Dividing of community property assets can often get nasty, especially in celebrity divorce cases. But a few celeb couples are currently providing good examples of how to distribute property and separate assets in a sensible, low-drama manner. Our firm encourages our clients to follow their lead and choose a method such as collaborative divorce or mediation to settle property disputes.
Russell Brand recently surrendered his interest in the house he and Katy Perry bought together during their marriage (which would make it community property) by signing a quitclaim deed, a document that transfers any interest a spouse may have in a property to the other spouse. He had previously stated that he wanted the divorce to proceed as amicably as possible, and it appears he's actually progressing towards that goal. In California, any assets acquired during a marriage before the date of separation are considered community. Although in your divorce proceedings you may not want to give up your half of the community assets, collaborative divorce and mediation can help you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse come to an agreement on who gets what, and what you deem fair.
Ashton Kutcher recently purchased a new house, and soon-to-be ex-wife Demi Moore also signed a quitclaim deed transferring any potential ownership she has of the house to Kutcher. They are attempting to keep their financial affairs separate after their pending divorce, which is something collaborative divorce and mediation can accomplish since you are working together with your spouse towards a common goal--an amicable settlement and distribution of assets.
While you may not be a high-profile celebrity, we, the Pasadena family law attorneys of the Law Offices of Makupson & Howard, will certainly provide you with high-quality service, whether you choose collaborative divorce/mediaton, or your divorce is as contentious as they come. But you don't need to have millions of dollars in assets to benefit from collaborative divorce or mediation!