Rights of Unmarried Couples

In 1939, the State of New Jersey stopped recognizing common law marriages. Up until 1979, heterosexual couples who resided together in New Jersey for a specific period of time were considered legally married by the state. Therefore, each party would be obligated to support the other, which may result in one party supporting the other if the relationship ended. However, when New Jersey outlawed common law marriages, unmarried couples who ended their relationships were not entitled to the rights incumbent upon their married counterparts; particularly alimony and equitable distribution. Palimony was an equitable remedy created by the courts to afford another type of financial relief to these unmarried individuals.

 

The concept of palimony was initially recognized by the Supreme Court of New Jersey in 1979. The Supreme Court held that a promise by one partner to care for the other for life will be enforceable under appropriate circumstances. In determining whether the promise should be enforceable, the Supreme Court did not require the terms of the promise to be in writing, but rather focused on the parties’ respective versions of the agreement, along with their conduct in light of the prevailing circumstances.

Although the Legislature did not enact a statute codifying the judicially created remedy of palimony in 1979, the courts continued to expand upon the circumstances in which palimony would be awarded. In 2002, the Supreme Court held that cohabitation was not necessary to establish a claim of palimony, although a marital-type relationship was required. Subsequently, the Supreme Court found that an implied promise to support the other partner for life is enforceable against the promisor’s estate.

On January 18, 2010, former Governor Jon Corzine signed into law the statute codified as N.J.S.A. 25:1-5, which dramatically changed the requirements regarding a palimony claim. The statute states in relevant part:

No action shall be brought upon any of the following agreements or promises, unless the agreement or promise, upon which such action shall be brought or some memorandum or note thereof, shall be in writing, and signed by the party to be charged therewith, or by some other person thereunto by him lawfully authorized:

h. A promise by one party to a non-marital personal relationship to provide support or other consideration for the other party, either during the course of such relationship or after its termination. For the purposes of this subsection, no such written promise is binding unless it was made with the independent advice of counsel for both parties.

Accordingly, under the enacted statute, palimony claims are unenforceable unless the promise is made in writing upon the independent advice of counsel. The looming question then became how these newfound conditions affected unmarried couples already in a relationship at the time this statute was enacted in 2010. Although the bill reflected the statute would take “effect immediately,” this vague language did not provide much guidance.

On September 25, 2014, the Supreme Court, provided a definitive answer as to whether the statute applied to those unmarried couples already in a relationship. The Supreme Court determined the Legislative intent of enacting N.J.S.A. 25:1-5(h) was not to void any oral palimony agreements made prior to the enactment of the statute. Thus, the question to consider is when the alleged promise to support was made rather than when it became enforceable as a cause of action. If the promise was made before the enactment of the statute in 2010, a palimony claim can be sought even if the promise/agreement was not reduced to writing. If the promise was made after 2010, the promise must be reduced to writing with the aid of counsel (for both parties) in order for a palimony claim to be made.

While the number of oral palimony claims will inevitably be reduced in the future, we will continue to see many cases involving this cause of action in the interim. At Donahue, Hagan, Klein & Weisberg, LLC, the attorneys are well versed in assisting with any palimony claims and are able to assist with preparing an agreement for this relief in accordance with N.J.S.A. 25:1-5(h).

 

Contact Us

Tell us about your case and we’ll get back to you promptly.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Disclaimer

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.

×
Privacy Policy

This privacy policy applies to information collected online from users of this website. In this policy, you can learn what kind of information we collect, when and how we might use that information, how we protect the information, and the choices you have with respect to your personal information.

What personal information is collected through this website and how is it used?

We collect information about our users in three ways: directly from the user, from our Web server logs and through cookies. We use the information primarily to provide you with a personalized Internet experience that delivers the information, resources, and services that are most relevant and helpful to you. We don’t share any of the information you provide with others, unless we say so in this Privacy Policy, or when we believe in good faith that the law requires it.

CLICK HERE TO READ OUR FULL PRIVACY POLICY

If you have any additional questions or concerns about this privacy policy, please contact us via the phone number, contact form or mailing address listed on this website. If our information practices change in a significant way, we will post the policy changes here.

Effective September 14, 2015

 

×