Gaylynn Burke v. David Burke (mem. dec.)

Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided November 27, 2019·No. 19A-DR-1329·Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), this Memorandum Decision shall not be FILED regarded as precedent or cited before any Nov 27 2019, 10:41 am court except for the purpose of establishing CLERK the defense of res judicata, collateral Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals estoppel, or the law of the case. and Tax Court

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Dan J. May Matthew T. Black Kokomo, Indiana Brian A. Clay Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Gaylynn Burke, November 27, 2019 Appellant-Respondent, Court of Appeals Case No. 19A-DR-1329 v. Appeal from the Howard Superior Court David Burke, The Honorable Brant J. Parry, Appellee-Petitioner. Judge Trial Court Cause No. 34D02-1512-DR-908

Riley, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-DR-1329 | November 27, 2019 Page 1 of 17 STATEMENT OF THE CASE [1] Appellant-Respondent, Gaylynn Burke (Wife), appeals the trial court’s post-

dissolution Order denying Wife’s Petition to Modify Decree for Fraud, but

granting the Appellee-Petitioner’s, David Burke (Husband), Cross Motion to

Enforce Decree.

[2] We affirm.

ISSUES [3] Wife raises four issues on appeal, which we consolidate and restate as two

issues:

(1) Whether the trial court abused its discretion by denying Wife’s Petition to

Modify Decree for Fraud; and

(2) Whether the trial court’s grant of Husband’s Cross Motion to Enforce

Decree resulted in an impermissible modification of the Decree.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY [4] Wife and Husband were married on April 28, 1997. No children were born of

this marriage; however, the parties have children born from prior relationships.

On December 3, 2015, the parties separated, and Husband filed a petition to

dissolve the marriage. Wife remained in the marital home in Kokomo,

Indiana.

[5] During the discovery in the dissolution proceedings, Wife sent Husband a set of

interrogatories. In question 14, Wife asked Husband whether he had ever

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-DR-1329 | November 27, 2019 Page 2 of 17 deposited any “money, documents, or other items of personal property,” in a

safe-deposit box, vault or safe. (Appellant’s App. Vol. II, p. 39). Husband

responded by stating that in the safe within the marital home, there were

“[U.S.] [s]aving [b]onds, [g]uns, [and a] [c]oin [c]ollection.” (Appellant’s App.

Vol. II, p. 39). In question 25, Wife asked Husband to list any property,

including real, personal, or money, that Husband had acquired prior to or

during his marriage to Wife. Husband responded as follows:

a. Safe and its contents, sport equipment, tools, inheritance, bonds, living room TV, Roku, home speaker system, laptop, kindle, printer, wireless internet monitor/router, 4 handguns[,] 1 rifle, [and] coins.

b. $1,500-$2,000 for computer and electronic equipment, $22,000 in bonds (total), firearms valued at $1,000, [and] coins valued at $300[.]

c. Electronics were gift from son (he may still have receipts), guns were purchased through [Husband’s] income, $10,000 of bonds were inherited, $12,000 in bonds were purchased prior to the marriage, [and] coins were purchased prior to marriage[.]

(Appellant’s Exh. Vol. II, p. 43) (emphasis added).

[6] While the dissolution proceeding was pending, on July 28, 2016, Wife filed a

motion, requesting the trial court to allow her to open the safe located in the

parties’ marital home so that she could inventory and value its contents. On

August 3, 2016, the trial court issued an order directing the parties to

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-DR-1329 | November 27, 2019 Page 3 of 17 “coordinate a date and time certain for the opening and inventory of the safe”

in the

presence of a competent, neutral, local appraiser for the purpose of inventory and subsequent valuation. If the parties are unable to agree upon a date, time or appraiser for these purposes, the [c]ourt will establish the same upon either party’s requests.

Neither party shall remove any item, article, document, object or otherwise from the safe and the safe shall be re-sealed upon the completion of the inventory.

(Appellant’s Corrected App. Vol. II, p. 52) (underline in original).

Notwithstanding the trial court’s order, Wife did not pursue the opening of the

safe.

[7] On October 2, 2017, the trial court conducted a final contested hearing. During

the hearing, among the things, Husband requested to be awarded were the “gun

safe . . . sporting goods,” and “tools” which he argued were valued at

“$100,000.00.” (Transcript pp. 19-20). Wife was asked if she agreed with

Husband retaining the “gun safe, guns, sports equipment[,] or tools” and Wife

stated that she had “no objection, none.” (Tr. p. 63). During Wife’s direct

examination, Wife sought to admit Exhibit G, a list of the parties’ marital assets

and debts that she had prepared with the assistance of her attorney. In the

“Misc. Personality & Related Debt” section, Wife listed the “Safe (Saving[s]

Bonds, Guns, Coins).” (Exh. Vol. II, p. 43). No values were assigned to these

assets, nor were they allocated to either party. The only evidence presented to

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-DR-1329 | November 27, 2019 Page 4 of 17 the trial court regarding the ownership of the savings bonds was Husband’s

response to Wife’s interrogatories.

[8] Following that hearing, on December 8, 2017, the trial court entered its findings

of facts and conclusions thereon, dissolving the parties’ marriage (Decree). The

trial court entered the following pertinent findings:

17. The [c]ourt finds that at the date of separation, the marital estate consisted of the following property:

a. Marital residence $161,500.00 b. 2015 Traverse lease c. 2005 Chevy truck $6,588.00 d. [Wife’s] Roth Account $23,248.00 e. [Wife’s] 529 accounts $44,567.29 f. [Wife’s] IRA $325,540.00 g. [Husband’s] Edward Jones Accounts $377,897.00 h. [Husband’s] Financial Builder’s Account $626.00 i. [Husband’s] PNC accounts $2,774.00 j. [Husband’s] Solidarity accounts $40,075.00 k. [Husband’s] PNC accounts $4,561.00 l. [Household Goods]to [Husband] $100,000.00

18. The [c]ourt finds at the date of separation, the marital estate consisted of the following debt: a. Marital residence at PNC $104,944.00 b. Bank of America credit card ([Wife]) $ 8,370.00

19. [Husband testified that he would like to retain his guns, gun safe, sports equipment, tools and coins. He valued these items at $100,000. [Wife] had no objection to that valuation. The parties agree to divide other personal property evenly with [Wife] receiving the old oak table, the old china cabinets (2), the old

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-DR-1329 | November 27, 2019 Page 5 of 17 dishes from her family, the bedroom suite she owned prior to marriage, and the television she bought after separation.

(Appellant’s App. Vol. II, pp. 20-21). The trial court then entered the

following conclusions.

34. [Wife] is awarded, as her sole and separate property, the residence located at 4745 E. 100 S., Flora, IN subject to the indebtedness thereupon, including, but not limited to, all mortgages, utilities, taxes, insurance, assessments, etc.

****

36. [Husband] is awarded, as his sole and separate property, the 2005 Chevy Colorado subject to the debt, taxes, and insurance which he shall be obligated to pay.

37. [Husband] is awarded the personal property contained in the safe. He is also awarded the safe itself.

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