Turning a Blind Eye to Unmarried Cohabitants: A Look at How Utah Laws Affect Traditional Protections
Abstract
A brief exploration of the intrinsic limitations of common-law marriage and cohabitation contracts in light of Utah law indicates that these two classic remedies for unmarried cohabitants are quite ineffective in providing protection to dependent partners in cohabitant relationships. In addition, Utah's current laws are arranged in a way that leaves Utah wide open to absorb the costs of the inevitable consequences of cohabitation relationships-break-up. Utah's laws provide no economic relief or protection to unmarried cohabitants where one partner is a provider and the other a dependent. The lack of legal protections will often result in the dependent partner relying on the State for rehabilitative or perpetual support on dissolution of these relationships.
Recommended Citation
Richards, Jared
(2007)
"Turning a Blind Eye to Unmarried Cohabitants: A Look at How Utah Laws Affect Traditional Protections,"
Utah Law Review: Vol. 2007:
No.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://dc.law.utah.edu/ulr/vol2007/iss1/6