Topic: Civil Partnership Law

The legal battle to quash Cayman's same-sex legislation has reached its final stage before the UK's Privy Council where five judges will determine whether former Governor Martyn Roper overstepped his role when he enacted the Civil Partnership Act in 2020.

An internal investigation into the Judicial Administration has revealed “weaknesses”, said Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, regarding conflicting accounts on the delayed publication of documents surrounding an impending judicial review of Governor Martyn Roper's use of his emergency powers.

A total of 26 civil partnerships have been registered in the Cayman Islands in the six months since the legal framework to formalise same-sex relationships was enacted last September.

An application has been filed in the Cayman Islands Civil Registry for a judicial review into Governor Martyn Roper's use of his emergency powers in September to assent to the Civil Partnership Law, which legalised same-sex unions in Cayman.

Samantha Louise Erksine and Alice Hillman Lopez have become the first same-sex couple in Cayman to have their union legally recognised here under the recently introduced Civil Partnership Law.

Regulations that will enable the practical implementation of the Civil Partnership Law will come into effect on Monday, allowing same-sex couples in Cayman to file for and register civil partnerships.

Although Cayman’s same-sex couples legally can now enter into formal partnerships and enjoy the same rights as married couples, the process to execute the Civil Partnership Law will take not take effect until later this month.

Cayman's official Opposition has described the assenting of the Civil Partnership Law Friday as a "sad day" for the country as its Leader Arden McLean called on Premier Alden McLaughlin to end what he called "the blame game".

Independent opposition member Ezzard Miller has said the planned legal challenge against the governor’s use of his reserved powers to enact the Civil Partnership Law is an 'exercise in futility'.

Premier Alden McLaughlin said he is "utterly humiliated" that the failure of local lawmakers to pass legislation on same-sex unions has forced the UK's hand when it comes to the Civil Partnership Law.

Governor Martyn Roper has assented to the Civil Partnership Law, making same-sex partnerships legal in the Cayman Islands.