Code of Virginia: Property Rights of Married Persons (§ 55.1-200 et seq.)

Virginia law on the property rights of married persons establishes that each spouse retains full and independent control over their own property, both real and personal, as though unmarried. A married person may acquire, use, manage, and dispose of property free from claims arising solely from the debts or liabilities of the other spouse. Neither spouse has automatic rights to the possession, profits, or use of the other’s property during marriage, and protections ensure that creditors cannot reach one spouse’s assets to satisfy the obligations of the other. These provisions modernize and equalize the treatment of married persons in property matters, ensuring that marital status does not diminish an individual’s legal capacity or property rights.