Important Domestic Partnership Information is a short notice from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk that you read before preparing a Statement of Domestic Partnership. It explains what the office's registration offers, that the optional boxes are your choice, how an employer may treat the Statement, and that the Statement is a public record and not a substitute for legal documents. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original notice is published by the county at lavote.gov.
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What is Important Domestic Partnership Information – Los Angeles County, CA?
Important Domestic Partnership Information is the notice from the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk that tells people what to read before preparing a Statement of Domestic Partnership, the filing through which the office provides a place to publicly register a relationship.
The notice explains the limits of that registration. You are not required to check any of the optional boxes on the Statement, and whichever you check are between you and your partner. An employer may accept the Statement for other purposes, such as eligibility for health insurance, but eligibility requirements for Domestic Partnership benefits are determined between you and your employer.
The notice also states that a Statement of Domestic Partnership does not take the place of properly executed legal documents. Those are the documents you must have if you wish to authorize each other to make medical or financial decisions, leave property to each other or make other arrangements concerning incapacity or death. It recommends consulting an attorney, says the staff of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is not authorized to provide legal advice, and says the Statement of Domestic Partnership is a public record.
This notice is not the Statement itself. The county's Important Documents page lists the Statement of Domestic Partnership Form separately and asks you to read this notice before completing and filing it. The revision printed on the notice is R5/1/09.
Who needs to file Important Domestic Partnership Information – Los Angeles County, CA?
People who plan to publicly register their relationship with the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk by filing a Statement of Domestic Partnership should read this notice first. Its heading asks you to read it before preparing the Statement, and the choices it describes are ones to make together with your partner.
The notice also speaks to these situations:
- Employer use. If you hope your employer will accept the Statement for purposes such as eligibility for health insurance, the notice says the employer may accept it and that eligibility requirements for Domestic Partnership benefits are determined between you and your employer.
- Legal protection. If you want to authorize each other to make medical or financial decisions, leave property to each other or plan for incapacity or death, the Statement does not do that. You need properly executed legal documents, and the notice advises consulting an attorney.
County staff cannot help with the legal questions: the notice says the staff of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is not authorized to provide legal advice. The notice does not name any representative who may act for you.
When to file Important Domestic Partnership Information – Los Angeles County, CA
Read this notice before you prepare the Statement of Domestic Partnership. Its heading says "Please read before preparing the Statement of Domestic Partnership," and the county's Important Documents page repeats that you should read it before completing and filing the Statement. The notice is not filed itself and prints no due date of its own. Because the Statement is a public record, settle with your partner which optional boxes, if any, you will check before you file. For questions about the county's registry for domestic partners, call the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at (800) 201-8999.
How to fill out Important Domestic Partnership Information – Los Angeles County, CA
Confirm which document this is
This is the notice titled Important Domestic Partnership Information from the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, revision R5/1/09. It accompanies the Statement of Domestic Partnership and is not the Statement itself.
Read what the office provides
The office provides a place to publicly register your relationship by filing a Statement of Domestic Partnership. Keep that purpose in mind as you read the rest of the notice.
Note that optional boxes are your choice
You are not required to check any of the optional boxes on the Statement. Whichever you choose to check are between you and your partner, so agree on them before you prepare the Statement.
Check how your employer may use it
The Statement may be accepted by your employer for other purposes, such as eligibility for health insurance. Eligibility requirements for Domestic Partnership benefits are determined between you and your employer, so ask your employer.
Read the legal documents warning
The Statement does not take the place of properly executed legal documents for medical or financial decisions, leaving property, or arrangements concerning incapacity or death. The notice advises consulting an attorney, because county staff cannot give legal advice.
Remember the Statement is public
The notice states that the Statement of Domestic Partnership is a public record. Consider this before you complete it.
Get the Statement of Domestic Partnership Form
The county's Important Documents page lists the Statement of Domestic Partnership Form. For questions about the registry, call the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at (800) 201-8999.
Review and download the PDF
Check the notice you have opened, then download or print the PDF from FillingPDF to keep with your Statement paperwork. Filing the Statement follows the agency's channels described under How to submit.
How to submit Important Domestic Partnership Information – Los Angeles County, CA
There is no submission step for this notice itself: it is information you read before filing the Statement of Domestic Partnership with the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. The notice prints no address, portal or appointment rule.
- Statement of Domestic Partnership Form: the county's Important Documents page lists it as the form you need to file a Domestic Partnership and asks you to read this notice first.
- By phone: information about the county's registry for domestic partners is available by calling the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at (800) 201-8999.
Ask the office at that number for the filing details of the Statement, such as where and how to file it, because neither the notice nor the Important Documents page states them. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the agency's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating a Statement of Domestic Partnership as a substitute for properly executed legal documents for medical or financial decisions, leaving property, or arrangements for incapacity or death.
- Assuming you must check the optional boxes on the Statement; the notice says you are not required to check any of them.
- Assuming registration guarantees benefits from your employer; eligibility for Domestic Partnership benefits is determined between you and your employer.
- Expecting county staff to advise on legal documents; the notice says the staff of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is not authorized to provide legal advice.
- Forgetting that the Statement of Domestic Partnership is a public record before deciding what to include on it.
- Mistaking this notice for the Statement itself; the county lists the Statement of Domestic Partnership Form separately.
- Preparing the Statement before reading the notice, which is headed "Please read before preparing the Statement of Domestic Partnership."
Frequently asked questions
What is Important Domestic Partnership Information?
It is a notice from the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to read before preparing a Statement of Domestic Partnership. It explains that the office provides a place to publicly register your relationship, that the optional boxes are your choice, and that the Statement is a public record.
Do I have to check the optional boxes on the Statement of Domestic Partnership?
No. The notice says you are not required to check any of the optional boxes. Whichever boxes you choose to check are between you and your partner, so talk them through before you complete the Statement.
Does a Statement of Domestic Partnership let my partner make medical or financial decisions for me?
No. The notice says the Statement does not take the place of properly executed legal documents for authorizing medical or financial decisions, leaving property, or arrangements for incapacity or death. It advises consulting an attorney for documents suited to your needs.
Will my employer accept the Statement for health insurance?
Possibly. The notice says your employer may accept the Statement for other purposes, such as eligibility for health insurance, but eligibility requirements for Domestic Partnership benefits are determined between you and your employer. Ask your employer what it requires.
Is a Statement of Domestic Partnership a public record?
Yes. The notice states in capital letters that the Statement of Domestic Partnership is a public record. Keep that in mind when deciding what to include on it, including any optional boxes.
Who do I call about the Los Angeles County domestic partner registry?
Call the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at (800) 201-8999. The county's Important Documents page gives that number for information about the county's registry for domestic partners.
Is this notice the same as the Statement of Domestic Partnership Form?
No. This notice is read before preparing the Statement. The county's Important Documents page lists the Statement of Domestic Partnership Form separately and asks you to read this notice before completing and filing it.
Can I fill out this form online on FillingPDF?
You can open the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not affiliated with the county, and it does not file anything for you; the Statement is filed through the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's channels.
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