Are the rights the same between married people versus people who are living together?

The rights of married persons and the laws governing the divorce or legal separation of married persons are well-defined in Ohio law.

However, there are few Ohio laws defining the rights and responsibilities of co-habitating unmarried partners.

Therefore, unmarried, co-habitating partners in Ohio–including those who break up and terminate their relationships–must look to Ohio’s general contract and property law to establish, define and enforce certain legal rights and claims with respect to their partners or ex-partners.

For more information on domestic violence visit the Ohio Domestic Violence Resource Center.

See also the Forms & Education tab in this section for more information.