Dallas Divorce Law Blog by Michelle O'Neil

More than likely, each spouse entered into the marriage with personal assets. Just as likely, once married, the spouses accumulated joint assets including money, real estate, personal property such as cars and investments, and even debt. How to properly and fairly divide this property can turn even the most amicable divorce into a bitter battle.

Texas, along with California, Louisiana and a handful of other states, use a “community property” system of property division, which was derived from Spanish law. Other states follow an English law tradition.

So what does it mean when we say Texas is a community property state? It means that a court can divide the community property between the spouses, but cannot divide separate property.

Separate property is something one person (1) owned before the marriage; (2) individually received during the marriage by gift or inheritance; or (3) in some circumstances, money received in a personal injuries lawsuit during the marriage (except for lost earning capacity.) Community property is everything other than separate property.

There is a presumption that all property owned at the time of divorce is community property. If either spouse insists that certain property is separate property, it is up to that person to prove their claim in court.

However, not every case has to go before a judge for asset division. After filing for divorce, the spouses are free to agree to divide their assets any way they see fit. They can even split their personal property or agree to pay alimony on their own.