Policies in California are examined to inform analysts of the process by which legal recognition of same-sex relationships may be achieved. Content analysis was conducted of relevant legislation, court cases, and voter initiatives, along with interviews with state legislators to gain an eyewitness understanding of the social climate surrounding the implementation of these policies. Legal recognition of same-sex unions occurs on an incremental basis and is embedded within a larger sociocultural context that includes shifts in public opinion concerning homosexuality and legal recognition of same-sex unions, issues of civil/human rights versus social control over morality, and the influence of legal developments occurring elsewhere. The most likely outcome of the debate over legal recognition of same-sex unions is a national domestic partnership or civil unions policy.