Upon dissolution, the Court must distribute all the property owned by the parties between them. The Court first determines whether the property should be characterized as community or separate.
Community property is property acquired during the marriage.
Separate property is that which one spouse owned before the marriage or inherited or received as a gift during the marriage. Generally the division of property is left to the Courts, with the intent that what is done is just an right. Factors that may determine how property is divided include the length of marriage, age, health and life status of the spouses. Also considered are each spouses' occupation, income amounts and sources, and vocational skills for future employment opportunities.