In many jurisdictions,
common-law marriage is a
legal provision whereby two people who are eligible to
marry, but who do not obtain a legal marriage, are nevertheless considered married after living together openly as a married couple under specified conditions for a specified period of time. Depending on the jurisdiction, this may include special provisions for benefits,
filiation[?] and
adoption,
inheritance, and
divorce.
Several Canadian provinces currently recognize common-law marriage between same-sex partners. Quebec has never recognized common law marriage though a recent amendment to the Civil Code of Quebec recognizes a type of domestic partnership called civil union that is similar to common-law marriage and available to same-sex partners.