(a) A party to a civil union shall be included in any definition or use of the terms “dependent”, “family”, “husband and wife”, “immediate family”, “next of kin”, “spouse”, “stepparent”, “tenants by the entirety”, and other terms, whether or not gender-specific, that denote a spousal relationship or a person in a spousal relationship, as those terms are used throughout the Code, administrative rules or regulations, court rules, governmental policies, common law, court decisions, or any other provisions or sources of the laws of this State, including in equity.

Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 214

  • Civil union: means a legal union between 2 individuals of the same sex established pursuant to this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 201
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302

(b) To the extent that another provision of this Code (other than Chapter 1 of this title) or other laws of this State (including, without limitation, administrative rules or regulations, court rules, governmental policies, common law, court decisions, or any other provisions or sources of law, including in equity) utilizes a term used in Chapter 1 of this title relating to marriage, references a section of Chapter 1 of this title, or references marital status, except to the extent otherwise set forth in this chapter, such term, section or other reference shall be deemed to also utilize, include or reference the applicable corresponding term, section or other reference relating to civil unions or civil union status as established in this chapter.

78 Del. Laws, c. 22, § ?1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1;