The eviction court in New York City found that throuples, or intimate relationships involving three persons, enjoy some of the same legal rights as conventional marriages.
Three persons were engaged in the case: Scott Anderson, Robert Romano, and Markyus O’Neill. Despite being married, Anderson and O’Neill shared a house while Romano resided elsewhere.
Due to the fact that the lease was in Anderson’s name and that O’Neill was a “non-traditional family member,” O’Neill was not allowed to renew it when Anderson just passed away.
Romano and Anderson lived apart but remained partners for 25 years. Romano is referred to as Anderson’s companion and “the finest thing that ever happened to Scott” whereas O’Neill is not mentioned in his obituary.
O’Neill’s declaration of presenting himself as a non-traditional family member was described as “a fantasy” by a lawyer for West 49th St., LLC.
According to reports, Judge Karen Bacdayan found that in eviction proceedings, triplets are entitled to the same legal safeguards as couples.
She said that O’Neill shouldn’t be prevented from renewing the lease right away because of the triple.
The New York State Court of Appeals was the first court in US history to rule that any kind of “non-traditional” or same-sex family-like relationship “is entitled to legal recognition,” according to a decision cited by Bacdayan from 1989.
While Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized homosexual marriage in America, and that case have set certain precedents, she continues, “The instant case poses the particular and challenging question of important multi-person relationships.”
The following question posed by Bacdayan was, “Why, then, other than the very real possibility of implicit majoritarian animus, is the limitation of two persons inserted into the definition of a family-like relationship for the purposes of receiving the same protections from eviction accorded to legally formalized or blood relationships?”
While Obergefell and like rulings don’t specifically address throuples, she said that they do “open the door for discussion of alternative relationship constructions and maybe, the moment has come.”
When he wrote, “If not being allowed to marry serves to disrespect and subordinate gay and lesbian couples, why wouldn’t the same imposition of this disability… serve to disrespect and subordinate people who find fulfillment in polyamorous relationships,” Bacdayan also cited Chief Justice John Roberts of the Supreme Court.
27 October 2021 saw Anderson’s passing. In addition to being an award-winning actor, he was an interior designer. That 70’s Show actress Debra Jo Rupp was a friend of his, according to his obituary.