Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 26 Domestic Relations - Section 26.16.010 Separate property of spouse

§ 26.16.010. Separate property of spouse

Property and pecuniary rights owned by a spouse before marriage and that acquired by him or her afterwards by gift, bequest, devise, descent, or inheritance, with the rents, issues and profits thereof, shall not be subject to the debts or contracts of his or her spouse, and he or she may manage, lease, sell, convey, encumber or devise by will such property without his or her spouse joining in such management, alienation or encumbrance, as fully, and to the same extent or in the same manner as though he or she were unmarried.

[2008 c 6 § 602; Code 1881 § 2408; RRS § 6890. Prior: See Reviser's note below.]

Notes:
     Reviser's note: For prior laws dealing with this subject see Laws 1879 pp 77-81; 1873 pp 450-455; 1871 pp 67-74; 1869 pp 318-323.

     Part headings not law -- Severability -- 2008 c 6: See RCW 26.60.900 and 26.60.901.

     Construction: "The rule of common law that statutes in derogation thereof are to be strictly construed has no application to this chapter. This chapter establishes the law of the state respecting the subject to which it relates, and its provisions and all proceedings under it shall be liberally construed with a view to effect its object." [Code 1881 § 2417.]

"This chapter shall not be construed to operate retrospectively and any right established, accrued or accruing or in any thing done prior to the time this chapter goes into effect shall be governed by the law in force at the time such right was established or accrued." [Code 1881 § 2418.] This applies to RCW 26.16.010 through 26.16.040, 26.16.060, 26.16.120, 26.16.140 through 26.16.160, and 26.16.180 through 26.16.210.

Descent of separate real property: RCW 11.04.015.

Distribution of separate personal estate: RCW 11.04.015.

Rights of married persons or domestic partners in general: RCW 26.16.150. Sections:  26.16.010  26.16.020  26.16.030  26.16.040  26.16.050  26.16.060  26.16.070  26.16.080  26.16.090  26.16.095  26.16.100  26.16.110  26.16.120  26.16.125  26.16.140  Next

Last modified: April 7, 2009