Stepfamily

A stepfamily is the family one acquires when a parent marries someone new. For example, if one's mother dies and one's father marries a new woman, that woman is one's stepmother, and any children she already has are one's stepsiblings (if they were fathered by your father, however, they are your half-siblings instead of stepsiblings).

Although historically stepfamilies are built through the institution of marriage ; and are legally recognized ; it is currently unclear if a stepfamily can be established and recognized by less formal arrangements; such as when a man or woman with children ;cohabits with another man or woman outside of marriage.To be sure many such relationships may be fleeting ,however just as many may endure.

There do appear to some cultures in which these families are recognized socially, But it is unclear as what if any status and protection they have in Law.

Wthe regard to unmarried couples; one can easily imagine such recognition ; most notably in the case of common law marriage. Still it is not at all clear what parental rights and obligations ;if any; exist between "step parents" and their "step children"

There is very little guidence for these families in either familylaw or in civil law. However such stepfamilies might find some useful guidence in the leagal priciples of Estoppel.

This is a particularly gripping question today. The emergence of many new relationships and alternative family structures; which are now clamoring for recognition; promise to make for lively public ,legal and ethical debate. -sjb