Fuori v. Fuori

334 So. 2d 488
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 24, 1976
Docket10724
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 334 So. 2d 488 (Fuori v. Fuori) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fuori v. Fuori, 334 So. 2d 488 (La. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

334 So.2d 488 (1976)

Ellen Watson FUORI, wife
v.
Michael A. FUORI, husband.

No. 10724.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

May 24, 1976.
Rehearing Denied June 30, 1976.

*489 Keith M. Whipple, Houma, for appellant.

Lloyd J. Bourgeois, Houma, for appellee.

Before SARTAIN, EDWARDS and CHIASSON, JJ.

CHIASSON, Judge.

Michael A. Fuori, husband and appellant, has brought this appeal from a judgment granting Ellen Watson Fuori, wife and appellee, a separation from bed and board. In his Reasons For Judgment the Trial Judge provided the following summary of the facts of this case:

"Ellen Watson and Michael Fuori were married in the State of New York on June 30, 1936. They lived with Mr. Fuori's father for approximately four years in Central Islip, New York. Then they moved into a little house adjacent to Mr. Fuori's father's house. Mr. Fuori went away to flying school, first in Suffolk County and then on Cape Cod. After Mr. Fuori returned from Cape Cod, the Fuoris lived in Central Islip until Mr. Fuori got a position in Texas as a pilot. Mr. Fuori went to Texas first, and was afterwards joined by his two brothers, and Mrs. Fuori and their young son. Later, Mr. Fuori's sister joined them in Texas. They lived in Texas for approximately two years until Mr. Fuori got a job in New York as a test pilot. They then lived in Central Islip about a year and a half. At the end of World War II, Mr. Fuori was laid off from his job as a test pilot and got a job at the Aviation Country Club in Hicksville. Mr. and Mrs. Fuori continued to live at Central Islip. This lasted for about a year, until Mr. Fuori got a job working for Miss Betty Costive in Miami, Florida. Mr. Fuori lived in Florida alone for about a year, and then he sent for his wife and son to come to Florida as he had found a place for the summer. They were to look for a permanent home while they were in Florida. They stayed in Florida for about two and half or three months. Then, although it appears that the contentions of the parties to this suit vary,
*490 this Court finds, as was testified, that Mrs. Fuori found some letters written by another woman to Mr. Fuori. Mrs. Fuori went back to New York and stayed at William Fuori's house. Afterward, Mrs. Fuori lived in and was employed in Brookville and Long Island. About two months later, Mrs. Fuori was visited by her husband, who said he had taken a job with Texaco in Louisiana to start in November of 1948, and they would then be back together again. Mrs. Fuori offered to come to Louisiana, but her husband said she should wait. She again offered to come to Louisiana when her husband was up in New York a little later, but her husband discouraged her saying that he did not like Louisiana, and it would be detrimental to Mrs. Fuori's health for her to live here. Mr. Fuori also said he would get a transfer to New York. In about 1950, Mrs. Fuori bought a house in Farmingdale, New York, where she still lives. Throughout the years, Mrs. Fuori repeatedly offered to join her husband in Louisiana, but her husband advanced the same reasons for her not to come to Louisiana. Her husband visited her at least once a year in New York, during vacations and sometimes at Christmas, and they went out together and generally conducted themselves as husband and wife.
"In about 1949 Mr. Fuori met Miss Dorothy Hurst, who lives in Houma, and started dating her. At first he dated her rather unfrequently, but they gradually began seeing one another more and more until recently, Mr. Fuori saw Miss Hurst almost every day. They went out together, and Miss Hurst visited Mr. Fuori's house in Houma and he visited her apartment in Houma.
"Mrs. Fuori gradually found out about Miss Hurst. Once when she telephoned Mr. Fuori in Houma, a high-pitched voice, believed to be that of Miss Hurst, answered the telephone. Also, when the Fuoris' son, William Fuori, who was then grown, flew to Louisiana with his father when his father was about to have a rather serious operation, Mr. Fuori told William that Miss Hurst would meet them at the airport.
"In 1970, Mrs. Fuori filed suit against Mr. Fuori before this Court for separation from bed and board. The parties became reconciled, and the suit was dismissed. However, Mr. Fuori continued to see Miss Hurst. The present action was filed on April 17, 1974, by Mrs. Fuori against Mr. Fuori, seeking separation from bed and board on the grounds of cruel treatment. A temporary restraining order was issued that day forbidding Mr. Fuori from alienating community property. This temporary restraining order was extended on motion of plaintiff from time to time.
"Before the suit for separation was filed in Louisiana, a suit for divorce was filed in New York by Mr. Fuori against Mrs. Fuori. Service of process upon Mrs. Fuori, through her New York attorney, was not effected until after the present separation suit was filed.
"Counsel for Mr. Fuori filed an exception to the jurisdiction of this Court in the separation suit, a motion to stay the present separation suit until the divorce suit was decided in New York, and a motion to dissolve the temporary restraining order against alienating community property on the grounds that Article 149 of the Louisiana Civil Code was unconstitutional. This Court held that it had jurisdiction, refused to issue a stay order, and refused to dissolve the temporary restraining order, assigning written reasons for judgment. Defendant sought supervisory writs, which were denied on the grounds that an adequate remedy was had by appeal. (See transcript of Appellate record, 10103, p. 16) Counsel for plaintiff filed a contempt rule on the grounds that defendant had violated the temporary restraining order by alienating community property. This *491 issue was referred to the merits. Counsel for plaintiff also filed an alimony rule for alimony pendente lite. Alimony for Mrs. Fuori from Mr. Fuori was awarded in the amount of $858.80 per month, payable semi-monthly. Mrs. Fuori was also awarded the rental income from the New York property. Defendant appealed from this ruling, and the judgment of the trial Court was affirmed."

After a trial on the merits, the Trial Court rendered judgment decreeing a separation from bed and board, perpetuating the preliminary injunction and permanently enjoining the appellant from disposing or encumbering any of the property belonging to the community of acquets and gains existing between he and his wife. In addition, the Trial Court found the appellant to be in contempt of Court for alienating community assets in violation of the temporary restraining order which was issued by the Court. The appellant was ordered to reimburse the community of acquets and gains the value of the assets alienated, $20,900.00. The appellee was awarded alimony pendente lite in the amount of $858.80 per month.

The errors complained of by the appellant are that the District Court:

1. did not have jurisdiction in the matter;
2. erred in granting a separation;
3. erroneously issued a permanent injunction;

4. erroneously held the appellant in contempt and erroneously ordered him to reimburse the community; and

5. erred in declaring the property acquired by the appellant to be community property.

As to the appellant's first specification of error, Article 10 of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure provides:

"A.

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334 So. 2d 488, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fuori-v-fuori-lactapp-1976.