In Re the Marriage of Short

We accepted review to determine whether the employee stock options furnished to Petitioner Robert Short by his employer, the Microsoft Corporation, are characterized as separate property or community property under RCW 26.16. The King County Superior Court found the stock options part separate property and part community property. The Court of Appeals reversed, finding the stock options entirely community property. We conclude the Microsoft stock options are part separate property and part community property. We reverse the Court of Appeals in part, affirm in part, and remand the case to the…