http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/19/nj.civil.unions.ap/index.html
The civil unions, which offer the legal benefits but not the title of marriage, were granted automatically to the hundreds of gay New Jersey couples who had previously been joined in civil unions or married in other states or nations.
For Goldstein and Gross, that meant reaffirming their Vermont civil union. They would have had the rights in New Jersey even without holding the midnight ceremony.
Their civil union license -- No. 1 -- was completed at 12:09 a.m. Monday by Teaneck registrar Laura Turnbull.