Law Commons^™

The Legal Relationship Between Cohabitants And Their Partners' Children, Cynthia Grant Bowman

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

This Article argues that U.S. law should give protection to relationships between cohabitants and their partners 'children when necessary to avoid the economic and emotional trauma that may be caused by separation of the child from a member of his or her household if the cohabitation ends. After examining the social science literature about the welfare of both stepchildren and children of cohabitants and the inadequate legal treatment of custody, visitation, and child support issues under current law, the author recommends that cohabiting stepparents (1) be given standing to seek custody if they have acted as de facto parents, with …