Posted on 02/23/2006 1:53:52 PM PST by Quick1
A Missouri couple say they were denied an occupancy permit for their new home because they're not married.
Olivia Shelltrack and Fondray Loving have been together for 13 years and have three children, ages 8, 10 and 15, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The couple are appealing the occupancy permit denial from the Black Jack, Mo., board of adjustment, which requires people living together to have blood, marriage or adoption ties. Loving is not the father of Shelltrack's oldest child.
I was basically told, you can have one child living in your house if you're not married, but more than that, you can't, Shelltrack told the newspaper.
This is about the definition of family, not if they're married or not, Mayor Normal McCourt said. It's what cities do to maintain the housing and to hold down overcrowding.
I don't know; I would be angry too if I wanted to buy a house with some friends and was not able to.
But, that is the rule in this town.
If they're going to take their troubles to the media, I'm going to ask some questions to determine the spin.
Normal McCourt is the mayor of Black Jack Missouri? Is that for real?
While I certainly agree these people should marry, for the sake of their kids, the law really has no place in this. This isn't the kind of morality that can be legislated.
It's probably not going to survive a court challenge anyway.
I was about to agree with you until you took the cheap shot at GWB.
While Bush has been a huge disappointment in many many ways, I try not to resort to Bush Bashing ..........
If I want Bush Bashing I'll turn on the news, listen to the senate, read a newspaper, watch a movie, etc etc etc.
In short, I leave the cheap shots and the finger pointing to the left. Bush Bashing is just too easy.
It's kinda like a certification that all inspections and other code matters are in order.
1 second is long enough for a common law marriage, one merely needs to cohabitate and "hold yourself out" as husband and wife. (That is, file taxes together, tell firends you are married, etc.)
The article calls them "engaged", however, she states she will "never get married". My opinion is that they are likely NOT "engaged" in the sense of the word most of us know "engaged" to be, i.e. ring, party dress, yada yada, but are using the word to gain leverage in this issue. It's also evident, or at least suspect, that since the first child has a different daddy, we can assume child support from Daddy #1 no longer in the picture. If she was to marry, the step father's salary would be an issue and she would get LESS child support. Might not even be able to make the house note.
Common law is not recognized in Missouri.
Well, I suppose it will be upheld, based on what I read in that article. I don't like it though.
Good analysis. I wonder if they bought the house under false pretenses - claiming to the seller they were engaged while knowing full well that they wouldn't be able to make payments if they were married.
Methinks this couple are surrogates of an effort to overturn the law; how, for instance, did the city come to know their marital status and the parentage of the children themselves?
I knew someone who was with her SO for about 10 years before they married. By time they got married, she was in her 30s and having trouble getting pregnant. I asked, considering how long they'd been together, why didn't they get married (and pregant) before? She said she wasn't sure she wanted to marry him. But it was ok to live w/him for 10 years??? I don't get it.
You know the child support would have been calculated in the revenue figure.... Makes sense.
Some people do not believe in marriage, some people are not Christians and don't have your beliefs and don't give a crap what you believe in.
To ridicule these people and make out as if it is their fault because they are not married is BS, this is big brother butting into people's lives where they have no business butting.
To those of you who say that they are bad parents because they are not married are also full of sh**.
You have no idea what they are like or what kind of people they are. Many people are not Christians and still lead exemplary lives, they still follow the laws and rules laid down for being civilized, it is possible and happens often.
The people on this thread who are bad mouthing this couple are as bad as muslims who claim blasphemy at everyone who do not follow sharia law, except you want people to follow Christian law and if they don't you feel they are assh**les and evil people, according to you.
Obviously I didn't mean this post for everyone but if this shoe fits feel free to get pissed, for I know you won't change your selfrighteous ways and will continue to rant and rave about people who don't follow your strict moral codes.
If they were two boys or two girls, they also would have been approved!!
'Cause they're stupid! At least she is, if one of them is a she.
"Apparently the oldest child is not the father's biological parent."
I should hope not, he might end up being his own grandfather if the couple do get married.
"The couple thinks that they might have met more than 15 years ago but the woman doesn't remember for sure."
I was rude when I said earlier she was stupid, probably it's just her bad memory that has caused her to remain in what some like to call a "relationship" for 13 years or 15 years or whatever with whoever.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.