habits in their current new relationship, their lifestyle whill be considered in the custody hearing. A Judge always considers the child’s best interested and therefore the lifestyle of each parent must be considered. Attorneys Ralph Warner, Toni Ihara and Frederick Hertz assert that in some states, "A parent’s cohabitation can still be legal grounds for a judge to use to deny custody."(8/8) The book written by these three attorneys, Living Together: A Legal Guide for Unmarried Couples, produced an example of this in which, "An Arkansas court stated ‘a mother’s ongoing relationship was immoral, failed to set a proper example for children and resulted in harm to the children’."(Warner 8/8) Studies have shown that children from intact families have significantly higher academic performance and less behavioral problems than those currently living with a mother and her unmarried partner.(Popenoe "Should")Evidently, not only judges and researchers feel that premarital cohabitation is immoral and harmful. Opponents of cohabitation include those people who are religious, who have strong personal values and those who are strong advocates for children and families. Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who embodies all of these characteristics, constantly advises Americans who seek her advice on her radio and television show, to stay clear of the "Shacking Up" trend that has swept across the country because of its damaging effects on children and family values. Some who are very religious believe that the sanctity of marriage becomes undermined once cohabitation takes place especially since premarital sex is involved. Moreover, personal values become diminished when an adult makes the irresponsible decision to cohabit when so many negative consequences follow. It is morally incorrect to place oneself, a loved one or one’s children in a situation that poses the possibility of damaging all relationships involved as w...
