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<p class="MsoNormal">Maybe. It sounds like all funds expended on the house were community (post-marital earnings), so the community (not H alone) has a possible equitable lien for reimbursement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Part of the lien would be for <b><i>actual improvements</i></b> to the property. Expenditures for repair and maintenance are highly unlikely to cause a lien to arise. I generally think of it as, “repair and maintenance” is taking something
in the house from “bad” condition to “good” condition, while an “improvement” is adding something new to the house (extra bathroom, roof dormer) or
<b><i>significantly</i></b> upgrading quality (complete renovation of the kitchen with new wiring, better cabinets, higher-end appliances, etc.), such that an appraiser would re-evaluate the house in terms of its features, not just change its general condition
from, say, “average” to “good.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The measure of the lien differs depending on what it is reimbursing for. If it’s payments on a purchase-money loan that was W’s separate obligation, the measure is typically the total amount of payments made by community funds. If it’s
money spent to improve the real property, or direct community labor of the non-owning spouse to improve the real property, the measure is typically the change in market value of the property before and after the improvement.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The bad news is: the community expenditures are offset by the benefit to the community derived from being able to live at the residence.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Three key helpful case are <u>In re Marriage of Elam</u>, 97 Wn.2d 811, 650 P.2d 213 (1982);
<u>Miracle v. Miracle</u>, 101 Wn.2d 137, 675 P.2d 1229 (1984); <u>In re Marriage of Pearson-Maines</u>, 70 Wn.App. 860, 855 P.2d 1210 (1993). But the situation is very complicated and convoluted. You should check out the WSBA Community Property Deskbook, Ch.
3.4. It’s available through <a href="https://washington.casemakerlibra.com/home/login.aspx">
Casemaker Libra</a> (different from free Casemaker) and it’s only $60.00 to get access to that one book for a year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here’s an excerpt from that Chapter 3.4:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="bodytext3" style="margin-right:3.75pt;text-indent:40.0pt;background:white">
<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman-Roman",serif;color:black">Understanding the decisions is complicated by the terminology employed by the courts, particularly in the early decisions. The courts have referred to the “community estate”
and the “separate estate(s)” as if three legal entities existed independent of the husband and wife involved. Accurate discussion requires use of the term “character” as denoting the quality of property being either the husband’s separate, the wife’s separate,
or community property.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="bodytext3" style="margin-right:3.75pt;text-indent:40.0pt;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman-Roman",serif;color:black">As noted, Washington courts seem satisfied that when an improvement is made upon property of a character different from that used for the improvement, the character of the
asset improved remains unchanged. The character of the improvement becomes the same as that of the improved property. As stated in <i>Conley v. Moe</i>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=7+Wn.2d+355&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">7
Wn.2d 355</a>, 360, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=110+P.2d+172&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">110 P.2d 172</a> (1941):<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="bodyindent" style="mso-margin-top-alt:9.0pt;margin-right:3.75pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:35.0pt;text-align:justify;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">[T]he status of property, whether real or personal, becomes fixed as of the date of its purchase or acquisition, and remains so fixed unless changed by deed, by due process of law,
or by the working of some form of estoppel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px">
<i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Accord Baker v. Baker</span></i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=80+Wn.2d+736&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">80
Wn.2d 736</a>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=498+P.2d+315&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">498 P.2d 315</a> (1972);<i> Leroux v. Knoll</i>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=28+Wn.2d+964&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">28
Wn.2d 964</a>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=184+P.2d+564&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">184 P.2d 564</a> (1947); <i>In re Pugh’s Estate</i>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=18+Wn.2d+501&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">18
Wn.2d 501</a>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=139+P.2d+698&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">139 P.2d 698</a> (1943); <i>Strand v. Pekola</i>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=18+Wn.2d+164&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">18
Wn.2d 164</a>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=138+P.2d+204&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">138 P.2d 204</a> (1943); <i>White v. White</i>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=105+Wn.+App.+545&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">105
Wn. App. 545</a>, 553, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=20+P.3d+481&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">20 P.3d 481</a> (2001).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="bodytext3" style="margin-right:3.75pt;text-indent:40.0pt;background:white;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman-Roman",serif;color:black">In the court’s view, such improvements upon property do not change the legal title to it, but do subject it to certain equities that give rise to a right of reimbursement secured
by an equitable lien on it. <i>Conley</i>, 7 Wn.2d at 361. Similarly, payments on a mortgage obligation or purch<i>ase</i> contract give rise to a right of reimbursement. <i>Fritch v. Fritch</i>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=53+Wn.2d+496&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">53
Wn.2d 496</a>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=335+P.2d+43&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">335 P.2d 43</a> (1959) (purch<i>ase</i> contract); <i>Merkel v. Merkel,</i> <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=39+Wn.2d+102&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">39
Wn.2d 102</a>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=234+P.2d+857&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">234 P.2d 857</a> (1951) (mortgage); <i>Farrow v. Ostrom</i>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=16+Wn.2d+547&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">16
Wn.2d 547</a>, <a href="http://links.casemakerlegal.com/states/WA/books/Case_Law/results?ci=14&search%5bCite%5d=133+P.2d+974&fn=Washington%20Community%20Property%20Deskbook" target="_new">133 P.2d 974</a> (1943) (purchase contract).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">eric@sayrelawoffices.com<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Paul Neumiller<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, November 27, 2019 8:13 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com; wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] CP Interest in Originally Separate Property<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Listmates (sorry for the double post): I need those fancy litigator string of cases for the following situation: Wife ("W") acquires residence prior to marriage. After marriage, W's and H's paychecks are used to pay, fix, and improve
residence and pay on a loan for the residence. H spends hours on house and yard. H pays for some payments out of his own disability checks from worker's comp. Is there any possibility that H has acquired a community property interest in the residence?
I don't need to prove the actual percentage or dollar amount at this point, just the
<i>possibility</i> of H acquiring a community property interest (or some kind in interest) in the residence. Thanks. (this is far-afield of my area and I don’t even have the proper books on where to find the answer.)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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