*Informational purposes only. The attorneys at SFLG do not handle Marvin Actions
Our readers who were around back in the 1970s may remember a case that made headlines, not to mention legal history. It also introduced the word “palimony” into the lexicon.
Thanks to a 1976 California Supreme Court ruling, Michelle Triola Marvin was allowed to sue for financial support from her long-time boyfriend, actor Lee Marvin, after the two broke up. They had never married. Triola Marvin, however, asserted that she had given up her career as a singer and that the actor had promised to support her financially. She got a six-figure settlement several years later, although it was far less than she had sought.
Today, because of the ruling in the Marvin case, unmarried people in California who have shared a residence and a long-term relationship may be entitled to assets, property and financial support from their partner when the relationship ends. Under California law, the couple need not have had a written agreement. An oral agreement may be enforceable, just as it can be in cases not involving romantic partners.
Interestingly, Michelle Triola Marvin went on to another long-term, non-marital relationship with entertainment legend Dick Van Dyke that lasted the remainder of her life. That relationship, according to Marvin, included a written contract.
When one of the parties seeks financial support and/or assets from a former partner, it is called a “Marvin action” or “Marvin claim.” These claims are handled in civil court rather than family court.
