re: James Coburn . . .
I believe the late, great Mr. James Coburn (AKA "Our Man Flint" [1966]) was the first to be hit with that old "palamony"-thing back in the early '70s, where he was forced to give up half his possessions because he and his live-in girlfriend (women seem to hate that "girlfriend" word -- unless they're using it) split up. He mentioned, I believe on the Dinah Shore Show, that it was a messy breakup, and that he was quite surprised to find the law suite in his mail. It had never happened before, so he fought it in court -- and lost.
No civil union ceremony. No binding marriage license anywhere on record. And yet they were "looked up" by the California courts as a common law couple.
Too funny to be sad, and yet it really was.
Cheers,
Dan