Denny v. Denny

776 S.E.2d 364, 242 N.C. App. 383, 2015 WL 4430325, 2015 N.C. App. LEXIS 617
CourtCourt of Appeals of North Carolina
DecidedJuly 21, 2015
DocketNo. COA14–771.
StatusPublished

This text of 776 S.E.2d 364 (Denny v. Denny) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Denny v. Denny, 776 S.E.2d 364, 242 N.C. App. 383, 2015 WL 4430325, 2015 N.C. App. LEXIS 617 (N.C. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

GEER, Judge.

Defendant Mark S. Denny appeals from an equitable distribution order in which the trial court assigned a 60/40 distribution of the marital estate in plaintiff Katherine Denny's favor. On appeal, defendant primarily argues that the trial court's findings of fact regarding the distributional factors set forth in N.C. Gen.Stat. § 5020(c) (2013) were insufficient to support an unequal division of the marital property in plaintiff's favor. The trial court made specific written findings regarding the distributional factors for which evidence was presented, some of which favored defendant and some of which favored plaintiff. The trial court, however, failed to make any findings regarding how it weighed the factors or how the factors supported a 60/40 distribution in favor of plaintiff. Consequently, it is unclear from the findings whether the trial court adequately considered the factors in light of the strong policy in favor of an equal division of assets. We, therefore, reverse and remand for further findings of fact.

Facts

Plaintiff and defendant were married in 1994 and separated in 2012. The parties had two children during their marriage: a daughter born 13 February 2002, and a second daughter born 17 January 2005. On 21 February 2012, plaintiff filed a complaint for equitable distribution, child custody and support, and attorneys' fees. On 21 March 2012, defendant filed his answer and counterclaims including a claim for equitable distribution.

On 21 May 2012, plaintiff filed a verified reply to the counterclaims, a Motion for Interim Distribution, and a Motion for an Injunction, an Accounting, and an Order Preserving Property Pending Equitable Distribution. On 25 June 2012, the parties entered into an Interim Distribution Consent Order whereby the parties distributed certain marital property, including vehicles and household furnishings.

After the parties separated, defendant continued to live in the marital residence while plaintiff and the minor children lived with plaintiff's parents. On 12 February 2013, plaintiff filed a Motion to Sell Real Property. On 19 February 2013, the trial court entered an order preserving marital property and on 19 April 2013, the trial court entered an order to sell real property.

On 9 September 2013, plaintiff filed a motion for contempt, alleging that defendant failed to comply with the 19 April 2013 order, in that he failed to maintain the property in a marketable condition, refused to use his best efforts and good faith to promptly sell the property, and refused to cooperate with the realtor. The motion alleged that as a result of defendant's behavior, the parties' realtor was terminating its listing agreement with the parties, effective 18 September 2013.

An equitable distribution trial was held on 18 and 19 September 2013. As part of a pretrial order for the hearing, the parties reached an agreement as to the value, classification, and distribution of most, but not all, of their marital property. The trial court entered an order on 19 December 2013, in which it determined that a 60/40 distribution of the marital estate in favor of plaintiff was equitable. The trial court also found defendant in contempt of the 19 April 2013 order. As a result of the contempt finding, the trial court granted plaintiff exclusive authority to work with a realtor to sell the marital residence and reserved the issue of attorneys' fees for a later hearing. Defendant timely appealed the order to this Court.

Discussion

We first note that the order reserved the issue of attorneys' fees for a later hearing, and it is unclear whether this issue is still pending. Although defendant asserts in his brief that the trial court granted plaintiff's motion for attorneys' fees, we have found nothing in the record that supports this assertion. Regardless whether the attorneys' fee issue remains pending, this appeal is properly before this Court. SeeN.C. Gen.Stat. § 50-19.1 (2013) ( "Notwithstanding any other pending claims filed in the same action, a party may appeal from an order or judgment adjudicating a claim for absolute divorce, divorce from bed and board, child custody, child support, alimony, or equitable distribution if the order or judgment would otherwise be a final order or judgment within the meaning of G.S. 1A-1, Rule 54(b), but for the other pending claims in the same action.").

" 'When the trial court sits without a jury, the standard of review on appeal is whether there was competent evidence to support the trial court's findings of fact and whether its conclusions of law were proper in light of such facts.' " Williamson v. Williamson,217 N.C.App. 388, 390, 719 S.E.2d 625, 626 (2011) (quoting Oakley v. Oakley,165 N.C.App. 859, 861, 599 S.E.2d 925, 927 (2004) ). Unchallenged findings of fact are binding on appeal. Peltzer v. Peltzer,222 N.C.App. 784, 787, 732 S.E.2d 357, 360 (2012).

Equitable distribution is governed by N.C. Gen.Stat. § 50-20, which requires the trial court to conduct a three-step process: (1) classify property as being marital, divisible, or separate property; (2) calculate the net value of the marital and divisible property; and (3) distribute equitably the marital and divisible property. Cunningham v. Cunningham,171 N.C.App. 550, 555, 615 S.E.2d 675, 680 (2005).

Marital and Separate Property

Defendant first challenges the trial court's classification, in finding of fact 46, of the former marital residence as marital property. Defendant contends that $59,000.00 of the value of the marital residence is his separate property. We disagree.

" 'Separate property' means all real and personal property acquired by a spouse before marriage or acquired by a spouse by devise, descent, or gift during the course of the marriage." N.C. Gen.Stat. § 50-20(b)(2). "[P]roperty acquired by gift from the other spouse during the course of the marriage shall be considered separate property only if such an intention is stated in the conveyance." Id.This provision creates " 'a presumption that gifts between spouses are marital property.' " Dewey v. Dewey,77 N.C.App. 787, 789, 336 S.E.2d 451, 452 (1985) (quoting McLeod v. McLeod,

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

White v. White
324 S.E.2d 829 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1985)
Lee v. Lee
246 S.E.2d 49 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1978)
McLeod v. McLeod
327 S.E.2d 910 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1985)
Wiencek-Adams v. Adams
417 S.E.2d 449 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1992)
Daetwyler v. Daetwyler
502 S.E.2d 662 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1998)
Cunningham v. Cunningham
615 S.E.2d 675 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2005)
Embler v. Embler
582 S.E.2d 628 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2003)
Godley v. Godley
429 S.E.2d 382 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1993)
Dewey v. Dewey
336 S.E.2d 451 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1985)
Albritton v. Albritton
426 S.E.2d 80 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1993)
Oakley v. Oakley
599 S.E.2d 925 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2004)
Harris v. Harris
352 S.E.2d 869 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1987)
Grasty v. Grasty
482 S.E.2d 752 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1997)
Troutman v. Troutman
667 S.E.2d 506 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2008)
Collins v. Collins
479 S.E.2d 240 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1997)
Rice v. Rice
584 S.E.2d 317 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2003)
Lowery v. Locklear Construction
512 S.E.2d 477 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1999)
Geer v. Geer
353 S.E.2d 427 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1987)
Becker v. Becker
489 S.E.2d 909 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1997)
Lucas v. Lucas
706 S.E.2d 270 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
776 S.E.2d 364, 242 N.C. App. 383, 2015 WL 4430325, 2015 N.C. App. LEXIS 617, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/denny-v-denny-ncctapp-2015.