Unmarried Cohabitants: How the United States Is Still Not Protecting Same-Sex Couples
Date
2019-02-14
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon School of Law
Abstract
Same-sex couples often face discrimination throughout their daily lives. Although the United States is making efforts to remove that discrimination, many problems still exist and disrupt same-sex couples’ lives. For example, when sharing property, the name on the property’s legal title of certificate often dictates the owner(s) without considering if, and with whom, they live. Unmarried cohabitants might not be protected under zoning ordinances that only protect “traditional families” connected by blood, marriage, or adoption. Unmarried cohabitants might struggle to bring inheritance claims if his/her partner dies without a will. For tax purposes, unmarried cohabitant couples are often classified as “single,” so they are unable to reap marital tax benefits like their married counterparts. These are just a few examples of the legal drawbacks facing unmarried cohabitants.
Description
30 pages
Keywords
Discrimination, Family law, LGBT
Citation
20 OR. REV. INT'L L. 275