I am under guardianship and wish to get married. My guardian says he will have a marriage contract drawn up by a notary, even though I do not want one. Can he do that?

Yes. Since the law of 23 March 2019, a protected adult (under guardianship, curatorship, etc.) no longer needs to obtain a judge’s authorization to marry. Only the curator or guardian must be informed of the intended marriage (Art. 460 Civil Code). However, the guardian may request the judge’s authorization to…
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In 2018, the municipality chose not to exercise its right of pre-emption during the sale of my property. Today, after my buyer withdrew, I am putting my property back on the market. Does the urban pre-emption right apply again?

Yes. The law provides that when the seller has not sold their property within three years following the municipality’s decision not to exercise its pre-emption right, the municipality regains this right (Art. L213-8, paragraphe 2, Urban Planning Code).
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I purchased an apartment a year ago. Before my purchase, the co-owners allocated common parking spaces among themselves, but the deeds were not registered. Are these decisions enforceable against me?

Yes… but. The new allocation of parking spaces should have been formalised through an amendment to the descriptive statement of division, which must normally be registered with the Land Registry (Law No. 65-557 of 10 July 1965, Article 13). If it was not registered, this amendment is enforceable against you…
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I have been divorced for one month (on the grounds of my ex-husband’s fault) and I am awaiting the liquidation of the community property. I want to buy a car because I have found a new job far from my home. Will the car belong to me entirely?

The divorce takes effect on the date of the divorce petition when it is granted on the grounds of mutual acceptance of the principle of marital breakdown, permanent impairment of the marital bond, or fault (Article 262-1, paragraph 3 of the French Civil Code). Any asset acquired after that date…
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My husband and I bought a plot of land and built our second home ourselves. We now want to sell it. For the purpose of calculating the capital gain, which acquisition date should be used? Can the cost of materials be included?

The holding period for calculating real estate capital gains tax starts from the date of the deed of acquisition of the land, not the completion date of the construction works (BOI-RFPI-PVI-20-20). The acquisition price may be increased by construction expenses for their actual amount, provided the works were carried out…
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I am in the process of a divorce by mutual consent. My ex-spouse and I purchased a property under the Pinel tax scheme, and the commitment period ends in three years. Can we sell it before this deadline, and what steps should we take?

Yes… but If the divorce occurs during the rental commitment period, one of the ex-spouses may, subject to compliance with all conditions attached to this tax incentive scheme, request to take over the commitment for their own benefit. Otherwise, the tax reduction will be revoked. It is also accepted that…
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My father has passed away. The notary handling the estate only shows me a copy of his will and informs me that the original is with another notary. Is this legal?

Yes. Only the notary who holds the will (to whom your father entrusted it) is the custodian of the original. As soon as he is informed of the testator’s death, he must immediately draw up a report of opening and condition of the will, specifying the circumstances of its deposit…
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My husband has passed away. We lived in a home that had been gifted to him by his parents. This gift included a right of reversion that his parents now wish to exercise. Do I still have a lifetime right of use and habitation over this property?

No. The surviving spouse may claim a lifetime right of use and habitation over the property that was their main residence at the time of the spouse’s death, provided it belonged to the couple or to the deceased (Article 764 of the French Civil Code). However, case law (a body…
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I am the beneficiary of a spousal gift in which my late husband granted me the usufruct of his entire estate. Can I choose to take only the usufruct over our main residence and not over the entire estate?

As a reminder: A spousal gift (donation entre époux) is a notarised deed intended to maximise the rights of the surviving spouse without disinheriting the children (Article 1094-1 of the French Civil Code). Yes. Provided there is no prohibition stated in the spousal gift and as long as a statutory…
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I am a Swiss tax resident. My mother, who passed away this year, lived in France in a house she owned and did not make a will. Can I appoint a notary in Switzerland?

Yes, but… The law applicable to your mother’s estate is French law, since her tax residence was in France. You may choose any notary you wish, but only a French notary can file the deeds recording the transfer of ownership of your mother’s real estate with the Land Registry (Article…
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