Family law is also about property. That is where I can help.
Settling joint marital property, drawing up a prenuptial agreement or giving the family house to the children: moments when a family needs well-drafted documents. I prepare them in plain language, with the price known in advance, in Znojmo or online. Call +420 776 253 056 or write a few lines about what you are dealing with.
Mgr. Barbora Surmanová is a sole practitioner admitted in the Czech Republic (Czech Bar Association No. 13930, IČO 72524243). From her office at Rooseveltova 1011/39 in Znojmo she provides legal services focused on property within the family: agreements on the settlement of joint marital property, marriage and prenuptial agreements, gifts of real property with a right of residence, and inheritance arrangements. She sees clients in person and online and, besides Czech, deals with them in German and English; for clients from Austria she advises on matters of Czech law.
Where I can help you in family law
I focus on the property side of family law:
- settlement of joint marital property (společné jmění manželů, SJM) after a divorce, and narrowing it during the marriage,
- marriage and prenuptial agreements,
- gifts of real property within the family with a right of residence,
- arranging co-ownership between relatives,
- wills and inheritance agreements that follow on from transfers of property.
Settlement of joint marital property
Joint marital property ends when the divorce becomes final, but you still have to divide the assets. The quickest route is usually an agreement on the settlement of joint marital property: I draft it so that it covers real property, accounts, debts and any business, and so that the land register accepts it. You have three years from the date the divorce becomes final, after which a statutory presumption applies and the division is no longer yours to decide. The payment of a share can go through attorney escrow (advokátní úschova) recorded with the Czech Bar Association.
I need to settle joint marital property →Marriage and prenuptial agreements
An agreement on the matrimonial property regime can narrow or extend joint property, or set up separate estates. It is useful when one spouse runs a business or enters the marriage with assets of their own. The agreement has to take the form of a notarial deed. I go through the content with you, explain what each option means in practice and prepare the papers, so that you come to the notary with the solution ready.
Call +420 776 253 056 →Property between the generations
Transferring a house or a flat to your children takes more than signing a deed of gift. I prepare a deed of gift with a right of residence (služebnost bytu), in practice a life interest for the donor (věcné břemeno dožití), so that your right to live there is entered in the land register. Where it makes sense I add a prohibition on transfer or encumbrance, and I file the application for registration for you. I also advise on wills and on inheritance agreements (dědická smlouva): those require a notarial deed, so I prepare the content and coordinate the signing with the notary.
I want to discuss a transfer of property →Families between Znojmo and Vienna
Znojmo lies a few kilometres from the Austrian border and about an hour from Vienna, so family property often crosses the border: a marriage to an Austrian partner, a house in the Znojmo area. I am an attorney-at-law admitted in the Czech Republic (Czech Bar Association No. 13930). I am not admitted in Austria, Germany or the United Kingdom, and I advise on Czech law. I deal with clients in Czech, German and English, and certified translations are provided by a sworn translator of German I work with. A consultation can also be held by video call.
Arrange a consultation →Divorce and the care of children? I will be straight with you
My focus is property. An agreement on the settlement of joint marital property and on housing is exactly the kind of work I do, and an uncontested divorce that follows on from the agreed division of assets is something I see through as well. Disputes about the care of children are not my focus; if that is mainly what you are dealing with, I will say so openly at the first consultation and suggest where to turn.
All the services I offer →What clients usually ask
By when does joint marital property have to be settled after a divorce?
You have three years from the date the divorce becomes final to settle it by agreement or by an application to the court. After that a statutory presumption applies: movable things go to whoever uses them exclusively as an owner, and real property passes into co-ownership in shares. Settling in time tends to be quicker and cheaper than a dispute.
Can joint marital property be settled by agreement, without going to court?
Yes, an agreement is the most common route and usually the quickest one. If real property is part of it, the agreement has to be in writing and ownership changes only on registration in the land register. I prepare the agreement and the application for registration; the payment of a share can be handled through attorney escrow.
How can I give the house to my children and still live in it?
The usual solution is a deed of gift with a right of residence, known in practice as a life interest for the donor. It is entered in the land register together with the transfer, so your housing is secured by an entry in the register and does not rest on a promise alone. Depending on the situation, I also add a prohibition on transfer and encumbrance.
Do you also help with the divorce itself or with the care of children?
With the property side, yes: I prepare the agreement on the settlement of joint marital property and on housing, and I see through an uncontested divorce that follows on from the agreed division of assets. Disputes about the care of children are not the focus of my practice; in that case I will tell you straight away and suggest where to turn.
How much do the services cost?
I tell you the price at the first consultation, before I start work, and the agreed price then stands. Common services such as an agreement on the settlement of joint marital property, a deed of gift or a will are offered at a fixed price.
Tell me what your family is dealing with
Call +420 776 253 056, write to ak@surman.cz or use the form on aksurman.cz. I reply by the second working day at the latest; at the first consultation I tell you what your options are and what the service will cost. That way you know the price in advance.
Call +420 776 253 056 +420 776 253 056