community property Flashcards
CP Presumption
California (CA) is a community property (CP) state. There is a community presumption, meaning that all property acquired during marriage is CP. This includes wages of either spouse and labor of either spouse during marriage. There are areas of separate property (SP): (1) property acquired before or after marriage, (2) property acquired during marriage by either spouse through gift, will, or inheritance, (3) Property acquired from SP funds, and (4) profits, rents, and issue of SP. The burden is on the spouse opposing SP to defeat the CP presumption. Courts use the source rule to determine the character of property by tracing the source of funds used to acquire the property.
Martital economic community
begins at marriage and ends at death of either spouse, divorce, or with the intent of either spouse to not resume the marital relationship coupled with conduct indicating that intent. If spouses maintain the facade of marriage the MEC has not ende. Prior to 2017, a valid separation ending the community also required that the spouses lived separate and apart. However, this requirement is no longer necessary
Generally on divorce CP is divided
equally in kind, meaning on a per-item basis unless a special rule requires deviation via a writing or stipulation by the court
Pension is determined by the
time rule
time rule
Courts consider the amount of time the spouse worked during marriage to get the pension divided by the amount of time total the spouse worked to get the pension.
what is the rationale of the time rule
spouse’s labor during marriage is CP and any funding earned from spouse’s labor is CP.
transmutation agreement and wha tis needed
may alter the character of CP to SP,
SP to CP, or one spouse’s SP to another spouse’s S. must be in writing, accepted by the adversely accepted party (signed), and expressly state
that ownership of the property is being transferred
Exception to writting requirement for transmutation
gifts of personal property given by one souse to another spouse that are not
substantial in value and used in the home
When property is acquired in joint and equal form, there is a presumption that the property is
CP and if any SP was used to purchase the property is subject to
Lucas and Antilucas
Antilucas applies when and how do you get your money back
applies on divorce and SP spouse is entitled to a refund of downpayments, improvements and prinicipal
Lucas
Any SP used to purchase the
property was presumed to be gift and there was no right to reimbursement (unless there
was an agreement).
When CP funds are used towards SP property, the character of the property does not
change. Rather, the community gets
pro rata ownership share in the property.
Courts use the principal debt reduction method to discern the community’s ownership share in the
property. The community is entitled to the amount it
expended to feather the nest of CP and the pro rata increase
with regards to the loan, what affects CP
If the lender looks to SP as security, the mortgage is likely SP.
However, if the lender looks to the spouse’s standing in the community or CP property as
security, the loan is likely CP.
When there is CP and SP (Commingled funds) the burdent is
is on the spouse claiming that property acquired with funds from that account is SP to show that SP funds were used to acquire the property.
How do you satisfy the burden for commingled funds
Direct-indirect out methood
Exhasuation rule
Under the direct-in-direct-out rule the spouse claiming SP must
show
that there were sufficient SP funds in the account and that the spouse had the intent
to purchase the asset with SP funds
Exhaustion rule
the spouse
claiming SP must show that all the CP funds were used in the account and all that was left
in the account was SP.
family expense presumption
expenditures for community
items, such as living, rent, food, etc. are presumptively made from CP
how to defeat the family expense presumption
there are not adequate records and commingling occurs, it is presumed the SP funds used
for family expenses are a gift to the community
Fiducary duty as a spouse
Where
one spouse gains a better position in a transaction as compared to the other spouse, there
is a presumption that the spouse in the better position breached that duty.
. With regards to PI settlement awards, if
the cause of action arose during the MEC, the settlement award is CP, UNLESS the
settlement award is from the other spouse when the other spouse is the tortfeasor in order for them not to benefit too
Although PI funds awarded from a cause of action that arose
during marriage are CP, upon the divorce the court usually awards the funds .
exclusively to
the injured spouse as SP
If title was taken in one spouses name,
court would not hold this as conclusive evidence that the house was the spouses SP absent some manifestation by the other spouse that the house was intended as a gift
If H and W took the title to the house as JT w/ right of surviorship, each spouse has a
1/2 undivided interest during whole life and on death, title controls
Under CA’s anti-lucas statute, property is treated as CP with
right to reimbursement for any SP used by either spouse to improve the home
All debts incurred by either spouse prior to or during the course of marriage are
community debts.
Tort Obligations are incurred when
tort occurs not when the judgement is handed down