A Lithuanian court has, for the first time in the country’s history, recognised a same-sex couple as constituting a family and ordered the state to register their relationship as a civil status record, according to a statement from the TJA, an LGBTQ rights NGO.
The Vilnius City District Court issued the ruling in a case initiated by the organisation in cooperation with lawyer Aivaras Žilvinskas. The court granted the couple’s request to have their cohabitation recognised as a form of partnership and instructed the state to register the relationship.
While Lithuanian lawmakers have so far failed to pass legislation recognising same-sex partnerships, the Constitutional Court ruled earlier this spring that the failure constitutes a violation of people’s rights.
“This legal process is just part of a bigger picture, as it began and continued for several years out of despair – when some Lithuanian citizens are treated as unequal in the eyes of their state,” TJA chair Artūras Rudomanskis said in the statement. “Our politicians delayed taking responsibility for too long, so we had to go to court. We are pleased that the court chose to ensure equal rights for our couple, which sought to formalise their relationship in the form of a partnership.”
Žilvinskas, who represented the couple, said the decision shows that ordinary people can defend their rights through the courts even when there are legislative gaps and politicians fail to act.
“Thanks to our efforts, these cases, initiated back in 2023, have reached all the highest instances, the Constitutional Court and ultimately the European Court of Human Rights, whose decisions are still pending,” he said. “This victory is a sign of hope for all couples waiting to be recognised, and we will gladly provide legal assistance to them.”
The decision follows an April 17, 2025, ruling by the Constitutional Court, which found that Lithuania’s failure to legislate on same-sex partnerships violates the constitution. While lawmakers have yet to adopt legislation, the court stressed that the absence of a law cannot be grounds for ignoring people’s rights.
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