Dione W. David v. Richard G. David
Opinion
STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT
12-1051
DIONE W. DAVID
VERSUS
RICHARD G. DAVID
**********
APPEAL FROM THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF IBERIA, NO. 113919 HONORABLE CHARLES LEE PORTER, DISTRICT JUDGE
ULYSSES GENE THIBODEAUX CHIEF JUDGE
Court composed of Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux, Chief Judge, Billy Howard Ezell, and James T. Genovese, Judges.
AFFIRMED AS AMENDED.
Ed W. Bankston P. O. Box 53485 Lafayette, LA 70505 Telephone: (337) 237-4223 COUNSEL FOR: Defendant/Appellant - Richard G. David
L. E. “Tony” Morrow, Jr. The Law Offices of Tony Morrow 323 East University Avenue Lafayette, LA 70503 Telephone: (337) 233-9515 COUNSEL FOR: Plaintiff/Appellee - Dione W. David THIBODEAUX, Chief Judge.
The defendant, Richard G. David, appeals the trial court’s judgment
of partition of community property. He asserts that his former spouse, the plaintiff,
Dione W. David, was allocated more in assets and reimbursements than the
amounts authorized by law. For the reasons that follow, we affirm as amended the
judgment of the trial court. We do not consider Dione’s request for attorney fees
based on her assertion of a frivolous appeal as no Answer was filed to Richard’s
appeal.
I.
ISSUES
We must decide:
(1) whether the trial court manifestly erred in partitioning the community assets and liabilities under La.R.S. 9:2801;
(2) whether the trial court manifestly erred in awarding reimbursements claimed by the parties.
II.
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Richard and Dione David, domiciliaries of New Iberia, Louisiana,
were married for thirty-six years. At the time of their divorce, there were five
businesses and nine pieces of real estate at issue for partition. Richard and Dione
stipulated to appraised values of six of the nine real properties, the values on eight
vehicles and other movables, Richard’s reimbursement of mortgage, tax, and
insurance payments on some community properties, and Dione’s reimbursement of
attorney fees. The parties also stipulated that four of the businesses, David Mortuary, Inc., David Marble and Granite, Inc., Beau Pre Memorial Park
Cemetery, and Limousines, LTD, were the separate property of Richard David.
The community’s business, Dede’s Wholesale Florist, Inc. (Dede’s),
was run primarily by Dione throughout the marriage, and she was given occupancy
and use of the store location at 1203 Trotter Street in New Iberia. This asset is
next door to the David Funeral Home and became the greatest source and subject
of discord, restraining orders, and alleged abuses between the parties. Dede’s also
had a closed-down, non-operating store at 110 Glaser Drive in Lafayette, which
was considered rental property.
The community’s other New Iberia assets include rental houses at
6605 Old Spanish Trail (sometimes referred to as ―OST‖ or ―Highway 182‖
property), 407 Dahlia Street, 407 Wayne Street, 4208 Northside Road, and 508
Prioux Street. The community’s family home was located at 506 Prioux Street.
Richard was given the use and occupancy of the family home as his residence.
The parties stipulated, by consent judgment, to Richard’s waiver of expense
reimbursement claims and to Dione’s waiver of rental reimbursement claims on
this property. The couple also owned a two-story camp at 111 Cove Row,
Cypremont Point, Louisiana. Richard was also given use and occupancy of the
camp.
On the above-described community property, Richard asserted 331
claims for reimbursement of expenses totaling $305,572.00. Before trial, the court
engaged the services of a hearing officer, Paul Landry, to meet with the couple and
their attorneys to address occupancy issues and the reimbursement claims of the
parties. The hearing officer conferences (HOC) on reimbursement claims were
held over four days, immediately preceding trial, during which Richard’s 331
2 claims and documentation were individually discussed, then grouped and
categorized on spreadsheets, providing easier access during trial, and providing the
HOC evaluations and recommendations on each claim.
After a lengthy trial, the trial court issued a four-page judgment of
partition of community property. Richard appeals the trial court’s allocation of
community assets and liabilities, the appraisals of the camp, its contents, and
contents at other locations, the amount of certain ―mortgage‖ debt, and the trial
court’s awards of reimbursements to both parties.
III.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
An appellate court may not set aside a trial court’s findings of fact in
absence of manifest error unless it is clearly wrong. Stobart v. State, Through
DOTD, 617 So.2d 880 (La.1993); Rosell v. ESCO, 549 So.2d 840 (La.1989).
IV.
LAW AND DISCUSSION
Richard contends that the trial court erred in partitioning the
community property under La.R.S. 9:2801 which requires ―that each spouse
receive[] property of an equal net value.‖ La.R.S. 9:2801(A)(4)(b). He asserts that
the trial court allocated seventy-eight percent of the community’s net assets to
Dione, in the amount of $891,084.94, while allocating only twenty-two percent of
the assets, in the amount of $249,123.40, to himself. We disagree with Richard’s
analysis, though we have found some mathematical errors and omissions in the
3 judgment. Accordingly, we affirm as amended the trial court’s judgment of
partition.
Preliminary Matters
As a threshold matter, we find no merit in Richard’s attempts to revise
the mathematical schedules in the trial court’s thirty-page written reasons for
judgment. This is a voluminous case, and there are various mathematical errors in
the trial court’s working tables that do not appear in the final judgment. The
appellate court reviews the judgment, not reasons for the judgment. Johnson v.
Henderson, 04-1723 (La.App. 4 Cir. 3/16/05), 899 So.2d 626. In general, if the
appellate court believes that the trial court reached the proper result, it will affirm
the judgment. Id. Here, Richard corrects and revises only certain figures in the
trial court’s reasons and omits others. We amend the judgment, not the reasons.
We further note that, pursuant to La.Code Civ.P. art. 2128, Richard
has designated ―such portions of the record which he desires to constitute the
record on appeal.‖ Accordingly, we must render a judgment which is just, legal,
and proper, based upon the record on appeal, but we cannot receive new evidence.
La.Code Civ.P. art. 2164. Richard has attached numerous exhibits to his appellate
brief, but the attached exhibits are not part of the record on appeal. C&B Sales &
Serv., Inc. v. Slaughter, 04-551 (La.App. 3 Cir. 10/20/04), 885 So.2d 683.
This is also true of memoranda and exhibits that appear in the record
just because they were filed in the trial court record; however, if they were not also
introduced into evidence, we cannot consider them as part of the record on appeal.
See State ex rel. Guste v. Thompson, 532 So.2d 524 (La.App. 1 Cir. 1988); Leyva
v. Laga, 549 So.2d 914 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1989).
4 Here, the designated record contains documents that were filed into
the record after the last day of trial on August 10, 2011. The record is not to
remain open after trial except for very limited filings specifically identified and
allowed by the trial court. See Dugas v.
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT
12-1051
DIONE W. DAVID
VERSUS
RICHARD G. DAVID
**********
APPEAL FROM THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF IBERIA, NO. 113919 HONORABLE CHARLES LEE PORTER, DISTRICT JUDGE
ULYSSES GENE THIBODEAUX CHIEF JUDGE
Court composed of Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux, Chief Judge, Billy Howard Ezell, and James T. Genovese, Judges.
AFFIRMED AS AMENDED.
Ed W. Bankston P. O. Box 53485 Lafayette, LA 70505 Telephone: (337) 237-4223 COUNSEL FOR: Defendant/Appellant - Richard G. David
L. E. “Tony” Morrow, Jr. The Law Offices of Tony Morrow 323 East University Avenue Lafayette, LA 70503 Telephone: (337) 233-9515 COUNSEL FOR: Plaintiff/Appellee - Dione W. David THIBODEAUX, Chief Judge.
The defendant, Richard G. David, appeals the trial court’s judgment
of partition of community property. He asserts that his former spouse, the plaintiff,
Dione W. David, was allocated more in assets and reimbursements than the
amounts authorized by law. For the reasons that follow, we affirm as amended the
judgment of the trial court. We do not consider Dione’s request for attorney fees
based on her assertion of a frivolous appeal as no Answer was filed to Richard’s
appeal.
I.
ISSUES
We must decide:
(1) whether the trial court manifestly erred in partitioning the community assets and liabilities under La.R.S. 9:2801;
(2) whether the trial court manifestly erred in awarding reimbursements claimed by the parties.
II.
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Richard and Dione David, domiciliaries of New Iberia, Louisiana,
were married for thirty-six years. At the time of their divorce, there were five
businesses and nine pieces of real estate at issue for partition. Richard and Dione
stipulated to appraised values of six of the nine real properties, the values on eight
vehicles and other movables, Richard’s reimbursement of mortgage, tax, and
insurance payments on some community properties, and Dione’s reimbursement of
attorney fees. The parties also stipulated that four of the businesses, David Mortuary, Inc., David Marble and Granite, Inc., Beau Pre Memorial Park
Cemetery, and Limousines, LTD, were the separate property of Richard David.
The community’s business, Dede’s Wholesale Florist, Inc. (Dede’s),
was run primarily by Dione throughout the marriage, and she was given occupancy
and use of the store location at 1203 Trotter Street in New Iberia. This asset is
next door to the David Funeral Home and became the greatest source and subject
of discord, restraining orders, and alleged abuses between the parties. Dede’s also
had a closed-down, non-operating store at 110 Glaser Drive in Lafayette, which
was considered rental property.
The community’s other New Iberia assets include rental houses at
6605 Old Spanish Trail (sometimes referred to as ―OST‖ or ―Highway 182‖
property), 407 Dahlia Street, 407 Wayne Street, 4208 Northside Road, and 508
Prioux Street. The community’s family home was located at 506 Prioux Street.
Richard was given the use and occupancy of the family home as his residence.
The parties stipulated, by consent judgment, to Richard’s waiver of expense
reimbursement claims and to Dione’s waiver of rental reimbursement claims on
this property. The couple also owned a two-story camp at 111 Cove Row,
Cypremont Point, Louisiana. Richard was also given use and occupancy of the
camp.
On the above-described community property, Richard asserted 331
claims for reimbursement of expenses totaling $305,572.00. Before trial, the court
engaged the services of a hearing officer, Paul Landry, to meet with the couple and
their attorneys to address occupancy issues and the reimbursement claims of the
parties. The hearing officer conferences (HOC) on reimbursement claims were
held over four days, immediately preceding trial, during which Richard’s 331
2 claims and documentation were individually discussed, then grouped and
categorized on spreadsheets, providing easier access during trial, and providing the
HOC evaluations and recommendations on each claim.
After a lengthy trial, the trial court issued a four-page judgment of
partition of community property. Richard appeals the trial court’s allocation of
community assets and liabilities, the appraisals of the camp, its contents, and
contents at other locations, the amount of certain ―mortgage‖ debt, and the trial
court’s awards of reimbursements to both parties.
III.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
An appellate court may not set aside a trial court’s findings of fact in
absence of manifest error unless it is clearly wrong. Stobart v. State, Through
DOTD, 617 So.2d 880 (La.1993); Rosell v. ESCO, 549 So.2d 840 (La.1989).
IV.
LAW AND DISCUSSION
Richard contends that the trial court erred in partitioning the
community property under La.R.S. 9:2801 which requires ―that each spouse
receive[] property of an equal net value.‖ La.R.S. 9:2801(A)(4)(b). He asserts that
the trial court allocated seventy-eight percent of the community’s net assets to
Dione, in the amount of $891,084.94, while allocating only twenty-two percent of
the assets, in the amount of $249,123.40, to himself. We disagree with Richard’s
analysis, though we have found some mathematical errors and omissions in the
3 judgment. Accordingly, we affirm as amended the trial court’s judgment of
partition.
Preliminary Matters
As a threshold matter, we find no merit in Richard’s attempts to revise
the mathematical schedules in the trial court’s thirty-page written reasons for
judgment. This is a voluminous case, and there are various mathematical errors in
the trial court’s working tables that do not appear in the final judgment. The
appellate court reviews the judgment, not reasons for the judgment. Johnson v.
Henderson, 04-1723 (La.App. 4 Cir. 3/16/05), 899 So.2d 626. In general, if the
appellate court believes that the trial court reached the proper result, it will affirm
the judgment. Id. Here, Richard corrects and revises only certain figures in the
trial court’s reasons and omits others. We amend the judgment, not the reasons.
We further note that, pursuant to La.Code Civ.P. art. 2128, Richard
has designated ―such portions of the record which he desires to constitute the
record on appeal.‖ Accordingly, we must render a judgment which is just, legal,
and proper, based upon the record on appeal, but we cannot receive new evidence.
La.Code Civ.P. art. 2164. Richard has attached numerous exhibits to his appellate
brief, but the attached exhibits are not part of the record on appeal. C&B Sales &
Serv., Inc. v. Slaughter, 04-551 (La.App. 3 Cir. 10/20/04), 885 So.2d 683.
This is also true of memoranda and exhibits that appear in the record
just because they were filed in the trial court record; however, if they were not also
introduced into evidence, we cannot consider them as part of the record on appeal.
See State ex rel. Guste v. Thompson, 532 So.2d 524 (La.App. 1 Cir. 1988); Leyva
v. Laga, 549 So.2d 914 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1989).
4 Here, the designated record contains documents that were filed into
the record after the last day of trial on August 10, 2011. The record is not to
remain open after trial except for very limited filings specifically identified and
allowed by the trial court. See Dugas v. Bayou Teche Water Works, 10-1211
(La.App. 3 Cir. 4/6/11), 61 So.3d 826. The trial court exhibited great patience in
receiving and re-hashing evidence, particularly on Richard’s reimbursement
claims, even after engaging a hearing officer. The court did not leave the record
open after August 10, 2011. We limit our review to documents filed into evidence
before the end of trial.
Further, we will not consider the $82,498.68 in additional
reimbursements that Richard asserts on appeal, claiming that he spent these
amounts on the properties after trial. We further note that the vast majority of
these claims are on property allocated to him, including the family home at 506
Prioux, which was occupied by him, and the property upon which he waived his
reimbursement claims.
Finally, it is the appellant’s burden to designate support in the record
for the assertions and assignments of error raised in his appellate brief. Pursuant to
Uniform Rules—Courts of Appeal, Rule 2-12.4 (emphasis added), the appellant’s
argument ―shall include a suitable reference by volume and page to the place in the
record which contains the basis for the alleged error.‖ Most of the references in
Richard’s brief point to the page number in the trial court’s written reasons rather
than to a page number in this 1,633-page record that actually contains the evidence
upon which we rely. The non-sequential insertion of the documents purporting to
support Richard’s 331 claims for reimbursement and his failure to provide the
location of his proof have made for an unnecessarily difficult review.
5 ASSETS AND LIABILITIES ALLOCATED TO DIONE
The trial court’s judgment allotted to Dione four rent houses and the
camp, the contents of the camp, one car, and Dione’s own IRA, for a total of
$957,947.50 in gross assets. The trial court also allotted to Dione all of the debt
associated with these assets, in the total amount of $299,393.10. The net assets to
Dione as reflected in the judgment of partition equal $658,554.40.1 The net assets
allocated to Richard, later discussed in detail, equal only $437,691.48. The
equalizing payments calculated by the trial court do not equalize the distribution of
net assets. Therefore, we will amend the judgment based upon our findings on the
items appealed.
Rental House – Northside Road – Description of Asset
Richard asserts that the rental house on Northside Road was shown as
real estate, but that the asset was in reality the proceeds of the sale of the
unimproved real estate. This is correct; but he neither disputes the allocation to
Dione, nor its value. Hence, the distinction is of no moment, and the error is of no
merit.
1 The camp is located at 111 Cove Row, Cypremont Point, Louisiana. The judgment valued the assets to Dione as follows; we have placed an asterisk next to the assets that Richard disputes.
ImmovableAssets Im-Value MovableAssets M-Value Debt Net To Dione 111 Cove Row* 400,000.00* Contents 13,697.50* 413,697.50* NorthsideRd/sold 70,750.00 70,750.00 508 Prioux* 150,000.00 89,055.54 60,944.46 407 Dahlia 166,000.00 142,676.23 23,323.77 407 Wayne 109,500.00 54,661.33 54,838.67 Kia Sorrento 13,000.00 13,000.00 -0- Dione’s IRA 35,000.00* 35,000.00 Her Totals 896,250.00 61,697.50 299,393.10 658,554.40
6 Rental House – 508 Prioux Street - Allocation of Asset
Richard contends that the rental property at 508 Prioux Street should
have been allocated to him, as was the family home at 506 Prioux Street. He does
not dispute that these properties are community property, but he states that they
were given by his family, along with part of the Trotter Street property, which was
allocated to him also. Richard asserts that this asset, 508 Prioux, is next door to his
residence at 506 Prioux, and it is across the street from one of his businesses,
David Mortuary, Inc. (sometimes referred to as David Funeral Home). In
allocating community assets, under La.R.S. 9:2801(A)(4)(c): ―The court shall
consider the nature and source of the asset or liability, the economic condition of
each spouse, and any other circumstances that the court deems relevant.‖
Here, the parties stipulated to the appraised value of 508 Prioux as
$150,000.00. On the last day of trial, Richard submitted memoranda and exhibits
indicating that two loans at Iberia Bank, bearing account numbers 4431 and 8043,
with balances of $78,817.70 and $10,238.32, respectively, constituted the debt on
508 Prioux Street. The trial court used Richard’s submissions in allocating this
total debt of $89,056.02 to Dione when it allocated 508 Prioux to her. Dione filed
her pleadings as a pauper in this case. Given the nature and source of the asset, its
location, the indebtedness on it, and the economic conditions and resources of the
parties, we agree that this asset and its attendant debt should be allocated to
Richard. This amendment to the judgment decreases Dione’s net assets, and
increases Richard’s net assets, by $60,944.46.
7 Camp and Contents – 111 Cove Row - Appraisal and Allocation of Assets
Richard asserts that the trial court disregarded William Elliott’s
$300,000.00 appraisal and erroneously placed a value of $400,000.00 on the camp.
As to the camp’s contents, he argues that the trial court should have used David
Fremin’s $4,330.00 appraisal instead of the $13,697.50 appraisal used in the
judgment. There is no mortgage on the camp. Consequently, Richard asserts a net
value on the camp and its contents of $304,330.00, instead of the $413,697.50
reflected in the judgment. He further argues that the camp should have been
allocated to him (at this lower value), rather than to Dione. While the trial court
generally has great discretion in determining which appraisal to use in a case such
as this, we agree that the appraisal of the camp in this instance appears to be
somewhat arbitrary.
The camp on Cove Row was one of the three properties upon whose
value the parties could not agree. The other two properties were: the Dede’s store
location at 1203 Trotter Street in New Iberia, and the rental house at Old Spanish
Trail. Robert Beyt, initially the court-appointed appraiser, used four comparables
in the Cove Row area and appraised the camp at $435,000.00; he appraised Trotter
Street at $285,000.00, and he appraised Old Spanish Trail at $125,000.00. William
Elliott, who also qualified as an expert appraiser, used five comparables around the
camp and appraised it at $300,000.00; he appraised Trotter Street at $224,000.00,
and he appraised Old Spanish Trail at $85,900.00. The trial court’s judgment used
William Elliott’s appraisal of $224,000.00 for the Trotter Street property and used
Robert Beyt’s appraisal of $125,000.00 for Old Spanish Trail. For the camp,
however, the trial court did not use Beyt’s appraisal or Elliott’s appraisal.
8 Rather, the trial court assigned its own value to the camp, substituting
its opinion for that of both expert appraisers, and the court’s methodology is not
apparent. A trial court may not substitute its opinion for that of experts who
testified at trial, i.e., completely disregard such testimony, when the testimony is
well grounded and based upon good reasoning. See State, Dep’t of Transp. and
Dev. v. Van Willet, 386 So.2d 1023 (La.App. 3 Cir.), writs denied, 392 So.2d 692
(La.1980); State, Dep’t of Transp. & Dev. v. Tynes, 433 So.2d 809 (La.App. 1
Cir.), writ denied, 437 So.2d 1153 (La.1983); see also Domino v. Domino, 99
So.2d 328, 233 La. 1014 (La.1957). Where Elliott’s appraisal contained more
comparables, we find merit in Richard’s argument and amend the judgment to
reflect a value of $300,000.00 for the camp at 111 Cove Row.
As to the contents of the camp, the trial court’s valuation of
$13,697.50 was based upon movables including furniture and indoor and outdoor
equipment on a ground deck, an upper deck, in three bedrooms, a living room, a
kitchen, an upstairs area, and a utility room. The court’s methodology is clear in
the spreadsheet attached and incorporated by reference to its judgment. On all
home furniture and furnishings at each house, the trial court considered the value
assigned to each item, by each of four people: Dione, Richard, appraiser David
Fremin, and appraiser J.C. Chargois.2 The court then set its own value for each
item, which is well within the court’s discretion. See Jurgelsky v. Pinac, 614 So.2d
1331 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1993).
As to the allocation of the camp to Dione, Richard asserts that the trial
court erred in failing to consider the nature and source of the asset. He argues that
2 The court’s appraisal of $13,697.50 and Mr. Chargois’ appraisal of $19,520.00 seem much more in line with the movables described at the camp than Mr. Fremin’s appraisal of $4,330.00.
9 he should have received the camp because it was in his family before he and Dione
purchased it. He and Dione rebuilt it after it was destroyed by a hurricane, to retire
there. Dione, who filed her pleadings as a pauper in this case, was living with her
mother at the time of trial. She testified that she still did not have a house; that she
would like to have the camp as it was a livable home and a viable option for her
because it was already set up as a house; and it was close to her mother. The camp
is not encumbered by a mortgage. We will not disturb the trial court’s allocation
of the camp to Dione, as it clearly conforms to La.R.S. 9:2801(A)(4)(c).
Dione’s IRA
The trial court’s judgment awarded Dione $35,000.00 as the value of
her own IRA invested with New York Life, and it awarded Richard $65,000.00 as
the value of his own IRA, also invested with New York Life. Richard asserts that
these were not the actual values of the IRAs and that the trial court inequitably
awarded Dione one half of his IRA, but did not award him one half of Dione’s
IRA. The trial court’s earlier schedules indicate that it considered both IRAs as
community assets to be divided. The sworn descriptive lists of both parties
indicate that the actual amounts were $33,779.90 and $64,996.59, for the IRAs of
Dione and Richard respectively.
As to the trial court’s distribution of each IRA to its original owner,
even where one account is larger than the other, this kind of division does not of
itself constitute manifest error or abuse of discretion. While under La.R.S.
9:2801(A)(4)(b) and (d), the court is required to provide each spouse with an equal
net distribution, under La.R.S. 9:2801(A)(4)(c), the court ―may divide a particular
asset or liability equally or unequally or may allocate it in its entirety to one of the
10 spouses.‖ For example, each allocation of the nine real-property assets had a
different value. As indicated, it is the net distribution of all assets and liabilities
that must be equal.
Here however, Richard further asserts that one half of the value of his
IRA had already been distributed to Dione, which is not reflected in the judgment,
and that no reciprocal distribution was made to him for one half of Dione’s IRA.
The record reveals that the trial court issued an order in May of 2011 requiring
Richard to provide immediate access to Dione of one half of the value of his IRA.
On June 24, 2011, the trial judge signed a Qualified Domestic Relations Order
(QDRO) spelling out the New York Life account numbers involved and the
obligations of the payor and payee. Richard asserts that he wrote to New York
Life on August 5, 2011, instructing them to transfer $49,850.81, purportedly one
half of the value of his IRA at the time, from his account to Dione’s account. He
attaches exhibits that we cannot consider; the letter, though discussed at trial, does
not appear to have been entered into evidence; and the document showing transfers
to Dione’s account actually post-dates the trial.
The last witness to testify at the end of trial, however, was New York
Life representative Jon Delahoussay. He confirmed the amount of $49,850.81 and
the fact that he and his legal department and his subsidiary, who actually
authorizes the disbursement of funds, had been working on the issue for three
months, but no transfer or check had yet been issued. The trial court then granted
Dione’s request that New York Life be ordered to transmit the funds within ten
days or suffer a $5,000.00 penalty. Based upon the record before us, we amend the
judgment to reflect that both parties are to receive one half of Dione’s IRA, at
$16,889.95 each, and one half of Richard’s IRA, at $49,850.81 each. Based upon
11 the foregoing amendments—the re-allocation of 508 Prioux, the changes in the
values of the camp and the IRA assets, the net assets allocated to Dione decrease
from $658,554.40 to $529,350.70.
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES ALLOCATED TO RICHARD
The court allocated to Richard the family home at 506 Prioux, the
rental property and its contents at 6605 Old Spanish Trial, all of the Dede’s assets,
which include the operating store at 1203 Trotter Street in New Iberia, a non-
operating store at 110 Glaser Drive in Lafayette, and four vehicles used by Dede’s
for its deliveries and business needs. The court further allocated to Richard two
sports cars, an SUV, two boat-motor-trailer rigs, a utility trailer, a burial crypt, and
the value of his own IRA at $65,000.00. The trial court also assigned to Richard
the debt associated with the foregoing assets.3
3 We have placed an asterisk next to the assets that Richard disputes.
ImmovableAssets Im-Value MovableAssets M-Value Debt Net To Richard 506 Prioux/Fmly 245,000.00 Contents 19,605.00* 161,667.02 102,937.98 Dede’s/Trotter 224,000.00 200,000.00* 24,000.00 Dede’s/Glaser 116,500.00 116,500.00 Suburban 3,139.00 3,139.00 Pick-up 1,975.00 1,975.00 Van 408.00 408.00 Van 1,014.00 1,014.00 Old Sp. Trail 125,000.00 Contents 9,200.00 50,000.00* 84,200.00 Camero 46,000.00 46,000.00 -0- Corvette 12,500.00 12,500.00 Yukon 24,000.00 24,000.00 -0- GW Boat Rig 10,975.00 10,975.00 Scout Bt. Rig 5,020.00 5,020.00 Utility Trailer 500.00 500.00 Burial Crypt 9,522.50 9,522.50 Richard’s IRA 65,000.00* 65,000.00 His Totals 720,022.50 199,336.00 481,667.02 437,691.48
12 Family Home – 506 Prioux Street
Richard correctly asserts that the trial court’s judgment lists an asset
to him twice; i.e., the family home at 506 Prioux Street in New Iberia. This was
clearly a word processing error in the final judgment, as the paragraph and
language are identical and appear to have been ―pasted‖ in twice. The value of the
family home was stipulated to by the parties as $245,000.00. It was allocated to
Richard, and the allocation, the appraisal, and the indebtedness on the house, of
$161,667.02, are not in dispute.
Richard asserts that David Fremin’s appraisal of $11,320.00 on the
contents should have been used, instead of the $19,605.00 assigned by the trial
court. The movables at this address included four or five king bedroom suites,
furnishings in two family rooms, foyer, kitchen, patio, storage, and utility rooms,
and it included athletic equipment. The appraisal expert, J.C. Chargois, evaluated
the contents at $25,233.00. We have explained the trial court’s methodology on
evaluating the furniture and fixtures above. The court’s evaluation is reasonable.
We will not disturb the judgment on this issue.
Richard’s IRA
As previously indicated, the judgment awarded Richard $65,000.00 as
the value of his own IRA. For the reasons stated above, we amend the judgment to
reflect that each party receives one half the value of Dione’s IRA, at $16,889.95
each, and one half the value of Richard’s IRA at $49,850.81 each.4
4 If Richard’s transfer of $49,850.81 was completed as he asserts, then Dione should make a reciprocal transfer of $16,889.95, or, the final equalizing payment to her can be reduced by $16,889.95. If Richard’s transfer did not go through, he can reduce the $49,850.81 transfer to Dione by $16,889.95, in which case, she makes no transfer, and the equalizing payment is not altered.
13 Debt of Dede’s Wholesale Florist, Inc.
The trial court’s judgment allocated to Richard both pieces of real
estate owned by Dede’s, the operating store at 1203 Trotter Street in New Iberia,
valued at $224,000.00, and the non-operating store at 110 Glaser Drive in
Lafayette, valued at $110,000.00. It also awarded to Richard the four company
vehicles, with a total value of $6,536.00. These Dede’s assets, therefore, have a
value of $340,536.00, and these values are not being appealed. Richard does,
however, appeal the $200,000.00 of business debt associated with Dede’s and
allocated to him along with the assets.
The trial court’s judgment indicated Dede’s business debt of
$200,000.00, including debt at Regions Bank, but the court provided no breakdown
of the debt, and we are unable to locate any bank records showing loans or
business debts of Dede’s for this amount, or any amount. Notwithstanding,
Richard asserts that the company was defunct because of Dione’s mismanagement,
and that he was unfairly left with $200,000.005 of business debt which should be
used to reduce Dione’s assets. This assertion is unsupported.
Jason McMorran of Postlethwaite and Netterville (P&N) testified at
trial regarding his analysis of the business. His conclusion was that the best value
obtainable is to sell the assets, pay off the debts, and divide the proceeds. He
reported that the Dede’s florist business did suffer a decline from 2004 to 2010.
He opined, however, that the decline was likely due to the lack of referrals from
5 The trial court’s judgment shows the business debt associated with Dede’s as $200,000.00, but shows it twice, once under each piece of real estate allotted to Richard (it mentions only Regions Bank as associated with this debt). Richard argues the amount of $200,000.00, but he shows it twice, as $400,000.00, in the math which he says represents the 78/22 split of the community.
14 David Funeral Home and to the fact that Dione began taking a reasonable salary
while running the business.
Richard’s own behavior affected the business negatively as well. The
record reveals that Richard’s funeral business was next door to Dede’s, that he
parked across the street and watched the comings and goings at Dede’s, that he
harassed Dione, intimidated and threatened her employees, entered the premises
and removed paperwork, and that he was loud and vulgar in front of the customers.
Emily LeBlanc, a florist and manager who worked for Dione, testified at trial that
Richard came to Dede’s on a Sunday while Ms. LeBlanc was working and cursed
at her so violently (spitting words such as fat f’ing whore and bitch) that she had to
leave, even though she still had another $600.00 worth of deliveries to make. Ms.
LeBlanc testified that she was interested in acquiring Dede’s at one time, but
Richard’s response, ―over his dead body‖, and his harassment finally provoked her
into quitting.
Richard’s assertions about the debts of Dede’s are duplicative and
unreliable. Our review of the record indicates that all but one of the loan balances
asserted by Richard as being debts of Dede’s, unfairly allocated to him, have in
fact been allocated to Dione as debt on the houses allocated to her in the judgment
of partition, based upon Richard’s own memoranda and exhibits.
More specifically, Richard asserts that Dione depleted lines of credit
and created business debt including the withdrawal of $14,736.76 from Iberia Bank
account #5237. Elsewhere, he asserts this as Dede’s debt of $25,000.00. Yet,
based upon exhibits entered by Richard on the last day of trial, account #5237 was
an asset line with a balance of $24,877.22 associated with the rental house at 407
15 Dahlia Street, not with business debt owed by Dede’s. Moreover, the trial court’s
judgment allocated this debt to Dione, not Richard (see below).
Overall, Richard submitted bank records for eight account numbers,
only one of which he associated with debt of Dede’s, as follows:
Bank Loan Number Balance Property Assoc. Regions Bank #4312 $ 66,971.00 506 Prioux asset line #2606 94,696.02 506 Prioux house loan Debt per Judgment On 506 Prioux $ 161,667.02 Allotted to Richard
Iberia Bank #4431 $ 78,817.70 508 Prioux house loan #8043 10,238.32 508 Prioux asset line Debt per Judgment On 508 Prioux $ 89,056.02 Allotted to Dione
Iberia Bank #2326 $117,799.01 407 Dahlia house loan #5237 24,877.22 407 Dahlia asset line Debt per Judgment On 407 Dahlia $142,676.23 Allotted to Dione
Iberia Bank #4458 $ 54,661.33 407Wayne house loan Debt per Judgment On 407 Wayne $ 54,661.33 Allotted to Dione
MidSouth Bank #1806 $ 22,488.43 Sig.Loan/Dede’s debt
As indicated in the above and previous tables, the trial court’s
judgment mirrored the amounts of those bank balances and allotted each debt to
the house Richard assigned to it. Three of those properties (508 Prioux, Wayne,
and Dahlia), with attendant debt in five loans, originally went to Dione, and one of
the properties (506 Prioux), with attendant debt in two loans, originally went to
Richard. On the same day he submitted the above information, he testified that
Dione took money from asset lines on three rent houses and used it for Dede’s.
Those loans, as indicated in the table above, come to almost $90,000.00, but they
were assessed to Dione, not to Richard.
While examining this table, it is important to note that Richard further
testified in August that he took money from the home equity line, loan #4312
above, attributed as debt on 506 Prioux, for several purchases and improvements to
16 the property at Old Spanish Trail, to be discussed below. However, Richard had
previously testified in June that this account was used for Dede’s.6
On the last day of trial, Richard submitted only one account number,
MidSouth Bank #1806, with a balance of $22,488.43, that he associated with
Dede’s business debt. Throughout his appellate brief, he asserts the balance of this
loan differently. He asserts withdrawals from Dione in 2009 and 2010 that total
$15,519.00. He asserts a MidSouth judgment against him in the amount of
$22,541.73, which we cannot consider because the supporting information is in the
form of an exhibit/judgment not entered into evidence, and it is dated six months
after the judgment we are reviewing. See Leyva, 549 So.2d 914, and Dugas, 61
So.3d 826, as discussed in ―preliminary matters.‖
Richard asserts a judgment by Louisiana Wholesale Florist, Inc.
against Dede’s in the amount of $29,901.59. This also is in the form of an exhibit
that we cannot consider. It is a judgment not entered into evidence; it postdates the
judgment under review by nine months; and in any event, it dismisses Richard
from the suit with full prejudice. Dione’s detailed descriptive list does show a debt
to Louisiana Wholesale Florist, Inc. in the amount of $30,000.00, which was
updated to $33,000.00 in her amended list. The record indicates that Dede’s owns
eighty-eight shares of Louisiana Wholesale Florist, Inc. and that those shares are
being held as security against the debt. Whether this is a collectible debt is
questionable, but this appears to be a debt of the business to be satisfied out of the
sale of the assets, and we will include it as a Dede’s liability allocated to Richard.
6 We have also discovered that Regions #4312 is the same account as #8571, apparently a credit card tied to the account, as the record contains probably twenty-five receipts for payments submitted by Richard, most of which are interest payments. Close examination reveals that both account numbers have the same credit line of $191,000.00, identical interest payments, and the same balance of $67,096.57 in 2009 and 2010, and that they are one-in-the-same account.
17 Dione’s original detailed descriptive list further shows a Dede’s debt
of $62,488.00 which she later amended to $76,738.23. The source of this debt
remains a mystery, but Dione does list it separately from the bank loans previously
discussed. Accordingly, we will include it.
The trial court spent days trying to sort out which debt was associated
with Dede’s and the other properties during trial. The June trial transcripts indicate
that the court was still looking for the entity that held the accounts receivable on
Dede’s and that the court wanted those liabilities provided by July 15. We cannot
locate a single loan bearing the name of Dede’s, and Richard points to no bank
records supporting debt made by Dede’s, other than those previously discussed.
Richard asserted in his memorandum on the last day of trial that
Dede’s debt load was $62,488.00, and subsequently on the same page he asserted
that it was in excess of $100,000.00.
We find that the record does not support debt against Dede’s in the
amount of $200,000.00, and we amend that portion of the judgment. The most
supportable figure is $132,226.66. This is the sum of the MidSouth Bank loan
(#1806) with the balance of $22,488.43, as documented by the parties with some
consistency, plus the $33,000.00 debt to Louisiana Florist, Inc. and the Dede’s debt
of $76,738.23 indicated in Dione’s amended descriptive list. We, therefore, amend
the judgment to show that the mortgage and business debt allocated to Richard in
connection with Dede’s is $132,226.66.
Mortgage on Rental Property – Old Spanish Trail
Richard asserts that the mortgage debt on 6605 Old Spanish Trail is
$72,000.00, not the $50,000.00 reflected in the trial court’s judgment. He points to
18 no bank records in support of this figure. As previously indicated, there was
significant commingling of the lines of credit used to purchase and maintain the
nine properties at various banks, such that the term ―mortgage‖ was loosely used
and unsupported by the bank records. The trial transcripts demonstrate the trial
court’s difficulty in discerning the true nature of a liability. We have done our
best, but we cannot find any account numbers or bank receipts showing a mortgage
on Old Spanish Trail. As indicated, Richard admitted to using the home equity
line on 506 Prioux for purchases and improvements to Old Spanish Trail. That
equity line in Regions account #4312 is already allocated to Richard as debt on the
family home at 506 Prioux.
Accordingly, we amend the judgment to delete the $50,000.00 debt on
the Old Spanish Trail property.7
Based upon the foregoing amendments—the allocation of 508 Prioux
to Richard, the correction on the amount of the IRA assets, and the corrections on
the amount of debt associated with Dede’s and Old Spanish Trail—the net assets to
Richard increase from $437,691.48 to $618,150.04.
Accordingly, where Richard’s net assets are now $618,150.04, and
Dione’s net assets are now $529,350.70, the difference is $88,799.34. Thus,
Richard will owe an equalizing payment to Dione for one half of the difference,
7 We note that the trial court did not award reimbursement to Richard for the mortgage payments he asserted on Old Spanish Trail. The mortgage payment claims on the spread sheet amounted to over $23,000.00, but we could not find the receipts to back up the claims. The spreadsheet and the trial transcripts indicated that these claims were going to be granted. We can only surmise that the trial court had approved the category of the claim but ultimately discovered no documentation to support ―mortgage‖ payments on this property, and that the debt on Old Spanish Trail appears in reality to be the equity asset line already attributed as debt on 506 Prioux. Richard did not raise the issue of the missing mortgage reimbursements in his brief.
19 which is $44,399.67. We will now consider the reimbursements awarded and will
adjust the equalizing payment accordingly.
REIMBURSEMENTS
When a spouse uses separate funds to pay a community obligation,
that spouse is entitled upon termination of the community to reimbursement for
one half of the amount paid. La.Civ.Code art. 2365. The burden of proof is on the
party claiming reimbursement. Charles v. Charles, 05-129 (La.App. 1 Cir.
2/10/06), 923 So.2d 786. A trial court’s findings as to whether reimbursement
claims have been sufficiently established are reviewable under the manifest error
standard. Kline v. Kline, 98-1206 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2/10/99), 741 So.2d 670.
Reimbursements to Dione
The trial court awarded reimbursements to Dione in the amount of
$109,828.54. This amount included $97,875.00 for one half of the rental revenues
on six properties for the twenty-seven months between the divorce petition and the
commencement of trial. Those properties included four rent houses, a non-
operating store used as a rent house, and the camp, all owned by the community. 8
The remainder of Dione’s $109,828.50 reimbursement award is for attorney fees,
stipulated to and not under appeal.
Richard contends that Dione should not have been reimbursed the
$97,875.00 representing one half of the rental income because there was no court
order and no agreement between the parties on the rent. He cites McCarroll v.
8 The monthly rental values established by appraiser, Robert Beyt, and used by the court for the four rent houses were: $1,000.00 for 508 Prioux Street; $750.00 for 407 Wayne Street; $1,200.00 for 407 Dahlia Street; and $1,750.00 for 6605 Old Spanish Trail. The rental value of the old Dede’s store location at 110 Glaser Drive was set at $750.00 per month. The rental value of the camp at 111 Cove Row was set at $1,800.00 per month.
20 McCarroll, 96-2700 (La. 10/21/97), 701 So.2d 1280, and Moore v. Moore, 05-290
(La.App. 3 Cir. 11/2/05), 917 So.2d 1126, writ denied, 05-2472 (La. 3/24/06), 925
So.2d 1228. McCarroll addressed the value of the wife’s use and occupancy of the
family home and held that ―rental payments may not be retroactively assessed
under La.R.S. 9:374(C) unless otherwise agreed by the spouses or ordered by the
court.‖ McCarroll, 701 So.2d at 1289. Moore followed, finding the wife not liable
for rental on the family home pursuant to La.R.S. 9:374(C) and McCarroll.
Currently under La.R.S. 9:374(C) (emphasis added):
A spouse who, in accordance with the provisions of subsection A or B of this Section, uses and occupies or is awarded by the court use and occupancy of the family residence, a community immovable occupied as a residence . . . shall not be liable to the other spouse for rental for the use and occupancy, except as hereafter provided. If the court awards use and occupancy to a spouse, it shall at that time determine whether to award rental for the use and occupancy and, if so, the amount of the rent. The parties may agree to defer the rental issue for decision in the partition proceedings. If the parties agreed at the time of the award of use and occupancy to defer the rental issue, the court may make an award of rental retroactive to the date of the award of use and occupancy.
Here, Richard was awarded use and occupancy of the family home at
506 Prioux Street pursuant to HOC recommendations on April 9, 2009. Part of the
document was read into the record at trial on June 28, 2011, and asked to be made
an order of the court by Richard’s attorney at the time. The court thereafter
referred to the document as a judgment. It contained a waiver by Richard of ―any
and all reimbursement claims associated with the payment of any financial
obligations secured or associated with the former marital residence.‖ It also
contained a waiver by Dione of her reimbursement claims ―associated with the fair
21 rental value‖ of this property. Thus, Dione is not seeking rent from Richard for his
use of the family home at 506 Prioux Street.
The rental properties at 508 Prioux, 407 Wayne, 407 Dahlia, 110
Glaser, and 6605 Old Spanish Trail, for which Dione is receiving rental
reimbursement, are income producing properties completely under Richard’s
control. These properties were either rented out, and he collected the rents, or they
were available to be rented. Therefore, La.R.S. 9:374(C) is not at issue on any of
these properties.
The trial court found that Richard had exclusive possession and
control of all community immovable properties, except for 1203 Trotter Street, the
operating Dede’s store location that Dione ran as a business. The court further
found that Richard set and received all rents, refused to involve Dione, and that he
used ―absurd measures‖ to deny Dione access to the other properties. ―The
concurrence of both spouses is required for the alienation, encumbrance, or lease
of community immovable . . . .‖ La.Civ.Code art. 2347. In its written reasons, the
court explained that Dione sought to use either the Glaser Drive property or the
camp, and that Richard refused to supply her water at Glaser Drive, though he had
supplied it to a renter there,9 and he declined to let her use the camp.
Under La.Civ.Code art. 2338, community property encompasses the
natural and civil fruits of community property. ―Civil fruits are revenues derived
from a thing by operation of law or by reason of a juridical act, such as rentals . . .
.‖ La.Civ.Code art. 551. ―Co-owners share the fruits and products of the thing
held in indivision in proportion to their co-ownership.‖ La.Civ.Code art. 798. ―In
the absence of other provisions of law or juridical act, the shares of all co-owners
9 The renter, Jeff Ragan, testified at trial regarding the water supply.
22 are presumed to be equal.‖ La.Civ.Code art. 797. ―A co-owner may freely lease . .
. his share of the thing held in indivision[,]‖ but the ―consent of all the co-owners is
required.‖ La.Civ.Code art. 805. ―The use and management of a thing held in
indivision is determined by agreement of all the co-owners.‖ La.Civ.Code art. 801.
―[A] co-owner is entitled to use the thing held in indivision according to its
destination, but he cannot prevent another co-owner from making such use of it.‖
La.Civ.Code art. 802.
The trial court characterized the rental reimbursements in the
judgment as rental revenues on community properties in the exclusive control and
possession of Richard from March 20, 2009 to June 27, 2011. At trial, when the
court granted Dione the rental reimbursements on these properties, Richard’s
attorney did not object. As to these income producing properties, we find no
manifest error in the trial court’s award of rental revenues.
The judgment also awarded Dione rental reimbursement on the camp
at 111 Cove Row for the same twenty-seven-month period as the other rental
properties. Richard asserts that he was awarded use and occupancy of the camp
pursuant to the HOC recommendation in April of 2009; he apparently occupied the
camp as a residence, along with the family home at 506 Prioux Street. Thus, we
revisit La.R.S. 9:374(C) in connection with the camp as a community immovable
occupied as a residence by one of the parties. Richard asserts that Dione is not
entitled to rental reimbursement on the camp because it was awarded to him by the
hearing officer, not by court order, not by agreement of the parties, and no specific
rental value was awarded at the time. He does not quote the document or point to
any place in the record where we might read this portion of the document.
However, the record reveals that the HOC awards were made an order of the court.
23 Additionally, the record reveals the following colloquy at trial on June
28, 2011, between the court and the attorneys for the parties as they presented
evidence and tried the parties’ reimbursement claims. Dione’s attorney is Mr.
Morrow, and Richard’s attorney is Mr. Bankston. After the judge granted Dione’s
reimbursement claim on the attorney fees, pursuant to the consent judgment, her
attorney moved to the rental reimbursement claims:
MR. MORROW:
Judge, our second item is – deals with the 111 camp. There was –
THE COURT:
111 Cove?
I’m sorry. 111 Cove. In the original HOC there was a provision that specifically states that plaintiff, Miss David, is reserving her full rental reimbursement on that property. Mr. David was provided exclusive use and occupancy of that camp.
The expert testimony that has been received in the record yesterday by the court-appointed expert, valued the rental camp at $1,800 per month, and this matter has been now 27 months out. Simple math 27 x $1,800 is $48,600.00.
All right. Do you have any objection?
The testimony of the expert has already been received.
MR. BANKSTON:
Yes. No objection, Your honor.
All right. Then we’ll grant the reimbursement.
24 Under La.R.S. 9:374(C), when the court awards use and occupancy to
a spouse, the parties may agree to defer the rental issue for decision in the partition
proceedings, and the court can then award rental retroactive to the date of the
award of use and occupancy. Our review of the record indicates that this is what
occurred when Dione reserved her rental reimbursement on the camp at 111 Cove
Row. Richard asserts the date as April 9, 2009. We, therefore, affirm the trial
court’s award of reimbursements to Dione in the total amount of $109,828.54.
Reimbursements to Richard
Richard asserted 331 claims for reimbursement on the community
properties at issue, in the total amount of $305,572.00. The trial court engaged the
services of the hearing officer, Paul Landry, and the parties and their attorneys met
with him for four days to review the individual claims and the supporting
documentation. The hearing officer provided line item spread sheets to the court,
listing each reimbursement claim, its amount, the property it addressed, the
category of the claim, such as ―lawn care,‖ ―mortgage,‖ ―taxes,‖ and so forth, the
reason for the other party’s objection to the claim, and the hearing officer’s
recommendation. The trial court then spent days of trial time adjudicating the
claims, taking some under advisement for additional research or asking for more
documentation where needed.
The trial judge asked for briefs from the parties on the issue of
exclusive use and expressed his intention to likely follow the recommendation of
the hearing officer unless the parties could provide an exception or documentation
supporting a contrary finding. Each of the claims fell under one of the hearing
officer’s descriptors of either ―probably valid,‖ indicating that it appeared legally
25 sound, provided it was supported by admissible evidence; or ―possibly valid,‖
indicating slightly less confidence in the validity of the claim; or ―questionable,‖
indicating a legal or factual weakness of the claim; or ―not valid,‖ indicating that it
arose prior to judicial demand or had been previously waived.
The judgment of the trial court awarded Richard $49,859.75 in total
reimbursements. He was reimbursed $27,210.21 for one half of his mortgage
payments on 506 Prioux Street, 508 Prioux Street, 407 Dahlia Street, 407 Wayne
Street, and on an ―unsecured‖ loan at MidSouth Bank. He was also reimbursed
$22,649.54 for his payment of insurance premiums and taxes, though no
breakdown of the properties was provided by the court.
In Richard’s appellate brief, he essentially asserts one general
complaint, i.e., that he fulfilled his fiduciary duty to maintain these properties and
that all of his 331 claims are valid under La.Civ.Code art. 2369.3. For support, he
then points the court to the record at pages ―1327-1517,‖ basically a 200-page
spread filled with non-sequential receipts, whose handwritten numbers often do not
match the HOC numbers on the spread sheets. In failing to list an individual
reimbursement claim that was denied but that was supported by a specific
document on a specific page in the record, the appellant has failed to comply with
Uniform Rules—Courts of Appeal, Rule 2-12.4.
Our review of the record reveals that Richard used a receipt book to
create and draft invoices for his work on various community properties decades
before the filing of Dione’s divorce petition on March 20, 2009, sometimes going
back into the 1980’s. We found at least seven such receipts totaling $185,218.00.
In addition to being self-serving, these claims do not reflect uncompensated labor
used to enhance the separate property of the other spouse, as anticipated by
26 La.Civ.Code art. 2368. Nor do they reflect Richard’s use of separate funds to
improve community property under La.Civ.Code art. 2367. These claims were
correctly denied, as were other claims for services and materials he paid for with
community funds on community property prior to the termination of the
community. The hearing officer’s report contained the following observation:
The Hearing Officer attempted to explain to [Richard] that uncompensated labor performed by either party during the community which inures to the benefit of the community or increases the value of the community is not a reimbursable expense. The explanation was to no avail, and Defendant insisted on presenting the claims. Although the hearing officer cannot say for sur[e] what Defendant’s motivation was for submitting so many clearly inappropriate reimbursement claims, it tends to appear that he is trying to cumulate large dollar value claims to offset or completely eradicate Plaintiff’s share of the community.
Additionally, Richard repeatedly submitted ineligible claims for funds
expended on 506 Prioux Street, the family home he occupied and upon which he
specifically waived his reimbursement claims. His claims were submitted despite
the fact that he was properly awarded reimbursement for one half of his mortgage
payments on this property. See Moore, 917 So.2d 1126.
Numerous other claims were denied where Richard used crews from
his other businesses to change locks, mow grass, and fix curtain rods at properties
that were generating rental income, which he collected and kept. In determining
the validity of Richard’s claims, the trial court applied La.Civ.Code art. 806, which
provides as follows:
A co-owner who on account of the thing held in indivision has incurred necessary expenses, expenses for ordinary maintenance and repairs, or necessary management expenses paid to a third person, is entitled to reimbursement from the other co-owners in proportion to their shares.
27 If the co-owner who incurred the expenses had the enjoyment of the thing held in indivision, his reimbursement shall be reduced in proportion to the value of the enjoyment.
The trial court found that Richard had exercised his exclusive use,
possession, and control of all of the co-owned properties except the Dede’s store
location at 1203 Trotter Street. The court stated,
As to immovable properties under lease or rental, Mr. David alone, set rent and lease[] amounts, and was paid all rental payments, in exercise of his control over the properties. Mr. David refused to advise, discuss or involve Ms. David in any way and accepted all rental payments and used them as he saw fit. Therefore, any and all claims for reimbursement by Defendant should be subject to an off-set, in accordance with Louisiana Civil Code Article 806.
The record indicates that four of the properties were under lease
(Dahlia, Wayne, Glaser and 508 Prioux); Richard was awarded use and occupancy
of two properties, 506 Prioux and 111 Cove Row (the camp); he stored equipment
and a motor home (apparently used as an office) at 6605 Old Spanish Trail but
could have rented it. That leaves only the Northside property that was sold early
on, and 1203 Trotter where Dione ran Dede’s. In its written reasons for judgment,
the trial court explained:
In asserting a claim for reimbursement, the burden is on the claiming party, to prove that the expense was (1) necessary and that it (2) enhanced the value of the property. Tarver v. Tarver, [05-367 (La.App. 3 Cir. 11/2/05), 916 So.2d 1222]. An expense is deemed necessary if it is for the preservation of the thing. [La.Civ.Code] art. 527. And the test for [enhanced] value, is that the enhancement must be such that a strong and substantial economic advantage inured to the community. Jones v. Jones, 605 So.2d 689 (La.App. 2 Cir.1992) [, writ denied, 607 So.2d 571 (La.1992)]. However, before the claiming party can meet the burden of reimbursement, the party must establish that
28 the debt was actually paid. Hatsfelt v. Hatsfelt, 922 So.2d 732 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2/1/06). The Third Circuit, in Hatsfelt, [] relied on Louisiana Civil Code Article 1846, which requires proof ―by at least one witness and corroborating circumstances,‖ when the claim is for an amount that exceeds Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). When the claim is for an amount under Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), competent evidence is required. Competent evidence refers to ―evidence that tends to establish the fact in issue and does not rest on a mere surmise or guess. Clifton v. Arnold, 87 So.2d 386 (La.App. 1 Cir. 1956). An invoice number is insufficient to prove where the work was done and if it was ever paid.
The trial court denied Richard’s numerous claims for lawn care and
repairs, finding them to be matters of regular maintenance, not reimbursable as
necessary expenses under La.Civ.Code arts. 806 and 526, and Jurgelsky, 614 So.2d
1331. Where there is exclusive use, routine maintenance is not reimbursable. See
Id. (plumbing, air conditioning, lawn mower and T.V. repairs considered routine
maintenance and not reimbursed); see also Jones, 605 So.2d 689 (replacing carpet
and stove, painting and plumbing, not reimbursed because no proof of necessity
and enhancement; where the party had the benefit of using the property for years,
these were unreimbursable routine maintenance); Tarver, 916 So.2d 1222 (deck
and pool liner not proved necessary, and value of home actually went down); and
see Goines v. Goines, 09-994 (La.App. 5 Cir. 3/9/11), 62 So.3d 193, writ denied,
11-721 (La. 5/20/11), 63 So.3d 984 (disallowed reimbursement for payments on a
computer loan where husband had exclusive use of the computer).
We note that, pursuant to Kline v. Kline, 98-1206 (La.App. 3 Cir.
2/10/99), 741 So.2d 670, real estate taxes and insurance premiums are subject to
the exclusive use exception in La.Civ.Code art. 806. It appears, however, that the
trial court reimbursed Richard for many of those payments.
29 Finally, in his brief Richard asserts that he is due $6,000.00 as one
half of the $12,000.00 he was previously ordered by the court to pay. Of that sum,
$10,000.00 was to be deposited for business use by Dede’s, and $2,000.00 was to
be paid to the mediator. Richard correctly asserts that the court’s order indicates
that he would receive credit for $6,000.00 in the final partition. Richard asserts
that he borrowed the $12,000.00 from his mother. Richard’s mother testified at
trial regarding donations of stock to Richard and his brother on the other
businesses. She was not asked about this $12,000.00 loan, and Richard points to
no evidence in the record documenting either the loan or the payments ostensibly
made with funds from the loan.
Given the facts of this case, we find no manifest error in the trial
court’s award of reimbursements to either Richard or Dione. When we offset the
reimbursement amounts due to each other ($109,828.54 minus $49,859.75), the
difference is $59,968.79. This is the net amount of reimbursement that Richard
owes Dione. It will be included in the final equalizing note below.
EQUALIZING PAYMENT
Based upon the foregoing amendments to the judgment, the payment
necessary to equalize the net assets between the parties is $44,399.67, which
constitutes the amount owed by Richard to Dione. We have affirmed the
reimbursements awarded to both parties and have determined a differential of
$59,968.79. Therefore, the final equalizing payment owed by Richard to Dione is
the sum of the two. Hence, Richard is hereby ordered to pay Dione the equalizing
payment of $104,368.46.
30 V.
CONCLUSION
Based upon the foregoing, the amended judgment allocates 508
Prioux, with its attendant debt, to Richard, instead of Dione; it reduces the
appraised value of the camp, reallocates the IRAs, giving one half of each, to each;
it reduces the Dede’s debt allocation; and it deletes the mortgage debt on Old
Spanish Trail. Further, the amended judgment affirms the reimbursement claims
and recalculates the equalizing payment. The changes are reflected in the
following tables; we have placed an asterisk next to the items affected.
ImmovableAssets Im-Value MovableAssets M-Value Debt Net- Dione 111 Cove Row 300,000.00* Contents 13,697.50 313,697.50* NorthsideRd/sold 70,750.00 70,750.00 407 Dahlia 166,000.00 142,676.23 23,323.77 407 Wayne 109,500.00 54,661.33 54,838.67 Kia Sorrento 13,000.00 13,000.00 -0- ½ her IRA 16,889.95* 16,889.95* ½ his IRA 49,850.81* 49,850.81*
Her Total 529,350.70*
ImmovableAssets Im-Value MovableAssets M-Value Debt Net -Richard 506 Prioux 245,000.00 Contents 19,605.00 161,667.02 102,937.98 508 Prioux* 150,000.00 89,055.54 60,944.46* Dede/Trotter 224,000.00 132,226.66* 91,773.34* Dede/Glaser 116,500.00 116,500.00 Suburban 3,139.00 3,139.00 Pick-up 1,975.00 1,975.00 Van 408.00 408.00 Van 1,014.00 1,014.00 Old Sp. Trail 125,000.00 Contents 9,200.00 * 134,200.00* Camero 46,000.00 46,000.00 -0- Corvette 12,500.00 12,500.00 Yukon 24,000.00 24,000.00 -0- GW Boat Rig 10,975.00 10,975.00 Scout Bt. Rig 5,020.00 5,020.00 Utility Trailer 500.00 500.00 Burial Crypt 9,522.50 9,522.50 ½ her IRA 16,889.95* 16,889.95* ½ his IRA 49,850.81* 49,850.81*
His Total 618,150.04*
31 His Net Assets $ 618,150.04 Her Net Assets -529,350.70 Difference $ 88,799.34
Equalizing Payment: Richard owes Dione 1/2 of difference $ 44,399.67
Reimbursements to Dione $ 109,828.54 Reimbursements to Richard - 49,859.75 Difference - Richard owes Dione $ 59,968.79
Equalizing Note: Richard owes Dione (44,399.67 + 59,968.79) $ 104,368.46
Costs are assessed equally to Dione W. David and Richard G. David.
Dione W. David v. Richard G. David (Dione W. David v. Richard G. David) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.