Nonmarital Cohabitation Actions

California Law protects the rights of individuals who are not married to each other and who are not registered as domestic partners to enter into contracts involving the property which may be acquired by either of them during their relationship or regarding payments which might be made by one party to the other upon a termination of the relationship. The contracts may be written or oral and may even be implied by conduct. These actions are not covered by the Family Code and a party seeking property or support rights pursuant to such an express or implied agreement (often referred to as "Marvin" actions or "Palimony" actions) is not entitled to seek attorneys fees, accounting fees, and costs as are parties to a dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership. The parties in such a civil action are also entitled to request a jury trial, a right which is not available to the parties in a dissolution of marriage or dissolution of a domestic partnership action.