Angel v. Angel

562 S.W.2d 661, 1978 Ky. App. LEXIS 473
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedFebruary 17, 1978
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 562 S.W.2d 661 (Angel v. Angel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Angel v. Angel, 562 S.W.2d 661, 1978 Ky. App. LEXIS 473 (Ky. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

PARK, Judge.

This is an appeal from a judgment dissolving the marriage between the petitioner-appellant, Mossie Lee Angel and her husband, Ester Angel, the respondent-appellee. The sole issue raised by this appeal relates to the trial court’s division of the property accumulated by the parties during their marriage.

The parties were married for thirty-four years. At the time of the entry of the decree dissolving the marriage, Mrs. Angel was fifty-four years of age and Mr. Angel was fifty-six years of age. The only child of the marriage, a daughter, is an adult. Both parties worked at various jobs throughout the period of the marriage. In recent years, Mrs. Angel has been the chief wage earner. Because of injuries, Mr. Angel has not been regularly employed other than caring for the operations of the farm which is the chief item of dispute.

In paragraph eight of the trial court’s findings of fact, the “property accumulated during this marriage” was described as a thirty acre farm and various items of personalty including cattle, hay, farming equipment, household goods, and two automobiles. In paragraph three of the trial court’s conclusions of law, the “marital property” of the parties was designated as the property described in paragraph eight of the findings of fact. Although not included in the property described in paragraph eight of the findings of fact, the sum of $1,300.00 was on deposit in a bank account in Mrs. Angel’s name. The trial court found that the parties “were almost even contributors to the accumulation of the marital property consisting of the real estate.” There was a specific finding that Ester Angel contributed $4,500.00 and that *663 Mossie Lee Angel contributed “approximately” $5,000.00 to the acquisition of the thirty acre farm. The trial court also found that the parties were equal contributors to the accumulation of the marital property consisting of personalty.

In the judgment, the trial court awarded Mrs. Angel the bank account and all household goods and furniture “in lieu of lump sum alimony.” Each party was awarded the automobile he or she was then driving and those personal items he or she was then using. The trial court directed that the real property, cattle and farming equipment be sold and that the proceeds be equally divided between the parties. Mossie Lee Angel asserts that this division of property is erroneous for two reasons. First, she claims that the trial court failed to assign to her the property she received by inheritance and gift. Second, she contends that the trial court did not give adequate recognition to her contribution to the acquisition of the marital property.

Under KRS 403.190, the trial court must first assign to each spouse all of his or her separate property. Only after the non-marital property has been restored does the trial court divide the marital property between the parties. See Farmer v. Farmer, Ky., 506 S.W.2d 109 (1974).

The trial court made no specific finding that any property of the parties constituted nonmarital property. As the bank account did not fall within the property described as being marital property, it would be logical to assume that the trial court considered the bank account to be nonmarital property. However, the bank account is included in the property awarded to Mossie Lee Angel “in lieu of lump sum alimony.” If the bank account constituted her separate nonmarital property, then there was no need to award it to her as maintenance under KRS 403.-200. On the other hand, the award of the bank account to Mrs. Angel may not have been intended as an award of maintenance because the court made no findings of fact as required by KRS 403.200.

As the thirty acre farm was described as being marital property, it would be logical to assume that the trial court found that no interest in the farm constituted nonmarital property. However, the trial court made a specific finding that Ester Angel contributed $4,500.00 and Mossie Lee Angel contributed approximately $5,000.00 to the acquisition of the farm. It is not clear whether the trial court considered these contributions to be nonmarital property. Consequently, we must consider whether either assumption would be correct.

At the time of their marriage, neither party owned any significant property. The first asset acquired after the marriage was a farm known as the Bethlehem Church farm. This farm was purchased for $1,800.00. Of that sum, $1,400.00 had been inherited by Ester Ai.gel on the death of his father. The parties lived on the Bethlehem Church farm for twelve years. During this time, they built a house, barn, and outbuildings. The Bethlehem Church farm was sold for $4,500.00.

That portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Bethlehem Church farm attributable to the investment of Ester Angel’s $1,400.00 inheritance constituted nonmarital property. Farmer v. Farmer, supra; KRS 403.190(2). The payment of the balance of the purchase price and the improvements were the result of the “team effort” of the parties during the marriage. That portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Bethlehem Church property attributable to the improvements and the payment of the balance of the purchase price for the land constituted marital property. Sharp v. Sharp, Ky., 491 S.W.2d 639 (1973) (first appeal); KRS 403.190(2)(e). Unfortunately, there is no evidence in the record indicating the value of the improvements. Consequently, Ester Angel has .not demonstrated that there was any increase in the value of the investment of his $1,400.00 inheritance. Except for the initial investment of his $1,400.00 inheritance, Ester Angel has not overcome the presumption that the proceeds of the sale of the Bethlehem Church farm constituted marital property. KRS 403.190(3).

*664 The thirty acre farm owned by the parties at the time of the dissolution of the marriage was originally a part of a larger farm owned by Mossie Lee Angel’s father. Following the death of her father, Mrs. Angel and the other heirs partitioned the farm. Although the tracts in the partition varied in size, all were intended to be of equal value. In 1958, Mrs. Angel received a deed to one tract as her allotment in the partition of her father’s farm. During 1959 and 1960, two sisters and a brother sold their tracts from the partition to the Angels. Two of the tracts were purchased for $350.00; the third, for $500.00. In 1961, the Angels acquired a fifth tract from another brother of Mrs. Angel. No casn consideration was paid for this tract. Mr. and Mrs. Angel were both named as grantees in all five of the deeds. As a result of the various transactions, Mr. and Mrs.

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Bluebook (online)
562 S.W.2d 661, 1978 Ky. App. LEXIS 473, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/angel-v-angel-kyctapp-1978.