Adding Spouse to Legal Title Transmutes Non-Marital Real Property to Marital; Wedding Rings are Separate Non-Marital Property

Recent Case: JJ v. EJ Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District - WD74148

Adding a spouse to the title of non-marital property, in this case a farm, transmutes separate non-marital property into marital property. Consequently, when Respondent re-titled the property adding his spouse to the title, the farm became marital property. When the parties placed the property into their trust, the property remained marital property.

In her third point, Appellant contends that the trial court erred in finding the wedding rings were marital property. The Appellate court agrees because there was no evidence in the record to support that the rings were marital property. The only evidence is Respondent’s testimony that he purchased the rings for Appellant, and an inter vivos gift to a spouse is non-marital property.