community property

the wife has, in Washington, a vested property right in the community property, equal with that of her husband; and in the income of the community, including salaries or wages of either husband or wife, or both

Property acquired during the existence of the matrimonial relation, which in some states (Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Idaho, and Washington) belongs equally to the spouses. The doctrine is of Spanish origin. See Schmidt, Civ. Law, p. 28; White, New Recop. p. 60. The husband, as head of the community (q. v.), has control of the property during the existence of the marriage relation (101 Cal. 563; 3 Wash. 592); but on dissolution of the community by death or divorce, it is divided equally between the parties (63 Cal. 77); the testamentary power of the deceased spouse being limited to the testator's moiety. 18 Cal. 291.

See Community.

Defined under Property in Black's Law Dictionary.

Community property is property acquired by husband and wife, or either, during marriage, when not acquired as the separate property of either. Civil Code Cal. § 687. This partnership or community consists of the profits of all the eitests of which the husband has the administration and enjoyment, either of right or in fact, of the produce of the reciprocal industry and labor of both husband and wife, and of the estates which they may acquire during the marriage, either by donations made jointly to them both, or by purchase, or in any other similar way, even although the purchase be only in the name of one of the two, and not of both, because in that case the period of time when the purchase is made is alone attended to, and not the person who made the purchase. Civil Code La. art. 2402.