Opinion ID: 1430158
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Whether ownership in the residence at issue was transmuted as to become community property.

Text: The trial court found that since Husband intended to give part of the residence at issue to Wife, the residence was transmuted from separate to community property. There is no substantial evidence in the record to support this finding. The relevant statute is Section 47-1-16, N.M.S.A. 1978, which states: An instrument conveying or transferring title to real or personal property to two or more persons as joint tenants, to two or more persons and to the survivors of them and the heirs and assigns of the survivor, or to two or more persons with right of survivorship, shall be prima facie evidence that such property is held in joint tenancy... . A joint tenancy deed creates a presumption that a joint tenancy is created unless there is evidence showing the contrary. Here, the record shows that the residence at issue was acquired as separate property, but there is nothing in the record to indicate that its present ownership is other than by joint tenancy. The record shows that the parties were concerned with what would happen to Wife if something would happen to Husband. This evidence shows that the intent of Husband in executing the joint tenancy deed was to create a right of survivorship. Although a joint tenancy can be destroyed by agreement of the parties upon dissolution of marriage, this is an event different from dividing community property. We hold that the residence at issue is held by the parties in joint tenancy.