Marriage: putative spouses.

Existing law specifies the circumstances under which a marriage is void or voidable. Existing law requires a court, if a determination is made that a marriage is void or voidable and either party believed in good faith that the marriage was valid, to declare the party or parties to have the status of a putative spouse and to divide the quasi-marital property that would have been community property or quasi-community property if the marriage was valid as if it were community property. This bill would instead require the court, only upon request of a party who is declared a putative spouse, to divide the quasi-marital property that would have been community property or quasi-community property if the marriage was valid as if it were community property.