Beverly Hills Family Law Attorney
Protecting and Tracing Separate Property A Reputation for Excellence Built On Results

Protecting & Tracing Separate Property

Beverly Hills Divorce Firm Serving the Los Angeles Area

Under the California Family Code, most property acquired during marriage – regardless of how title is held – is considered community property. Every day, the family law courts are tasked with dividing community property and are mandated to do so equally.

However, like most things, there are exceptions to the general rule. The Family Code provides that in certain situations a spouse is permitted to keep his or her separate property – even if it is comingled with community property or used to purchase community property. However, to do so, a party is required to “trace” those assets back to his or her separate property. Among other things, separate property can include assets acquired prior to marriage, acquired by gift or inheritance, or acquired after separation. The complicated and difficult endeavor of tracing separate property typically requires a forensic accountant to be retained as an expert in order to work closely with the firm in finding and locating these separate property contributions.

In the family law context, this situation arises in various contexts. For example, it is typical for married couples to bring an unequal amount of wealth into a marriage. Similarly, it is common for the parents of one or both spouses to “gift” certain funds to them to purchase a family home or other asset. While this is usually not an issue before the marriage, or even during the marriage, it typically becomes a major issue during a divorce.

The statutory and case law surrounding the characterization of property in California is complicated and changing every day. The lawyers at Mansouri Law Offices have substantial knowledge and experience in addressing the complexities of preserving separate property brought into a marriage and have litigated hundreds of such cases. If there is any way to preserve your separate property, rest assured that we will find it.

Contact us today to request a consultation.

  • Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Beverly Hills Bar Association
  • State Bar of California - CA Board of Legal Specialization
  • Super Lawyers

What Sets Us Apart

Why Mansouri Law Offices is Right For You
  • Top Notch Academic Credentials
  • Big Firm Service with Personalized Attention
  • Aggressive Litigator With Experience Handling Contentious and Complicated Cases
  • Certified Family Law Specialist

The Opinions That Matter Most

See What Our Clients Have To Say
  • Roger

    I thank my lucky stars that I found this attorney before my ex did!

  • Melissa

    My ex was not a nice man and Mr. Mansouri let him have it!

  • Chris

    I couldn't be more satisfied with my attorney's.

  • Bob

    Attorney Pedram Mansouri and his staff provide excellent customer service throughout the entire process.

  • Marcio

    Truly made me feel at ease in an uneasy time in my life.

  • Jane

    He was my knight and shining armor.

  • Lisa

    You are a wonderful man and a great lawyer.

  • Ira

    I was very lucky a friend of mine recommended Attorney Mansouri!

  • Henry

    Very friendly and truly cares about you as a person.

  • Ken

    He is my favorite divorce attorney and I have had 3 of them.

  • Damon

    He is a very skilled attorney and always puts his clients first.

  • Jullia

    Pedram really helped me out and took the time to explain what we needed to do and was honest about the legal system.

  • Deanna

    Very professional, intelligent, aggressive fighter, and empathetic (toward me) which gave me a huge piece of mind.

  • Former Client

    I strongly advocate securing Pedram in divorce matters. I cannot say enough good things about him.

  • Lauren

    His ability to be calm and focused, and yet be super aggressive is unmatched.

  • Mehran

    Pedram is an amazing man and a fantastic attorney.

  • Former Client

    I can't thank him enough for everything he did for me.

  • Bubah

    He is kind and listens to what you, as a client and as an individual, have to say.

  • Sarah

    Mr. Mansouri did a tremendous job in all aspects of this case, especially keeping me calm at the court hearings.

  • Lina

    Pedram, you are a hero in my eyes.

  • MA

    Pedram is fiercely passionate about the law and incomparable in his personal character and integrity.

  • Lou

    I truly believe that if I hired someone else, I would have lost my business.

  • Former Client

    I got what I was entitled to. I have Pedram to thank for that.

  • Former Client

    Wendy and Pedram were on top of it.

  • Liv

    Absolutely marvelous job! Bravo Pedram Bravo!

  • Javier

    This is a place to go for a solid attorney.

  • Hector

    This man saved my life.

  • Bob

    Pedram was amazing! As a matter of fact, the whole staff provided excellent customer service.

  • Rita

    I am finally free!!! I totally agree with the other reviewer who said Pedram was the Top Attorney in Town!!!

  • Steve

    Hiring Pedram as my attorney was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

  • Jill

    Mr. Pedram made sure he had the truth presented in court.

  • Ben

    My attorney Pedram was top-notch.

  • Peter

    This was a decision that I have never suffered with regret.

  • Lisa

    Pedram is a very good attorney and and even better man.

  • M.A.

    A caring, experience attorney is essential to ease the heartaches. Pedram is an amazing man and a fantastic attorney. Thanks Pedram.

  • Former Client

    My husband hired an expensive firm with a lot of "bulldog" lawyers, but I felt I got much better representation at a much more reasonable rate.

  • Damon

    He is a very skilled attorney and always puts his clients first. He has an uncanny ability to explain difficult legal concepts in a simple way that a layman can understand. Pedram is honest, hard-working and highly intelligent.

  • Former Client

    He was always respectful and compassionate, but above all, he was extremely professional. One thing I loved was that he always answered my calls and questions whenever something would come up.

  • Former Client

    Pedram handled one of our corporate clients who had a complicated case that needed to be handled quietly and carefully with around the clock work. He didn't pay attention to the hours or the complexity, just getting it right and getting it done.

  • Lauren P.

    I had gone through two other attorneys in my divorce and from the minute I met with Pedram he had a clear strategy of what needed to be done. His ability to be calm and focused, and yet be super aggressive is unmatched.