Divorce & joint ownership
Valuing in contradiction, without serving a party
In a divorce or exit from joint ownership, real-estate value often determines the balance of the settlement. The practice intervenes as an independent expert in the contradictory framework, in liaison with both parties' counsel.
Typical cases
- Liquidation of community of property (communauté universelle or réduite aux acquêts)
- Exit from joint ownership following dissolution of Pacs or cohabitation
- Valuation of a separately-owned asset whose value has materially changed
- Recompenses and financial claims between spouses
What you receive
- Contradictory site visit, with or in the presence of both parties' counsel
- Reasoned report acceptable to the family-affairs judge (JAF)
- Regular exchanges with lawyers throughout the procedure
- Hearing attendance before the court if required
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the most common questions about this domain.
Who can commission a valuation in a divorce? +
Both spouses jointly (adversarial private valuation — fastest path), one of them alone (private valuation), or the family judge if the court orders it (judicial expertise under CPC art. 232).
What date is used to value a property in a divorce? +
Typically the date of separated enjoyment (date de jouissance divise) or the date of partition. The judge may set a different date. The expert applies the date set in the engagement letter.
Does an adversarial private valuation hold the same weight as a judicial one? +
In practice, it's rarely set aside by the judge provided the adversarial procedure was respected (joint visit, contradictory exchanges, report shared simultaneously). It's the fastest and most cost-effective option.
The property is jointly owned — do we still need a valuation? +
Yes, especially if the co-owners disagree on value. The valuation sets a reference figure that anchors the sale, buyout, or partition in kind.
How long does an adversarial valuation take? +
Four to six weeks on average for a standard asset, from engagement letter signature to report delivery. Complex matters take longer.
Engage the practice
First exchange
All work is undertaken under a signed engagement letter. The first exchange — by phone or email — frames the scope and purpose of the valuation.