Legal Definitions - transmutation

Definition: Transmutation refers to a change in the nature of something. In family law, it can refer to the transformation of separate property into marital property, or of marital property into separate property.

Example 1: John owned a house before he got married to Jane. After they got married, they both lived in the house and made mortgage payments together. This could be considered a transmutation of John's separate property into marital property.

Example 2: Sarah and Tom got married and bought a car together. Later, they decided to get a divorce. During the divorce proceedings, they agreed that Sarah would keep the car as her separate property. This is an example of transmutation of marital property into separate property.

These examples illustrate how transmutation can occur in family law when there is a change in the nature of property ownership. It is important to understand the legal implications of transmutation, as it can affect property division in the event of a divorce or separation.