Living in Sin May Soon be Legal
Under current Virginia law, unmarried couples living together are committing a misdemeanor. Virginia is one of only four states that has such a law on the books. Even though state and federal courts have held that this and similar laws are unconstitutional, the law remains on the books. If a bill currently pending before the Virginia Legislature passes, unmarried couples in Virginia can begin living together legally. Although the law is not usually enforced, the threat of criminal prosecution gives each of the unmarried cohabitants the right to invoke the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution and refuse to answer certain questions.
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