Which set correctly lists the five ways property may be acquired in California according to Civil Code Section 1000?

• A. Occupancy, Recession, Transfer, Will, and Succession
• B. Occupancy, Accession, Transfer, Will, and Succession
• C. Occupancy, Accession, Transfer, Will, and Prevision
• D. Accession, Transfer, Will, Succession, and Prevision

Answer: (B)

In California law, property can be acquired in five ways: occupancy, accession, transfer, will, and succession. Occupancy means taking possession of property that is unowned or abandoned with the intention to own it. Accession covers gaining title to property that becomes part of or is increased by another's property through natural or artificial processes—for example, value added to materials or products produced from someone else’s property. Transfer encompasses obtaining title through a lawful transfer such as purchase, gift, or exchange. Will refers to testamentary transfer of property after death, while succession is the transfer of property by operation of law upon death, typically to heirs when there is no will.

So the set that lists Occupancy, Accession, Transfer, Will, and Succession is the correct one. The other options include terms that aren’t recognized methods of acquisition in Civil Code Section 1000 (such as recession or prevision) or omit one of the valid categories.