Changing with the times

In 1979, the Illinois Supreme Court in Hewitt v. Hewitt, 77 Ill.2d 49 (Ill. 1979), declared an unmarried relationship with partners cohabiting to be illicit, immoral and contrary to public policy. In 36 years, Illinois public policy has changed dramatically — and so has the law, opening up property rights and equitable remedies for unmarried couples. On Dec. 19, in Blumenthal v …