Equitable distribution is observed in all states that do not follow community property laws. This means if a marriage ends, the court will distribute all of the property acquired during the marriage in an "equitable" or fair manner. To determine distribution, the court may look at a variety of factors, including:
- The relative earnings contributed by both spouses during the marriage
- Whether one spouse subordinated a career to raise the children
- The amount of each spouse's separate property
- The duration of the marriage
- Which spouse will have custody of the children
