The Legal Treatment of Cohabitation in Poland and the United States

22 Pages Posted: 1 Jun 2010 Last revised: 28 Jun 2016

See all articles by Anna Stępień-Sporek

Anna Stępień-Sporek

University of Gdańsk School of Law; Stępień-Sporek, Pawelski, Stoppa Spółka Partnerska Kancelaria Radców Prawnych i Adwokatów (Law Office)

Margaret Ryznar

Independent

Date Written: May 30, 2010

Abstract

The increasing popularity of cohabitation, as manifested in the recent American and Polish censuses, has introduced various issues to the courts and legislatures in each country - among the most important being the protection of cohabitants after an unsuccessful cohabitation. However, neither country has recognized a comprehensive law on cohabitation, instead permitting cohabitation agreements and unjust enrichment theories to govern the termination of the cohabitation. Many issues, furthermore, are treated collaterally by the law through, for example, paternity laws. Although there are certain disadvantages to such an approach to cohabitation, these shortfalls need to be balanced against the consequences of the increased regulation of cohabitation. This Article considers these various issues, offering a comparative perspective to the discussion regarding cohabitation law.

Keywords: Domestic relations, family law, comparative law, cohabitation, marriage, common law marriage, Poland

Suggested Citation

Stępień-Sporek, Anna and Ryznar, Margaret, The Legal Treatment of Cohabitation in Poland and the United States (May 30, 2010). University of Missouri-Kansas City Law Review, Vol. 79, No. 2, pp. 373-394, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1618084

Anna Stępień-Sporek

University of Gdańsk School of Law ( email )

Jana Bażyńskiego 6
Gdańsk, 80-180
Poland

Stępień-Sporek, Pawelski, Stoppa Spółka Partnerska Kancelaria Radców Prawnych i Adwokatów (Law Office) ( email )

ul. Jana Matejki 21/2
Gdańsk, 80-232
Poland

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
302
Abstract Views
1,997
Rank
182,693
PlumX Metrics