When you hear the words step-parent, stepson, or stepdaughter, you might think they only refer to people related by marriage. However, these relationships can also be established by civil union or by de facto relationship. You can be a step-parent, stepson, or stepdaughter to someone even if you are not married to their parent, but are in a civil union or de facto relationship with them. The law uses the prefix "step" to describe these kinds of relationships, and it applies to them whether they are formed by marriage, civil union, or de facto relationship, as seen in the related legislation.
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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7298262.
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14: Meaning of de facto relationship, or
"What it means to be in a de facto relationship, like a married couple but not actually married"
16: References to specific gender or kind of person include others, or
"Laws that mention a specific gender or type of person are talking about everyone, no matter what they are."
The relationship of step-parent, stepson, stepdaughter, or any other relationship described by a word containing the prefix step
, may be established by civil union or by de facto relationship as well as by marriage.
