Bussey v. Bussey

1931 OK 32, 296 P. 401, 148 Okla. 10, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 784
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedFebruary 10, 1931
Docket21140
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 1931 OK 32 (Bussey v. Bussey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bussey v. Bussey, 1931 OK 32, 296 P. 401, 148 Okla. 10, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 784 (Okla. 1931).

Opinion

ANDREWS,, J.

Telee Bussey instituted suit against her husband, Frank Bussey, for divorce, division of property, custody of the minor children, allowance for support of minor children and attorney fees. Her husband filed a cross-petition. After trial upon the merits, the trial court rendered judgment in accordance with prayer of the plaintiff's petition. From that judgment the defendant appealed to this court.

The parties will be hereinafter referred lo as they appeared in the trial court.

The defendant presents five propositions, the fifth of which is an allegation of error In the overruling of his motion for new trial. The other four propositions will be considered separately, and, in so doing, we will cover the question raised by his fifth proposition.

The first proposition is:

“Error of the court in admitting incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial testimony offered and introduced by plaintiff, which is covered in assignment No. 2.”

The defendant contends that certain testimony offered -by -the plaintiff should not have been admitted by the trial co.irt, for the reason, as he says, that his conduct shown by; that testimony had been condoned by the plaintiff. The authorities cited by him are as to the doctrine of condonation. He cites no authority applying to the question of procedure involved. The fact that the acts of an individual have been condoned does not make evidence of those acts incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial. There is no error in permitting proof of acts of misconduct because of an allegation in the pleadings that those acts have been copdoned. Condonation must not only be alleged, but, where it is denied by the pleadings, it must be proven. Here the allegation of condonation was denied. There was evidence tending to prove condonation, but even though it was sufficient to show condonation, error cannot be predicated on the admission of testimony showing the acts. Where, by the pleadings, acts of misconduct are alleged to have been condoned and' that allegation is denied, tending to show the alleged acts should not be excluded on objection that that evidence is incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.

The second proposition presented is:

“Error in overruling demurrer of the defendant to the evidence offered by the plaintiff. This proposition covers assignment of error No. .3.’’"'

This court-, .cannot say that there was no competent evidence reasonably tending to support the claims of the plaintiff, and; there being such evidence, there was no error in overruling the demurrer of the defendant to the evidence. In Gregory v. Oklahoma Operating Co., 139 Okla. 243, 282 Pac. 139, this court held:

“The test applied to a demurrer to the' evidence- is ,that all ' the! facts which the evidence in tlft "’slightest degree tends to prove, and all;.'differences or conclusion's which may be reasonably and logically drawn from the evidence, are admitted, and the court cannot weigh conflicting evidence, but must treat the evidence as withdrawn which is most favorable to the demurrant.”

The' third proposition of the defendant is:

“Insufficiency of evidence to support judgment in favor of plaintiff for divorce and insufficiency of evidence to support money judgment in division of property; this pro *12 position is covered by assignment No. 4 and 5.”

We think that there is sufficient evidence in the record to sustain that portion of the judgment granting the plaintiff an absolute divorce from the defendant. In the case of Bruce v. Bruce, 141 Okla. 160, 285 Pac. 30, this court held:

“Where, in an action for divorce on the ground of cruelty*, the evidence is conflicting as to the facts and the fault, but there is sufficient evidence to sustain the decree of the trial court, the same will not be disturbed on appeal.”

In view of the character of the acts shown by the evidence and the fact that the parties to this litigation have five minor children, this court is of the opinion that it is neither necessary nor for the best interest of the parties that any statement of the evidence be included in this opinion. Suffice it to say that the evidence is conflicting both as to the facts and the fault. Each of the parties has made serious charges, of misconduct against the other and each has supported those charges by some evidence. The acts charged by each, if true, are statutory grounds for divorce. We are not prepared to say that the judgment of the trial court as to the divorce is against the clear weight of the evidence. That portion of the judgment is affirmed.

The trial court found that the defendant should be allowed the right to visit the minor children at all reasonable times, but in the judgment no provision therefor was made. While that portion of the judgment is not final (Bruce v. Bruce, supra), we cannot approve it. In only exceptional cases should a parent be denied the right to visit his minor children after their custody has been awarded by decree of divorce. The record shows no reason why the defendant should not be permitted to visit his children at all reasonable times. The trial court is directed to enter a judgment giving the defendant the right to visit the minor children at any reasonable time, subject to the further order of the court.

We approve and affirm those portions of the judgment awarding the plaintiff the Chevrolet automobile and the defendant the Ford delivery truck. In Tobin v. Tobin, 89 Okla. 12, 213 Pac. 884, this court held:

“A court of equity, on granting a divorce to either the husband or wife, is required by subdivision 2, as herein divided, of section 4969, Rev. Laws 1910, to make a just, fair, and equitable division of the properties acquired by the parties jointly during their marriage. In doing so, the court is not required to divide the property equally between the parties, but is given a wide latitude in determining just what part of the jointly accumulated properties shall be given to each of the parties.”

We approve and affirm those portions of the judgment awarding the plaintiff the home property described' as lots 25 and 26, in block 7, in the city of Tonkawa and the furniture therein and vesting the title thereto in her and quieting the title thereto as against any claim of the defendant. Tobin v. Tobin, supra.

We approve and affirm that portion of the judgment allowing the plaintiff an attorney’s fee and fixing the amount thereof. That, with the fee heretofore allowed by this court, in our opinion, under the circumstances of this case, is adequate, and no additional fee is allowed. Richard v. Richard', 142 Okla. 302, 286 Pac. 900.

We approve and affirm that portion of the judgment vesting in the plaintiff the title to the 60 acres of land owned by her and known as her allotment and quieting the title thereto as against the claim of the defendant. Bruce v. Bruce, supra.

We approve and affirm those portions of the judgment awarding property to the defendant and quieting the title thereto in him as against the claims of the plaintiff, except such portions thereof as are herein specifically disapproved.

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Bluebook (online)
1931 OK 32, 296 P. 401, 148 Okla. 10, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 784, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bussey-v-bussey-okla-1931.