Latham v. Hennessey

This appeal concerns the disposition of property of a man and wife at the termination of a nonmarital family (meretricious) relationship.

In 1949, Loretta Testall and her former husband were divorced. As a result, she received a house valued at $7,000 with a $1,700 mortgage. Loretta Testall began living with petitioner, Donald Latham, in the Spring of 1955. There-X relationship possessed all of the characteristics of a traditional marriage, except they did not obtain a marriage license. The relationship continued for 15 years, and they eventually married on June 17, 1970. Throughout this…