What happens to property owned separately by a spouse before marriage?

When a spouse owns property separately before entering a marriage, that property is treated as separate property. This means that it remains solely owned by that spouse throughout the marriage. The legal principle underpinning this is that any assets acquired prior to the marriage do not automatically convert to community property, which is co-owned by both spouses during the marriage.

Separate property can include various forms of assets, such as real estate, investments, or personal belongings that were acquired prior to the marital union. In case of a divorce, the separate property remains with the original owner unless they decide to change its status, such as by transferring it into joint ownership. Thus, the correct understanding is that property owned by a spouse before marriage maintains its separate character during the marriage and must be recognized as such in any legal context involving property division.