Duckworth-Fulciniti, M. v. Fulciniti, J.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 9, 2018
Docket2437 EDA 2017
StatusUnpublished

This text of Duckworth-Fulciniti, M. v. Fulciniti, J. (Duckworth-Fulciniti, M. v. Fulciniti, J.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Duckworth-Fulciniti, M. v. Fulciniti, J., (Pa. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

J-S83017-17

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

MICHELLE L. DUCKWORTH- : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF FULCINITI : PENNSYLVANIA : Appellant : : : v. : : : No. 2437 EDA 2017 JOHN B. FULCINITI

Appeal from the Order Dated June 29, 2017 In the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County Civil Division at No(s): C-48-CV-2013-008151

BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., OLSON, J., and DUBOW, J.

MEMORANDUM BY OLSON, J.: FILED MARCH 09, 2018

Appellant, Michelle L. Duckworth-Fulciniti (Wife), appeals from the

equitable distribution order entered on June 29, 2017. We affirm.

The trial court summarized the facts and procedural history of this

case as follows:

On August 15, 2013, [Wife] filed a [c]omplaint in [d]ivorce against [] John B. Fulciniti (Husband), alleging that the parties were married on May 15, 1999, and that their marriage was irretrievably broken. Wife requested, therein, in addition to a divorce decree, an equitable distribution of the marital estate, alimony pendente lite, counsel fees, post-divorce alimony, and primary physical custody of the parties’ two minor children. On that same date, Wife also filed a [p]etition for [s]pecial [r]elief seeking exclusive possession of the marital home. The docket does not reflect that said petition was ever heard. On February 20, 2015, in connection with another petition, the parties entered into an agreement on the record whereby Wife’s exclusive possession of the marital home was confirmed [(as Wife was in exclusive possession of the marital home pursuant to a protection from abuse order (PFA))]. Wife has received J-S83017-17

alimony pendente lite during the pendency of this action. The most recent [d]omestic [r]elations [o]rder, dated April 11, 2017, provides that Wife is to receive $1,203.00 per month for alimony pendente lite, in addition to $1,573.00 per month as child support for the parties’ two children. Wife has sole legal and physical custody of the parties’ two children at this time, pursuant to an [o]rder of [c]ourt dated September 13, 2016.

An [o]rder was entered on June 2, 2015, appointing Steven N. Goudsouzian as Special Master. Related to the issue of equitable distribution, the parties were directed to and did request a ruling on the issue of the applicability of their prenuptial agreement to Husband’s retirement benefits. On February 19, 2016, an [o]rder was entered declaring that Husband’s retirement benefits are subject to the parties’ prenuptial agreement and that same shall be part of the marital estate. A hearing was held before the Master on July 28, 2016 for equitable distribution. As the hearing could not be concluded that day, same was reconvened for further proceedings on November 30, 2016. The Master’s [r]eport was filed on March 1, 2017, to which both parties filed timely exceptions.

Trial Court Opinion, 6/29/2017, at 1-2 (footnote incorporated).

Relevant to this appeal, Wife took exception to the Master’s

recommendation that the marital home be listed for immediate sale with the

proceeds to be divided between the parties. Wife argued that she be

afforded the opportunity to retain the marital home. Wife further argued

that the Master erred by denying her claim for alimony because she was

cohabitating with her boyfriend. Finally, Wife averred that the Master erred

by failing to award her requested attorney’s fees totaling nearly $42,000.00.

-2- J-S83017-17

The trial court denied Wife relief on the aforementioned claims by

opinion entered on June 29, 2017.1 This timely appeal resulted.2

On appeal, Wife raises the following issues for our review:

[1.] Did the trial court commit an error of law or abuse [its] discretion by ordering that the parties’ marital home immediately be listed for sale without affording [Wife] the opportunity to retain the home?

[2.] Did the trial court commit an error of law or abuse [its] discretion by ordering that [] Husband’s retirement benefits would be divided equally as opposed to awarding a greater percentage of the benefits to Wife?3 ____________________________________________

1 The trial court did sustain several of Wife’s other exceptions, but Husband has not cross-appealed those determinations. The trial court also granted two exceptions raised by Husband, but Wife does not challenge those decisions.

2 On July 27, 2017, Wife filed a timely notice of appeal. On July 31, 2017, the trial court ordered Wife to file a concise statement of errors complained of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). Wife complied timely and, on August 15, 2017, the trial court entered a statement pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) that it was relying upon its earlier decision entered on June 29, 2017 as its rationale for denying Wife relief. On August 18, 2017, this Court entered a per curiam order directing Wife to show cause why the equitable distribution order was final because it was unclear if a divorce decree had been entered. Wife responded and attached a copy of the parties’ September 21, 2017 divorce decree. Although the divorce decree was entered subsequent to the instant appeal, the June 29, 2017 equitable distribution order is now final and appealable. See Busse v. Busse, 921 A.2d 1248, 1253 n.2 (Pa. Super. 2007) (citation omitted) (“[a]lthough [o]rders of property distribution are not appealable until entry of a final divorce [d]ecree, case law holds that an award of equitable distribution is appealable where a divorce [d]ecree is entered while an appeal is pending.”).

3 “Although Wife had indicated that the [t]rial [c]ourt erred by failing to provide Wife with a disparate distribution of Husband’s [r]etirement (Footnote Continued Next Page)

-3- J-S83017-17

[3.] Did the trial court commit an error of law or abuse [its] discretion by denying [Wife’s] claim for attorney’s fees?

[4.] Did the trial court commit an error of law or abuse [its] discretion by denying [Wife’s] claim for alimony?

Wife’s Brief at 5-6 (complete capitalization and suggested answers omitted).

We will examine Wife’s fourth issue first, because it touches upon

Wife’s first issue, as well. Wife claims that the trial court erred as a matter

of law or abused its discretion in denying her claim for alimony by “finding

that Wife was cohabitating with a boyfriend, Matthew Leluga.” Wife’s Brief

at 17. Wife contends that she presented evidence that Leluga owns his own

home in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Id. She claims that Leluga does not

reside at the marital home, but spends “about ten (10) to twelve (12) nights

per month at the home,” and “utilized the address in order to keep his child

enrolled in the Nazareth School District.” Id. at 17-18. Wife contends that

the trial court erred by considering Nazareth School District enrollment

forms, and a sanitation bill addressed to Leluga at the marital residence,

indicating Leluga and his son were living at Husband’s and Wife’s home. Id.

at 18-19. Wife claims that, “Leluga contributes nothing to the maintenance

of the household” and “Leluga’s use of Wife’s home was [nothing] other than

(Footnote Continued) _______________________

[b]enefits, Wife hereby withdraws [this] issue as the same was treated in accordance with the [p]arties’ [p]re-[n]uptial [a]greement that directed an [e]qual [d]ivision.” Wife’s Brief at 9; see also id. at 31 (“Wife withdraws her issue on [a]ppeal requesting a disparate distribution of Husband’s retirement assets[.]”). Because Wife has withdrawn this issue, we need not address it.

-4- J-S83017-17

a temporary arrangement borne out of necessity to permit his son to

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Bluebook (online)
Duckworth-Fulciniti, M. v. Fulciniti, J., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/duckworth-fulciniti-m-v-fulciniti-j-pasuperct-2018.