By Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida
Many women are surprised to learn that in divorce cases, their jewelry may or may not be theirs. In Florida, which is an equitable disribution state, gifts between husbands and wives during the marriage, if purchased with marital income, are marital property. Therefore jewelry is divisible in divorce.
The engagement ring, given prior to the marriage, is the wife’s to kep if in fact she married. This is a viewed under the law as a pre-marital gift. But a husband’s jewelry, if given during the marriage, and a wife’s jewelry, if given during the marriage, is deemed to be marital property.
In divorce, normally what happens, is if it is substantial, saay worth more than $100,000 an appraisal is taken. Then the husband or wife will keep the “stuff” but the other spouse will be given the equivilant one half dollar amount from some other joint asset such as the marital home, or a bank account.
In vindictive divorces, jewelry has been known to be “stolen” so if you find yourself in this type of situation, don’t leave your jewelry laying around. It is hard to prove it was the spouse who did the stealing. For more information, click on the website of Robin Roskind, P.A. at www.familylawwpb.com or call to consult with one of the attorneys at the Firm at 561-835-9091.