Post by Linalin on Apr 21, 2005 10:08:33 GMT -5
TOKYO — The Supreme Court on Thursday granted a 56-year-old common-law wife of a late teacher at a private college the right to receive a bereaved family pension, upholding lower court rulings.
Justice Tokuji Izumi said the woman "has the right to receive the pension as the marital relationship between the man and the legitimate wife was insubstantial, while the man and the common-law wife practically had a husband-and-wife relationship." The man married his legitimate wife in 1956 and started living with his common-law wife, the plaintiff, around 1970. They stayed together until he died in 2001 at 74, according to the ruling. (Kyodo News)
This is pretty unusual. I agree with the court's ruling to give the common law wife the pension since they were together for over 30 years, but I wonder if the legitimate wife gets something too. If this were in America, the legitimate wife and man would be considered seperated, but she'd still get the money.
Justice Tokuji Izumi said the woman "has the right to receive the pension as the marital relationship between the man and the legitimate wife was insubstantial, while the man and the common-law wife practically had a husband-and-wife relationship." The man married his legitimate wife in 1956 and started living with his common-law wife, the plaintiff, around 1970. They stayed together until he died in 2001 at 74, according to the ruling. (Kyodo News)
This is pretty unusual. I agree with the court's ruling to give the common law wife the pension since they were together for over 30 years, but I wonder if the legitimate wife gets something too. If this were in America, the legitimate wife and man would be considered seperated, but she'd still get the money.
