Cardew v. Cardew

192 Cal. App. 2d 502, 13 Cal. Rptr. 620, 1961 Cal. App. LEXIS 1967
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 25, 1961
DocketCiv. 19244
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 192 Cal. App. 2d 502 (Cardew v. Cardew) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cardew v. Cardew, 192 Cal. App. 2d 502, 13 Cal. Rptr. 620, 1961 Cal. App. LEXIS 1967 (Cal. Ct. App. 1961).

Opinion

DUNIWAY, J.

In an action for divorce, plaintiff appeals from the interlocutory judgment. The court decreed that each party was entitled to a divorce on the ground of extreme *506 cruelty, ordered the property of the parties divided, and awarded plaintiff $400 per month alimony for one year. Although the appeal is from the whole of the judgment, appellant does not attack the portion of the decree granting her a divorce.

It is claimed (1) that appellant did not get a fair trial, (2) that the court erred in excluding certain proffered evidence, (3) that any cruelty on appellant’s part before 1957 was condoned, (4) that the court erred in its findings as to the nature of the parties’ interests in their home, (5) that the court did not properly divide the community property, and (6) that it was error to make a present disposition of property in the interlocutory judgment. We find error only as to points 5 and 6.

Where both parties seek a divorce, under the rule in De Burgh v. De Burgh, 39 Cal.2d 858 [250 P.2d 598], the usual rule as to the resolution of conflicts in the evidence by the trial judge applies. This is true whether he grants the divorce to only one of them (Garten v. Garten, 140 Cal.App.2d 489, 496 [295 P.2d 23] ; Noble v. Noble, 115 Cal.App.2d 786, 789 [252 P.2d 1001] ; Thompson v. Thompson, 136 Cal.App.2d 539, 540 [288 P.2d 932] ; Gilmore v. Gilmore, 45 Cal.2d 142 [287 P.2d 769]), or to both (McClellan v. McClellan, 159 Cal.App.2d 225, 227 [323 P.2d 811] ; Benam v. Benam, 178 Cal.App.2d 837, 840 [3 Cal.Rptr. 410]; Lawatch v. Lawatch, 161 Cal.App.2d 780, 785 [327 P.2d 603] ; Cohen v. Cohen, 156 Cal.App.2d 191, 193 [319 P.2d 66]). ‘‘There can be no precise formula for determining when a cause of divorce shown against a plaintiff is to be considered a bar to his suit for divorce, for the divorce court, as a court of equity [citation], is clothed with a broad discretion to advance the requirements of justice in each particular case.” (De Burgh v. De Burgh, supra, 39 Cal.2d 858, 872; Mueller v. Mueller, 44 Cal.2d 527, 530 [282 P.2d 869].)

We examine the pertinent evidence under each point, having the foregoing rules in mind.

1. Appellant had a fair trial.

A very earnest argument is made in appellant’s briefs, with citations of various remarks of the trial judge, to the effect that the judge treated her unfairly. We have read the transcript and considered the argument, but we cannot find the bias or unfairness that is claimed. We incline to agree with respondent’s counsel, that appellant’s counsel, *507 who did not try the case, “looks at the cold print . . . and then exercises his imagination, in the sense that he, like us, not having heen present, cannot accurately judge the effect of the court’s comments from the cold record alone. Much depends upon matters that cannot be recorded; the expression and tone of the judge, the behavior of the attorney or witness or party addressed, and the general atmosphere of the trial.

The case against the judge is overstated, to put it mildly. For example, when appellant, who was the first witness, took the stand, the judge gave her a few brief suggestions about how to answer questions. Counsel refers to that as a “lecture,” and suggests that it “could do nothing but terrify an inexperienced woman.” We find nothing terrifying in it; on the contrary, it could be quite helpful to a witness. It is then stated that “when . . . [respondent] started his testimony there was no lecture.” The statement is literally correct but is incomplete. Respondent’s testimony covers 45 pages. After less than two pages of questions and answers, mostly preliminary, the judge gave respondent the identical “lecture” that he gave appellant.

It would serve no useful purpose to belabor the matter. Appellant’s counsel concede that they “undertake a difficult task when . . . [they] attempt to establish that there was an unfair trial by a judge of high standing and reputation.” After reviewing the entire record, we are of the opinion that the attempt is not successful.

2. The court did not commit prejudicial error in excluding evidence.

(a) As to adulterous conduct:

Appellant correctly urges that evidence of adulterous conduct, falling short of actual adultery, is admissible in support of a charge of cruelty. (San Chez v. Superior Court, 153 Cal.App.2d 162, 164, 165 [314 P.2d 135], and cases there cited; 16 Cal.Jur.2d 323.) The pretrial order states that the “wife contends there is adulterous conduct on the part of the husband.” Nevertheless, when such evidence was offered, the court erroneously excluded it. The exclusion, however, was not prejudicial, for three reasons:

First, the only evidence offered was the receipt at the parties’ home of some letters from another woman, addressed to the husband, one of which was 11 opened by mistake. ’ ’ The letters were returned by appellant, presumably to the sender. Just before the wife so testified, the court said, “Make your *508 offer of proof.” None was made, except the testimony just mentioned. There is no suggestion that counsel had other evidence to offer. The fact that the letters were received is in evidence; their contents would be hearsay. No attempt was made to cross-examine respondent on the subject. We cannot believe that the result would probably have been different if the evidence had been received.

Second, the court awarded appellant a divorce on the ground of cruelty. This was what the evidence was offered to show.

Third, the evidence would not have been relevant to the issue of how much alimony appellant should receive, as appellant claims it would. It is true that ever since the decision of the Supreme Court in De Burgh v. De Burgh, supra, 39 Cal.2d 858, the court may, when it grants a divorce to both parties, award alimony to either, ‘ for the basis of liability for alimony is the granting of a divorce against the person required to pay it. (See Civ. Code, § 139.) ” (P. 874; see also Gilmore v. Gilmore, 45 Cal.2d 142,148 [287 P.2d 769].) It is also true that in deciding which party shall receive alimony, the court considers the comparative fault of the two. Mueller v.

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192 Cal. App. 2d 502, 13 Cal. Rptr. 620, 1961 Cal. App. LEXIS 1967, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cardew-v-cardew-calctapp-1961.