to recreational facilities, shall allow the registered civil union partner of a user to be included in any rights and privileges accorded a spouse for purposes of use of and access to City facilities; and
- To the extent authorized by law, any City employee who is registered with the City as a civil union partner may designate his or her partner as a beneficiary of any of the benefits provided by the City in the same manner as a spouse of an employee.
Sedona’s Civil Union Ordinance is a City law and therefore it does not address or create rights, privileges or responsibilities that might be available to spouses or partners under state or federal law. However, many countries with civil unions recognize foreign unions if those are essentially equivalent to their own.
To Register a Civil Union in Sedona, Arizona
Registration is by appointment at City Hall (928) 282-3113 or you may mail in your registration form to:
City of Sedona
City Clerk’s Office
Attn: Civil Union Registration
102 Roadrunner Drive
Sedona, AZ 86336-3710
The cost of registering is $50.00 and registration is not limited to residents of Sedona, Arizona. Questions can be directed to the Sedona City Clerk’s Office at (928) 282-3113.
Transform Your Civil Union into a Sacred Union
Our commitment ceremonies are the perfect way for you to declare and celebrate your commitment to one another when you want to come together in not just a “civil” union–but a sacred union. After all, you are the most important people in each other’s lives and there is nowhere in the world better to seal your sacred union than in the spiritual energy and magical beauty of Sedona.
We have specially designed packages for commitment ceremonies or we can customize a package specifically for you on your special day. Also, any of our Sedona wedding packages can be modified for your commitment ceremony, as well. We are experts at creating unforgettable moments in time for you and your beloved. Let us help you create your sacred union in the spectacular landscape of Sedona, Arizona.
Call us today for more details or to reserve your date at
(928) 282-0993.
