Property Division Decades of Experience

Mission Viejo Property Division Lawyer

Worried About Property Division in Divorce?

The division of property is often an issue of contention in divorce. As this is a community property state, the process of dividing marital property is part of the process, and can be fairly simple or very complex, particularly in high net worth divorces, or in marriages of long duration. The term "community property" refers to the fact that under state law, both spouses have equal ownerships of all of the assets acquired during marriage. Some exceptions include:

Property that was obtained by gift or inheritance;
Property acquired after a legal separation;
Property owned prior to the marriage;
Property that was specified as non-marital property in a pre-marital agreement.

If community property has included contributions from both parties, whether these contributions were equal or not, this property will be divided equally in a property settlement. It can be a complex matter to sort out "who gets what." It is important that you have legal representation that will protect your right to your share of the marital property, and will help you to take action to retain any separate property, which can be an issue, particularly in marriages of long duration.

Rules of Property Division in California

Property division is not accomplished through an exact division of assets. The assets deemed to be marital assets, including any increase in value of assets during the term of the marriage will be divided equally in terms of value. This is one of the most important aspects of a divorce, and should be managed by a legal professional who can find hidden assets, sort out issues related to the comingling of funds, business ownership and financial contributions and participation and other matters.

If there were debts incurred by one spouse for an educational degree, it is likely that these costs will be reimbursed out of their portion of the estate to the other spouse. Pension plans, employment benefits, business ownership and interests, and the family home and other property will be divided, and the court uses certain formulas for each type of asset. In many cases, negotiating a settlement outside of court leads to a better resolution – one that makes sense to both parties. Our firm, led by Attorney Daniel C. Hunter, IV, has more than 30 combined years of experience in property division, including the determination of separate or community property, and can represent you either in negotiating a fair property settlement, or at trial when these matters cannot be resolved without the intervention of the court. Call our firm today to schedule a consultation.

Helping Draft a Strategy To Help You Move Forward

Working With Our Professionals at Hunter Law Group

Giving You One-On-One Advice
When you schedule your initial consultation with our firm, you'll be able to speak directly with one of our experienced family law attorneys and begin discussing the specifics of your case.
Helping You Write The Next Chapter
We're committed to helping you move on with proactive legal solutions to help resolve a wide range of family law related concerns. To learn more, we recommend reaching out to our offices to schedule a consultation.
Decades of Legal Experience
Our team of legal professionals have a strong understanding of family law and the various elements that can affect your divorce, child support, and post-divorce agreement.
Customized Legal Solutions
At Hunter Law Group, we take our time to get to know you, your case, and the specifics of your situation to better provide legal solutions tailored to your specific case or legal concern.

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What Our Clients Are Saying

At Hunter Law Group, we've spend over a decade providing unparalleled legal service, advice, and guidance to our clients throughout Southern California.

“My only complaint is that I wish I would have found him earlier.”
I was actually in trial when I realized that my then current attorney "was not cutting it" so to speak. Mr. Hunter agreed to take my case in the middle of trial. I was relieved! Unfortunately, the damage had been done. He was not able to turn the trial judge around, so Mr. Hunter took my case up on appeal and WON! The result on appeal was a reversal of the trial court's spousal support order as well as an order for a new trial on the issue of attorneys' fees. At the second trial on the issue of attorneys' fees and costs, Mr. Hunter was successful in obtaining an order that saved me from having to pay approximately $180,000 in legal fees and costs to my ex-wife. What a relief!!! Mr. Hunter is a master at his craft. My only complaint is that I wish I would have found him earlier.

Mike
“It’s an understatement when I say Dan Hunter was capable and trustworthy during a very tough divorce process!”
I highly recommend you chose him to represent you…and then REST ASSURED that you have made a great choice! He was both collaborative and strategic in getting me the best possible outcome. Not to mention, he has an amazing staff that are well versed in law themselves and also professional and kind to lend an ear to my gripes from time to time.

Nicole K.
“A ray of light throughout the storm”
After leaving a less than favorable relationship with my son's father and trying to navigate Family Law and the legal system on my own, I found myself completely bewildered. I was referred to The Hunter Law Group by a family friend and have been blown away by how amazing they have been to work with. Not only are they open and honest in their practices, they also empathetic, accommodating, and understanding. Every time I speak with them I feel at ease due to the security and trust they have built while working with them. My whole situation has been a nightmare legally but Dan Hunter and his staff have been a ray of light throughout the storm. I can't thank you guys enough.

S.N.
“I highly recommend The Hunter Law Group-if you are in need of a Family Law Professional.”
The Hunter Law Group guided us through a very difficult divorce/child custody case with exceptional knowledge of the law, respect and compassion. Dan Hunter is a very skilled professional and was readily available to hear our concerns. I could not imagine going through this ordeal without him. His experience with the law itself and the court system helped us navigate through this stressful situation. His staff too is excellent!

Rosemary W.

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