Uniform Marital Property Act: A Renewed Commitment to the American Family

I. Introduction II. Historical Antecedents of the Uniform Marital Property Act ... A. The Evolution of Initial Common Law Concepts ... B. Shift to the Partnership Concept in Common Law Jurisdictions III. What Does the Uniform Marital Property Act Provide? … A. Principle 1: Shared Ownership ... B. Principle 2: Title-Based Management and Control ... C. Principle 3: Marriage Contracts Approved ... D. Principle 4: Marital Property Statute Only IV. Policy Considerations Raised By the Uniform Marital Property Act ... A. The Child Rearing Function of Marriage ... B. Sex-Linked Roles within the Marriage: Historical Perspective ... C. Breakdown of the Patriarchal System and Its Impact on the Child-Rearing Function of Marriage V. The Uniform Marital Property Act as an Alternative ... A. The Advantages of the UMPA ... B. Opposition to the UMPA: Marriage Is Not an Economic Partnership ... C. Opposition to the UMPA: The Act Will Hurt Divorced Women VI. Conclusion