Do cohabiting couples need more legal rights?

[Keith Jordan]

I thought it could be interesting to have this debate on here too!!

http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread. ... 0731121335




Do cohabiting couples need more legal rights?
Should cohabiting couples have the same rights as married couples?

Couples living together should be given more legal rights to protect them if they split up, according to the Law Commission, which advises the government on changes to the law.

The Law Commission says there should be financial compensation, based on the contribution to the relationship, but says couples without children should have lived together for at least two years.

The two million cohabiting couples in England and Wales have very little legal protection if the relationship breaks up, despite a widely held belief that so called "common law" marriage gives one partner a share of the assets.

Do you think cohabitating couples should have more legal rights? Should the law be changed? Do you think cohabiting parents are more likely to separate?

[henno]

yes, definately... although the defination of a co-habiting couple should be stringent and transparent...


i do not see why marriage is seen as the only social unit that is protected under law,.. this is an outdated ideology... ever more apparent in our increasingly secular society.....

if a couple live in a shared ownership situation (with kids?), pay utilities, bills etc then they should have the same protection as a married couple....

but the big issue here will be the loss of government revenue through tax... ie if a cohabiting couple are recognised as being on a par with married couples, then they should get tax relief similar............ that will be a hard task to happen...

[oldhippy]

I personally think it puts a mockery on marriage. Still I suppose this poxy government thinks it has to move with the times. Could be interesting to see what the church has to say.

[henno]

Why should what the church says hold more weight than any other interest group??? Its obvious that they will come out against it, saying it will encourage couples to 'live in sin'.... (which is a complete hypocrisy)

Thankfully religious institutions are loosing their stranglehold over modern governance.....

[fatoldbob]

I believe the government should allow whatever kind of unions consenting adults desire to enter.

Here in the States, we get these "Defense of Marriage" bill proposed all the time that want to limit the rights of other groups. Some even want to pass a constitutional amendment to deny rights to others.

What I do think, is that legal protection should not arise from just the fact of cohabitation for a given period of time. I think whatever protections are enacted should only arise from seeking some sort of civil union or registration. It should be as simple as getting your driver's license. It should require the consent of both parties to form, but dissolveable by either party at will.

Such a system could drastically reduce the rate of divorce.

[J Ed]

marriage is a form of property ownership (aka slavery) that should have disappeared the same time women were allowed to vote and open bank accounts
its meaningful only to a few religious groups and should have no place in modern law

[Syd'sSexy]

What I do think, is that legal protection should not arise from just the fact of cohabitation for a given period of time. I think whatever protections are enacted should only arise from seeking some sort of civil union or registration. It should be as simple as getting your driver's license. It should require the consent of both parties to form, but dissolveable by either party at will.

Such a system could drastically reduce the rate of divorce.

Great point Bob. In some states, living with another for as little as six months constitutes Common Law Marriage and affords the same rights/penalties as to civilly married individuals. I think that concept is preposterous!

[Creek]

Why should a couple, regradless of their relationship, not have the same rights? Just think of all the possiblities, A couple of indiviuals where sex is a not a issue because of injury or illness.
Just M. H. O.

[Hudini]

I know quite a lot of cohabiting parents, and I can tell you that these couples I know are more likely to stay together for the rest of their lives then some married couples I know. Staying together depends on how much people care about each other, not what kind of paper they've signed.

[my breakfast.]

Lets do the logical thing and take it on a CASE BY CASE BASIS.

[Hudini]

You didn't even bother to read the second sentence of my post, did you?

I actually don't care whether cohabiting couples in the UK should have more legal rights, they already have equal rights to married couples here.

[my breakfast.]

You didn't even bother to read the second sentence of my post, did you?

Wrong. I didn't read the first one either, nor was I replying directly or indirectly to your post. Basically, I don't care about your post. I was however replying to the thread title and the link.

[mosespa]

Hey, let's REALLY open a can of worms, here.

For everyone who says that this legislation is a good idea...do you still feel that way when it comes to gay habitating couples?

Should THEY get the benefit of these laws?

I, personally, think this whole issue is just another example of "the law" sticking it's nose way too far into the lives of the constituency.

It just gives the high toned cunts that think they know what's best for everyone else another chance to say..."well, according to what I believe, you have to do what I want in order for to get what you desire."

[fatoldbob]

Yep. Gay couples too. And while we're at it, polygamy should be allowed as well. Not that I would ever consider it, but it's not the government's job to decide for people what their family should look like.

One caveat is polygamy traditionally has been used for marrying young girls. I think polygamy is fine as long as the participants are of legal age at the time of marriage.

[Syd'sSexy]

Hmmmm....polygamy. Not such a bad idea!

**gets coat**