Burnham v. Public Employees' Retirement System

Opinion

ROBIE, J.

This case is about the procedures two individuals must follow to become domestic partners under California law.

James Burnham (Burnham) and real party in interest Kathleen S. Honeyman (Honeyman) wanted to become domestic partners. On a Saturday morning, they completed a notarized declaration of domestic partnership. Later that afternoon, Burnham died. The following Monday, Honeyman presented the declaration to the office of the Secretary of State, and the clerk filed it.

Thereafter, Honeyman applied for Burnham’s state pension survivor benefits. The administrative board of the…