A: Courting is to dating as cold is to hot. To use another analogy, dating is like a comma, whereas courting is like a period. This means that dating presents a man and woman with a number of potential ends to their relationship, whereas courting has only one: marriage. Courtship is not just an act, it is a philosophy.

Is there a difference between courting and dating?

Courtship is about getting to know each other and developing a deep relationship before getting married whereas dating is mostly physical with no strings attached and no emotional intimacy.

How long do you have to be with someone to be entitled to half NZ?

In most cases, only people who have lived together in a de facto relationship for at least 3 years are covered unless there is a child involved or 1 partner has made a significant contribution to the relationship.

How many years do you live with someone to be considered married?

A common myth is that if you live with someone for seven years, then you automatically create a common law marriage. This is not true -- a marriage occurs when a couple lives together for a certain number of years (one year in most states), holds themselves out as a married couple, and intends to be married.

Does a partner have any legal rights?

Both married partners have the right to live in the matrimonial home. It does not matter in whose name the tenancy agreement was made. This applies unless a court has ordered otherwise, for example, in the course of separation or divorce proceedings.