McGee was in a live-in relationship with Max Julien from 1970 to 1977. They starred together in the 1974 film Thomasine & Bushrod, which Julien also produced and wrote the screenplay for. Their relationship was often scrutinized in the press as "Hollywood's premiere non-married black couple" since they were very public about their living situation. Their hilltop home "paradise" in Studio City, which reportedly provided them with 6 flat acres of land, became the center of a property dispute after their breakup. "The house Vonetta McGee and Max Julien lived in has become central to their property division dispute. Julien claims the house is his while Ms. McGee contends she made half the payments on it and shared the bills 50-50." In 1978, Julien was arrested for shooting at Vonetta's car with a rifle after she arrived at the home to discuss property matters (she was not in the car when this occurred). He was given a $150 fine and 12 months probation for the incident. Eventually they settled their dispute and moved on with other partners - their once loving partnership having very much soured.