Use Case: Amicable Separation for Unmarried Couples Without Children
📋 Use Case Overview
All figures are illustrative unless otherwise stated.
- 1. Context and Problematic
- 2. The WikiDeal Concept
- 3. User Journey (7 steps)
- 4. Closing Agreement Template
- 5. Common Property Inventory Template
- 6. Specific Clause: Domestic Animals
- 7. Comparative Law: CH, FR, US, BR
- 8. Role of the WikiDeal Intermediary
- 9. Concrete Scenario
- 10. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Context and Problematic
When an unmarried couple separates, there is generally no automatic legal framework for the division of common property. Unlike divorce, which is governed by family law, the separation of cohabitants falls under contract law — and more precisely the dissolution of a simple partnership (société simple) (in Swiss law: CC art. 530 et seq.).
The most frequent problems:
- Shared rental lease — who stays, who leaves, who pays for the termination?
- Vehicle purchased together — who gets it?
- Furniture, appliances, everyday objects — how to distribute them?
- Domestic animals — who keeps the animal?
- Paid trips, shared subscriptions, joint accounts — how to settle?
- Feeling of injustice, emotional wounds — how to remain factual?
The fundamental problem: emotions prevent a rational agreement. Wounded individuals need a non-emotional intermediary to avoid direct contact that would fuel suffering and misunderstandings.
The most common and blocking case: both parties have bound themselves together vis-à-vis third parties — co-signed rental lease, vehicle leasing, shared subscriptions, service contracts. The fundamental need is to unbind themselves vis-à-vis these third parties cleanly and quickly, without personal emotions blocking the administrative and legal process.
2. The WikiDeal Concept
WikiDeal offers an amicable intermediation service combining:
- Human intermediaries — enlightened amateurs trained by WikiDeal, who do all the intermediation and discussion work. They play a triple role as economic, legal, and psychological advisors. They explicitly assume their non-professional status and rely on AI behind the scenes to assess rights and draft agreements. The AI does not interact directly with the parties.
- AI support that analyzes cases, assesses rights according to applicable law, proposes equitable distributions, and drafts closing agreement projects — all available to the human intermediary.
- Standardized closing agreements published on the Wiki, modifiable and adaptable, validated by the community and endorsed by volunteer legal professionals.
The objective: clean, fast, amicable, and emotion-free closing agreements. The client primarily wants to avoid direct contact with the other party to prevent fueling suffering and misunderstandings. The WikiDeal intermediary acts as the exclusive facilitator of the conclusion.
3. User Journey (7 steps)
One of the two parties (or both simultaneously) registers on WikiDeal and declares their intention to close a relationship. The AI welcomes, explains the process, and asks preliminary questions.
Each party completes (in writing or by audio) an inventory of all property acquired or shared in common: rental lease, vehicle, furniture, animals, accounts, subscriptions, etc. The AI structures and cross-references the two inventories.
The AI analyzes both inventories, identifies points of agreement and disagreement, and proposes an equitable distribution based on documented contributions and applicable law.
A human WikiDeal intermediary contacts both parties (separately or together, depending on preferences). They discuss points of disagreement, propose compromises, and rely on the AI for legal and financial assessments.
The AI drafts a closing agreement project based on the agreements found. The agreement is published as a draft on the Wiki for validation.
Both parties review, request modifications if necessary, then sign electronically. A WikiDeal volunteer legal professional can endorse the agreement (form validation).
The parties execute the terms of the agreement (transfer of property, termination of rental lease, etc.). The AI sends reminders and monitors execution. Once everything is accomplished, the agreement is marked "executed."
4. Closing Agreement Template
📋 Amicable Closing Agreement — Separation of Unmarried Couples Without Children
Party A: [First Name Last Name], born on [date], residing at [address].
Party B: [First Name Last Name], born on [date], residing at [address].
Hereinafter jointly referred to as "the Parties."
The purpose of this agreement is the amicable dissolution of the Parties' cohabitation and the definitive distribution of all property acquired or used in common during the period from [start date] to [separation date].
The Parties declare that they have established a complete and truthful inventory of all common property, attached as Annex A. This inventory includes: rental lease, vehicle(s), furniture, household appliances, domestic animals, joint bank accounts, shared subscriptions, and any other common property or commitment.
The Parties agree to the following distribution:
[Distribution table — see Annex B]
Each party acknowledges that this distribution is equitable and freely consented to.
[Option A] Party [A/B] retains the rental lease located at [address]. Party [B/A] undertakes to withdraw from the lease within [X] days. Termination or transfer fees are the responsibility of [specify].
[Option B] Both Parties jointly terminate the rental lease. Termination fees are shared equally.
The vehicle [make, model, registration] acquired in common is allocated to Party [A/B]. Party [A/B] pays Party [B/A] a compensatory payment of CHF/EUR [amount] corresponding to half of the estimated value of the vehicle on the date of this agreement.
The animal [species, name] is entrusted to Party [A/B], who assumes full responsibility for maintenance costs. Party [B/A] waives all rights to the animal. [Option: a right of visitation is granted to Party [B/A] according to the terms agreed between the Parties.]
Joint bank accounts are settled and distributed according to Annex B. Shared subscriptions (streaming, phone, insurance, etc.) are terminated or transferred to the name of a single Party within [X] days.
The Parties mutually acknowledge that they are discharged of all obligations towards each other, whether for cohabitation, common debts, in-kind benefits, or any other commitment. No subsequent claim may be made under the period covered by this agreement.
The Parties undertake to maintain the confidentiality of the terms of this agreement and the mediation process. No information relating to discussions, amounts, or disagreements will be communicated to third parties, except as required by law.
This agreement is governed by [Swiss / French / State of… / Brazilian] law. In the event of a dispute, the Parties undertake to submit their dispute to the WikiDeal Arbitration Authority before any legal action.
Done in two copies, at [place], on [date].
Party A: _________________________ Date: _____________
Party B: _________________________ Date: _____________
Endorsement (optional):
WikiDeal Intermediary: _________________________ Date: _____________
5. Common Property Inventory Template
Each party independently completes the following form. The AI cross-references the two inventories and flags discrepancies.
| Category | Property Description | Estimated Value | Who Paid? | Desired Attribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rental lease) | 3-room apartment, street… | Rent: CHF 1,800/month | 50/50 | [A stays / B leaves] |
| Vehicle | VW Golf 2022 | CHF 18,000 | A (70%) / B (30%) | [A] |
| Furniture | Sofa, table, bed… | CHF 4,500 | 50/50 | [to be discussed] |
| Domestic animal | Cat "Luna" | — | adopted together | [B] |
| Joint account | PostFinance n° … | CHF 3,200 | variable contributions | [50/50] |
| Subscriptions | Netflix, Swisscom duo… | CHF 85/month | A | [terminate] |
6. Specific Clause: Domestic Animals
In Swiss law, animals are not things (CC art. 641a). However, in the event of a dispute between cohabitants, the judge attributes the animal taking into account the "best interest of the animal" (CC art. 651a). WikiDeal offers two options:
- Option A — Exclusive attribution: The animal is entrusted to one party. The other waives all rights.
- Option B — Alternating custody: The parties agree on an alternating custody schedule (e.g., one week out of two). Veterinary and maintenance costs are shared according to a key defined in the agreement.
Note: Alternating custody of animals has no formal legal framework in most jurisdictions. It is a private contractual arrangement whose execution relies on the good faith of the parties.
7. Comparative Law: CH, FR, US, BR
Legal References by Country
| Country | Legal Framework | Legal Basis | Specifics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | Dissolution of simple partnership (société simple) | CO art. 530–551 (simple partnership) CC art. 641a (animals) |
No legal status for cohabitation. Property is distributed according to documented contributions. The PACS ("registered partnership") only concerns same-sex couples (LPart). |
| 🇫🇷 France | Undivided co-ownership / PACS / free union | Civil Code art. 515-1 et seq. (PACS) Civil Code art. 815 et seq. (undivided co-ownership) |
Free union has no legal status. The PACS offers a framework for separation of property or undivided co-ownership. In free union, each takes back their own property; property purchased together falls under undivided co-ownership. |
| 🇺🇸 United States | Variable by State | Common law marriage (certain States) Cohabitation agreements (contractual) |
No uniform federal law. Some States recognize "common law marriage." In others, the rights of cohabitants depend entirely on private contractual agreements (cohabitation agreements). The precedent Marvin v. Marvin (1976, California) established that agreements between cohabitants are enforceable. |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | União estável (stable union) | Civil Code art. 1.723–1.727 Constitution art. 226 §3 |
Brazil recognizes "união estável" (stable union) as equivalent to marriage for property matters. The default regime is comunhão parcial de bens (partial community): property acquired during the union is shared 50/50 unless otherwise agreed. |
8. Role of the WikiDeal Intermediary
The WikiDeal intermediary is an enlightened amateur — neither a lawyer, nor a psychologist, nor a professional financial advisor. They explicitly assume this status. They do all the intermediation and discussion work with the parties. They rely on AI behind the scenes to:
- Assess rights — the AI analyzes applicable law, documented contributions, and proposes distributions.
- Draft agreement projects — the AI generates the closing agreement, which the intermediary reviews with the parties.
- Prepare arguments — the AI provides factual and legal elements that the intermediary uses in their discussions.
Operation: The human intermediary discusses with each party separately (by phone, video call, or in person). The AI does not communicate directly with the parties — it assists the intermediary via the WikiDeal interface. The intermediary acts as an emotional buffer and exclusive facilitator.
Transparency: Each party can see exactly what information the AI has shared with the intermediary. Nothing is hidden.
Pricing
- Case handling fee: CHF 100 (flat rate)
- Hourly rate: CHF 100/hour (Swiss rate; adapted according to the intermediary's country)
- Who pays: By default, the person initiating the request covers the costs. They can then negotiate cost sharing with the other party as part of the closing agreement (e.g., request a little more on property distribution in exchange for covering mediation fees).
- Typical estimate: ~2× 30 minutes of discussion + case handling = approximately CHF 200–300 total
Future tool: minute coaching service
In a second phase, WikiDeal will deploy a time-based billing tool for freelance providers:
- The client pre-loads credit and validates the amount in increments
- Each exchange is measured: time spent, credit consumed, remaining credit, estimated time until the end of the service
- Total real-time transparency
9. Concrete Scenario
🏠 Example: Anna and Marc, Geneva
Situation: Anna (28 years old) and Marc (31 years old) lived together for 2 years in Geneva. Shared rental lease (CHF 1,900/month), a car purchased together (VW Polo, CHF 12,000), a cat named Pixel, a joint PostFinance account (balance: CHF 2,800), and furniture for approximately CHF 5,000.
The separation: Marc decides to leave. Anna wants to keep the apartment and the cat. Marc wants the car. Both are hurt and no longer want to speak directly — every exchange degenerates into conflict. The urgent problem: the rental lease is in both names, and neither can terminate it alone. The car leasing is also co-signed.
WikiDeal Intervention:
- Anna registers on WikiDeal and pays the case handling fee (CHF 100). She explains the situation to the human intermediary who contacts her.
- The intermediary contacts Marc, explains the process. Marc agrees to participate. Each completes their inventory separately — the intermediary collects the information.
- The intermediary uses the AI to cross-reference the inventories: agreement on the cat (Anna) and the car (Marc, with compensatory payment of CHF 3,000 to Anna). Disagreement on the furniture.
- The intermediary discusses separately with Marc (30 min) then Anna (30 min). A compromise is found: Marc takes the sofa and the table, Anna keeps the rest.
- The intermediary has the closing agreement drafted by the AI. Both review and sign electronically. The agreement includes the steps to unbind themselves vis-à-vis the landlord (transfer of the rental lease to Anna's name alone) and the leasing company (transfer to Marc's name).
- Marc pays the compensatory payment, the rental lease and leasing transfers are completed, and Marc takes his furniture. The agreement is marked "executed."
Total duration: 12 days. Cost: CHF 200 (CHF 100 handling fee + 1h intermediation CHF 100). Anna negotiates that Marc covers half as part of the agreement.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
Does this agreement have legal value?
Yes. An agreement signed between two adult and consenting parties is legally binding in most jurisdictions, even without a lawyer. WikiDeal recommends endorsement by a volunteer legal professional to strengthen the value of the document.
What if a party refuses to cooperate?
WikiDeal cannot force cooperation. If a party refuses, the other is directed to a lawyer or a professional mediator. The WikiDeal agreement does not replace legal proceedings.
Does this cover married couples?
No. This use case exclusively concerns unmarried couples without children. Divorce is governed by family law and requires court intervention.
Does the AI replace a lawyer?
No. The AI and the human intermediary are facilitators. They do not provide legal advice in a professional sense. For complex situations (large assets, disputes, violence), WikiDeal directs to professionals.
How much does it cost?
In Phase 1, the basic service is free (covered by AI micro-credit). In Phase 2, complex requests (drafting custom agreements, premium AI consultation) are billed transparently.