Can you remove a spouse from the home?

In California, it is possible to legally force your spouse to move out of your home and stay away for a certain length of time. One can only get such a court order, however, if he or she shows assault or threats of assault in an emergency or the potential for physical or emotional harm in a non-emergency.

When to change the locks on a family home?

When you separate from your partner, spouse or civil partner, and they leave the family home, you may wish to change the locks to stop them coming back. Can you do this? It all depends on how you own your property. If: 1. You are renting your property and both names are on the tenancy agreement; or 2. You own your property in joint names

Can a spouse change the locks in a divorce?

If you are going through a divorce, it can be tempting to take strong action such as changing the locks on your home to prevent your spouse from accessing the property. However, you should exercise caution. Your partner will normally have a right to enter or stay in the family home if:

Can a partner change the locks on your home?

If you jointly own your home with your partner, both of you are entitled to enter or occupy the property, unless there is some sort of restrictive court order in place (see above). This is true even if the other party has moved out of your home. If you change the locks, the other party could simply have the locks changed again to gain access.

Can a spouse lock their spouse out of the House?

Sometimes a spouse will go away for a trip, or even go to work for the day, and return home to find the locks changed. These situations raise the important questions of when one spouse may permissibly lock the other out of the marital home, or may change the locks to prevent a spouse who has moved out from returning.

Can you change the locks while your spouse is still in the House?

If you change the locks while your spouse is still an owner of the home as well, then they certainly have the right to come back and enter the house. Your spouse would most likely be within their rights to hire a locksmith to get back into the house.

Why do I want to change the locks on my house?

If you’ve changed the locks without telling your estranged spouse, you may make the divorce process even more contentious. A common reason why people want to change the locks is they fear that their spouse will come to the house and take or hide assets.

Can a husband call the police if I have changed the locks?

Until a court says otherwise, your husband has as much legal right to live in your house as you do. Changing the locks on the family home so your husband doesn’t have access is not a viable solution to domestic unrest.

Can you change the locks on a house without a court order?

However, if there is no court order regarding the house, then it can be a bit of a gray area as to whether you can or should change the locks to the house. It is important to really examine your motivation for doing so, weigh the possible consequences, and act accordingly. Consult an attorney if you have questions about your circumstances.