Brian Berger v. Michelle Ann Berger

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided June 17, 1992·No. 03-90-00093-CV·Published

Opinion

Berger v. Berger
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT OF TEXAS,


AT AUSTIN




NO. 3-90-093-CV


BRIAN BERGER,


APPELLANT



vs.


MICHELLE ANN BERGER,


APPELLEE





FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF TRAVIS COUNTY, 353RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT


NO. 463,236, HONORABLE F. SCOTT MCCOWN, JUDGE PRESIDING




Dr. Brian Berger appeals from a final decree of divorce and suit affecting the parent-child relationship following trial before the court. In six points of error, he complains that the trial court improperly awarded appellee, Dr. Michelle Berger, a portion of his medical practice and ordered him to pay excessive child support. We affirm the trial court's judgment.



DIVISIBLE GOODWILL

Both parties are medical doctors, ophthalmologists licensed to practice in Texas. Dr. Brian Berger specializes in retinal surgery and claims his practice is based entirely on referrals.

Appellant's first three points of error complain of the property division. Because appellant fails to demonstrate error requiring reversal, we will overrule all three points of error. Appellant contends that the trial court abused its discretion by awarding appellee a portion of the goodwill in his medical practice that is personal to him and therefore not divisible on divorce. As a matter of law, he argues, there can be no goodwill separate and apart from the personal skill and reputation of a physician like himself whose practice depends entirely upon referrals. He cites no authority for this proposition.

Notwithstanding appellant's complaint, the trial court did not award appellee an interest in the practice; instead, the court awarded appellant all of his medical practice, both tangible and intangible assets, and as part of the property division ordered him to pay appellee a promissory note in an amount equal to one-half the divisible portion of appellant's practice.  Appellant concedes the existence of $392,500 community interest in his medical practice. Appellee was awarded a sum of money less than the undisputed amount.

Under Texas law, that part of goodwill which is based on a professional person's skill, experience and reputation, as well as upon his continuing in the practice of that profession, is not subject to division upon divorce as a part of the community estate. See Nail v. Nail, 486 S.W.2d 761 (Tex. 1972). This personal goodwill does not possess value or constitute an asset separate and apart from the professional's ability, and it is extinguished upon his death. Id. at 764. Some goodwill as well as other intangible assets, however, may be divisible upon divorce. One court stated the test as follows: First, goodwill must exist independently of the personal ability of the professional spouse. Second, if any such goodwill exists, it must have a commercial value in which the community estate is entitled to share. Finn v. Finn, 658 S.W.2d 735, 741 (Tex. App. 1983, writ ref'd n.r.e.). When the record contains evidence that the professional business has goodwill that may be divisible, in determining the divisible portion another court has stated that the trier of fact should exclude the value of the business attributable to the personal goodwill of the professional spouse; the time, toil and talent the spouse will expend following the divorce; and/or the spouse's willingness not to compete thereafter. Rathmell v. Morrison, 732 S.W.2d 6, 18 (Tex. App. 1987, no writ). The trial court need not make particular findings as to the value of each factor considered; upon proper request, it is enough that the trial court's findings show clearly that the value for nondivisible elements of goodwill was excluded. Id. at 18.

Appellant's first point of error assumes certain facts: (1) his practice depends entirely upon referrals; (2) the intangible assets of his practice consist only of goodwill; (3) all of the goodwill is personal to him; and (4) a portion of his personal goodwill is awarded to appellee. However, there are no findings to support these assumed facts. Even if appellant's legal position is correct, the record presented to us on appeal does not affirmatively show that the trial court awarded any of appellant's personal goodwill to appellee. Thus, we cannot assume error.

Appellant further complains that the award to appellee constitutes an abuse of discretion because the evidence is legally and factually insufficient to support a finding that there is any goodwill in his medical practice that is subject to division on divorce. (1) However, the trial court made no such finding.

The decree of divorce contains about thirty pages dealing with the disposition of property. According to appellant, the trial court valued the parties' net community estate at $1,674,000. The evidence showed that appellant's medical practice was valued at $1,055,067, but the trial court found only $722,448 of that practice to be divisible community property and only that value is included in the net community estate. Appellant contends that this figure includes $330,000 he labels personal goodwill. He complains only with regard to this matter.

We note first that appellant does not challenge any of the trial court's findings of fact by point of error. Thus, they are binding on appeal. See Hunt County Tax Appr. Dist. v. Rubbermaid, Inc., 719 S.W.2d 215, 223 (Tex. App. 1986, writ ref'd n.r.e.); Texas State Bd. of Pharmacy v. Gibson's Discount Ctr., Inc., 541 S.W.2d 884, 886 (Tex. Civ. App. 1976, writ ref'd n.r.e.). Further, appellant did not request any findings in addition to those made, and we cannot assume facts contrary to the judgment.

Moreover, appellant does not complain by point of error that the overall division of community property is disproportionate or even unequal, although he attempts to assert such an argument by post-submission letter brief. Instead, he directs his complaint to the characterization and disposition of only a portion of one asset, personal goodwill in his medical practice. Even mischaracterization of property, however, will not require reversal unless the overall property division is manifestly unfair or disproportionate so as to constitute an abuse of discretion. Murff v. Murff, 615 S.W.2d 696, 699 (Tex. 1981); Cravens v. Cravens, 533 S.W.2d 372 (Tex. Civ. App. 1975, no writ). The trial court found that the property division ordered is fair, just, and equitable. See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 3.63 (Supp. 1992).

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