Depending on how you count them, there can be hundreds of marital rights, obligations and benefits that the state of California will now also give to registered domestic partners.

Lambda Legal Defense lawyer Jon Davidson gives an example in the category of conservatorship, when a spouse -- and now a registered domestic partner -- can be first on the list to be named conservator to make decisions for an
incapacitated spouse or partner.

"There are about 40 statutes that deal with that," Davidson says. "So it can either be counted as one right or about 40 rights."

Here are some of the major categories of rights that will now be shared by registered domestic partners as of Jan. 1:

* Joint ownership of property acquired during the partnership

* Joint responsibility for debt incurred during the partnership

* Joint parenthood of children born during a partnership

* Authorization of medical treatment for partner's children

* Use of family court system for custody and support of children born during the partnership

* Right to divide property and debt, and to request support and child support upon dissolution of relationship

* Extended unpaid leave to care for a partner

* Privilege to confidential communications and not to testify against partner

* Joint coverage on auto insurance policies

* Post-mortem decisions such as disposition of remains and authorization of autopsy

* Burial in joint or family cemetery plot

* Protection against disinheritance by partner

* Compensation provided to victims of violent crime

* Right to inherit certain licenses, permits and franchises

* Benefits for partners of public employees, such as continued retirement benefits and health coverage after death of public employee

Registered domestic partners already have about 15 to 20 rights. The major ones are:

* Right to hospital visitation and medical decisions

* Conservatorship for legal and financial decisions

* Estate administration for executing a will

* Partial inheritance in the event of no will

* Right to sue for wrongful death

* Use of stepparent adoption

* Unemployment insurance if one partner has to relocate for a job and the other must quit his or her job

* Use of sick leave to care for a partner or partner's child

* Health insurance for partners of state employees

Rights that won't be granted to registered domestic partners after Jan. 1:

* Legal marriage in California

* Obtain a marriage license from a county clerk

* Have a marriage ceremony solemnized by a government or religious official

* File joint state income tax returns

* Exemption from property tax reassessment under Proposition 13 upon dissolution of relationship or death of partner

* Exemption from federal gift and estate taxes on transfers to partner

* All federal laws affecting married couples, including immigration, Social Security, Medicare, Veterans' benefits and federal joint income tax returns.