Beach Domestic Partner Registry Open for Business
August 12, 2004
By:  Mitchell Pellecchia

A Miami Beach city employee and his partner of sixteen years were the first same-sex couple to sign the municipality’s new Domestic Partner Registry at City Hall on Monday.

The new law protects unmarried couples against bias in healthcare, employment, housing and city services, but is enforceable only within Miami Beach city limits.

Christine Yates, an attorney at Tripp Scott P.A. in Fort Lauderdale, said the Miami Beach registry is one step closer to normalizing civil partnerships, but by no means should a couple rely on it for financial protection.  “I think great strides have been made in gay rights but I don’t think it has gotten to the point where one can sit back and rely solely on the registry,” said Yates.

Especially in the case of estate planning, advised Yates, unmarried and same-sex couples should take extra precautions in securing their assets.  “It shouldn’t be used as a substitute for effective planning,” Yates said.  “Even with this ordinance, couples should take proactive steps in financially securing their future.”  She recommends couples continue to engage in powers of attorney, health surrogacy programs and pre-need guardian forms (for the incapacitated) as registry supplements.