Exploring Houston’s Sweet Scene and Cohabitation Laws

Sweets in Houston are as diverse as the international communities that nestle into the diverse neighborhoods throughout our great city. One such place that has captivated Houston sweets-lovers for over three decades is Yousaf Falooda, a small corner shop located in West Houston on Hillcroft Avenue. Incredibly popular among so many different cultures, you would be hard-pressed to find someone in Houston who hasn’t heard of this popular little dessert spot.

As a former curator of Yousaf Falooda’s blog, I have learned so many things about this small corner shop in Houston. One important thing that I took away from my time with the company is that most of the desserts are steeped in the heritage of many cultures and are unique to each group who makes them in their own distinct way. From making to serving to consuming, each culture has an important way of making the delicacies. For example, many cultures prefer falooda with ice cream or whipped cream, whereas others prefer it with no toppings – but everyone can agree that the bottom layer of falooda should be prepared in the same fashion.

In the U.S., we have seen the rise of the common law marriage as cohabitation between a couple without any type of legal documentation to back the relationship. As with the traditional desserts served at Yousaf Falooda, the basic elements of these relationships seem to remain constant. However, the way that these relationships are reflected in the eyes of the law has become much more complicated and diversified as a rule. The good old U.S. of A. has laws more heavily dependent on each state and not solely on federal law when it comes to these types of relationships.

Like Yousaf Falooda’s desserts, there is no real shortcut in understanding cohabitation laws due to the general diversity in the way that the states have approached the issue. While some states have yet to even address the broader questions of cohabitation law, others are much farther down the proverbial road and their preferred approach has been adopted by neighboring states. Often times these laws are outlined by the need for a partnership agreement, also called a cohabitation agreement, that can define many more elements of this period of life before marriage than comprehensive Texas cohabitation laws otherwise would.

For example, a partnership agreement or cohabitation agreement can be used to define the economic responsibilities of the parties that may establish what resources each party would be responsible for covering, along with an outline of the division of property as well as a mechanism for its division at the end of the relationship. As with the desserts served at Yousaf Falooda, sometimes partners are able to collaborate on the coordination of their lives for the entire time that they are coupled. However, once you open the door to the life of a cohabitation relationship, there are always instances in which these earlier outlined agreements can come in handy if the parties cannot agree on how to divide their lives.

Just as restaurants do not always have every flavor on their menu, cohabitation laws in Texas are not necessarily suited to deal with every scenario imagined. However, it is precisely this need for development that people like the attorneys at the Houston family law offices of Kirker Davis, LLP, seek to provide for their clients. Much like chefs are continually developing new flavors and fusion cuisines, attorneys are continually filed cases to further explore the boundaries of Texas cohabitation laws in order to further protect the rights of those who enter these relationships free of the trappings of a marriage license.