Fleck v. Fleck

58 N.W.2d 765, 79 N.D. 561, 1953 N.D. LEXIS 63
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1953
DocketFile 7341
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 58 N.W.2d 765 (Fleck v. Fleck) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fleck v. Fleck, 58 N.W.2d 765, 79 N.D. 561, 1953 N.D. LEXIS 63 (N.D. 1953).

Opinions

[563]*563Grimson, J.

This is an action for divorce. Plaintiff asks for a divorce from her husband on the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment and for support and division of property. The defendant denies the cruel and inhuman treatment generally and filed a cross complaint asking for a divorce on the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment on the part of the plaintiff. Plaintiff makes reply denying defendant’s cross complaint generally. The district court denied divorce to both parties .and denied support to the plaintiff. Plaintiff appeals, and asks for a trial de noAm.

The plaintiff and defendant were married at Wibaux, Montana, on Jan. 25, 1947. Both are citizens of. the United .States and bona fide residents of the State of North Dakota for more-than one year next preceding the commencement of the action. Both had been married and divorced. No children Avere born' to this marriage.

At the time of the marriage the defendant owned a building located on West Main. St., Mandan,-North Dakota, in which he conducted a bar. After the marriage the main room of that building AAras divided along the center and. a restaurant, established on one side while the bar was maintained on the other.- The plaintiff operated the restaurant Avhile the defendant, operated the bar. The plaintiff kept the books. In 1948 defendant bought lots on East Main St., in Mandan . and the parties cooperated in the construction and operation of a motel, court thereon.

The testimony by the plaintiff and in her behalf shows that trouble soon arose between them. In September 1947 plain-tiff’s father was ill in a Minneapolis Hospital:.. The family de-[564]*564cided to go down to see Mm. Plaintiff wanted to go along. The defendant, refused to give her permission. She went anyhow. When she, in 1949, wanted to go to see her father who was again in the hospital, defendant again refused and said: “If you go, don’t come back.” She went anyhow and when she came back he said: “What do you want ... I told you not to come back.*’ He accused her mother of immoral conduct and called her bad and indecent names. The defendant forbade the plaintiff to associate with her people. He called them “hillbillies” and other derogatory names. He did not want her to allow them to come to their home and at one time after defendant had seen her mother coming from their home he said: “If I ever catch her up here I will throw her down the stairway and break her — -— neck.” He repeatedly told plaintiff when she was going with her people: “If you go, don’t come back.” He made her wash the telephone when her sister had used it. He refused to let her go home for Father’s Day until a friend intervened. At the time of one of the Minneapolis trips when her sister, Mrs. Chadwick, was urging defendant to let her go and on his- refusal called him a “slave driver” he got mad, called her a bad name and said: “Are you going to get out of here?” This attitude of the defendant towards plaintiff’s people seems to have continued throughout their entire married life. This is not only the plaintiff’s testimony but is corroborated by her sisters and by a maid who ■worked in the motor court. Defendant’s own testimony is somewhat of an indirect admission along that line. He says: “We didn’t quarrel so much about them but what I wanted was reasonable visiting. . . . Q— Now you heard Mrs. Chadwick testify that you told your' wife that she could not go up to the bars to slut around or words to that effect ? Ans.— I did- not say that, not that word.”

It is clear that the defendant had a strong antipathy towards plaintiff’s relatives and used every effort to keep her from any association with them. Plaintiff, on the other hand, seems to have had a strong attachment for her relatives and desired their company. The conduct of the defendant in that regard was unreasonable; In Gratz v. Gratz, 137 Fla 709, 188 So 580, it is said: “There seems to have been an abundance of testimony to [565]*565¿how repeated declarations by the appellant execrating appellee’s parents and applying to them humiliating and profane epithets. These expressions, at a time when the domestic atmosphere was far-from tranquil, were obviously intended-to.injure her sensibilities and cause her mental distress.” The court held such conduct warranted granting the wife a divorce on the ground of extreme cruelty. In Donald v. Donald, 21 Fla 571, it is said that abuse and mistreatment of her relatives far exceed the effect of a blow in their damaging effect upon the health and happiness of a woman. See also 17 Am Jur Divorce and Separation, Sec 71, p 185.

Apparently defendant was jealous of her. "When she went out alone he admits he watched her to see where she went and what she did. . He frequently accused her of being with other men. He claimed she continually flirted with the customers at the restaurant and visited barrooms with some of them. Of defendant’s testimony on these claims the trial court found that “The evidence discloses that it is based mostly on conjecture and suspicion and is not corroborated in any manner.” Plaintiff claims defendant accused her of infidelity, which he admits, and that he called her the most indecent names possible indicating infidelity. Her sisters and a maid testify they heard him do that. Defendant admits calling her a “chippy.” Defendant offered no evidence to justify such charges.

“Unfounded accusations of infidelity may inflict such grievous mental suffering as to amount to extreme cruelty.” Ruff v. Ruff, 78 ND 775, 52 NW2d 107 and cases cited.

“As a general rule, unfounded accusations of misconduct, tending to degrade and humiliate the accused spouse may waiv rant a divorce for cruelty.” 27 CJS, Divorce, Sec 28 b p 555. See also 17 Am Jur, Divorce and Separation, See 66, p 183.

The handling of their finances and her management of the restaurant seem to have been matters of continual bickering between them. Plaintiff claims she could never do anything to please him. Both drank some intoxicating liquor which made matters worse. Plaintiff claims defendant abused her for wanting to go to church. When she at one time went anyhow he became so angry over it that he pounded his. desk,- broke a glass [566]*566and threw á shoe at her. Another time when she came back from'Bismarck with some friends and was drinking beer with them in her home' he slapped her in the face, leaving a little mark and pushed her off the chair. Her glasses were knocked off.

In a proposed written agreement for a condonation, which defendant signed and unsuccessfully sought' to have plaintiff sign, it is stated:

“Whereas, the parties hereto have had some serious marital difficulties during the time of their marriage, which have been occasioned by and'are due: “(1) to occasional quarrels during which the party of the second part (the defendant) called the party of the first part, (the plaintiff) vile and insulting names; (2) to conduct towards each other which at times has been unkind, unfair and cruel; (3) to the use of force by the party of the second part (the defendant) on the party of the first part (the plaintiff) on one occasion when he slapped her in the face.”

Thus defendant admits calling plaintiff names and slapping her. On his part he admits unkind, unfair and cruel treatment towards plaintiff. She refused to sign this document.

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

Related

Fenske v. Fenske
542 N.W.2d 98 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1996)
Palmer v. Palmer
281 N.W.2d 263 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1979)
Rudel v. Rudel
279 N.W.2d 651 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1979)
Keig v. Keig
270 N.W.2d 558 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1978)
Fine v. Fine
248 N.W.2d 838 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1976)
Bellon v. Bellon
237 N.W.2d 163 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1975)
Johnson v. Johnson
211 N.W.2d 759 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1973)
Halla v. Halla
200 N.W.2d 271 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1972)
Rohde v. Rohde
154 N.W.2d 385 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1967)
Orwick v. Orwick
153 N.W.2d 795 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1967)
Johnson v. Davis
140 N.W.2d 703 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1966)
Fischer v. Fischer
139 N.W.2d 845 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1966)
Bolt v. Bolt
134 N.W.2d 506 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1965)
Beaton v. Beaton
99 N.W.2d 92 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1959)
Fleck v. Fleck
58 N.W.2d 765 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1953)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
58 N.W.2d 765, 79 N.D. 561, 1953 N.D. LEXIS 63, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fleck-v-fleck-nd-1953.