Gremillion v. Gremillion

966 So. 2d 1228, 2007 WL 2851099
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 3, 2007
Docket2007-492
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 966 So. 2d 1228 (Gremillion v. Gremillion) 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
Gremillion v. Gremillion, 966 So. 2d 1228, 2007 WL 2851099 (La. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

966 So.2d 1228 (2007)

Glynn P. GREMILLION
v.
Anita Grimes GREMILLION.

No. 2007-492.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

October 3, 2007.

*1230 Kenneth A. Doggett, Alexandria, LA, for Plaintiff-Appellant, Glynn P. Gremillion.

Terry W. Lambright, Leesville, LA, for Defendant-Appellee, Anita Grimes Gremillion.

Court composed of JIMMIE C. PETERS, GLENN B. GREMILLION, and J. DAVID PAINTER, Judges.

PAINTER, Judge.

In this very contentious domestic dispute, both parties appeal different portions of the trial court's various judgments. Glynn P. Gremillion appeals the trial court's ruling regarding the valuation of his former wife's interest in the family home, the categorization of certain credit card debt as community debt, and the failure to recognize his claims for reimbursement for payments allegedly made on community debts following the filing of the petition for divorce. Anita Grimes Gremillion appeals the trial court's modification of the considered custody decree and several findings regarding the community property partition. For the reasons set forth below, we reverse that portion of the trial court's ruling which modifies the August 30, 2005 custody decree, and we also reverse the trial court's order that child support be set at zero and remand the matter for further determination as to child support. Furthermore, we affirm the trial court's finding that Glynn was not a partner in Gremillion Farms and that Anita, therefore, has no interest in that entity. However, we find that the trial court erred in not awarding Anita a one-sixth interest in both the $82,000.00 that Glynn removed from the feed mill account and the value of the corn held by the feed mill. We affirm the trial court's refusal to award Anita a one-half interest in the account in the name of Stanley Gremillion and its refusal to find that Glynn had accumulated at least $100,000.00 in cash that he kept in a file cabinet. Next, we amend the trial court's ruling to include an award of $9,746.09 to Anita, representing her one-half interest in the proceeds of the sale of the Leon Kimball House. We agree that the family residence was built on Glynn's separate property and, therefore, we amend the trial court's ruling with regard to Anita's interest therein to reflect that she is entitled to $30,184.54, representing one-half the value of the community funds used to construct the residence ($60,369.07) pursuant to La.Civ.Code art. 2366. We also reverse that portion of the trial court's ruling which ordered to Glynn to pay one-half of Anita's total credit card debt as we find that the majority of those charges were incurred after the dissolution of the community and, therefore, amend the trial court's ruling to reflect that Glynn is responsible for one-half of only $894.46 which represents the portion of the credit card debt that is classifiable as community debt. Finally, we amend the trial court's ruling to include a reimbursement to Glynn for $3,250.00, representing one-half of his attorney's fees incurred in obtaining the divorce.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Glynn P. Gremillion and Anita Grimes Gremillion were married on July 8, 1995 in Leesville, Louisiana. They established their matrimonial domicile in Avoylles Parish. One child, Taylor Gremillion, was born during the marriage, on October 28, 1997. Glynn filed a petition for divorce on October 13, 2004, and the judgment of divorce was signed on June 13, 2005. A consent judgment as to custody was also signed on June 13, 2005. That judgment *1231 granted joint custody of the minor to the parties, with Anita being designated domiciliary parent and Glynn having specific visitation privileges. Glynn was also ordered to pay $634.00 per month in child support.

On August 30, 2005, following a trial on Glynn's petition for change of custody, the trial court signed a judgment granting joint custody to the parties, with Anita being designated as domiciliary parent and Glynn receiving additional specific visitation privileges. That judgment specifically states that it is a considered decree.

In the interim, the parties filed detailed descriptive lists, traversals of the other party's lists, rules for contempt, and various other pleadings regarding custody and child support. Glynn was found in arrears for child support from November 2004 through August 16, 2006.

The present dispute arises, in part, out of a judgment on the partition of the community property and custody issues following a trial held on September 22, 2006. On October 9, 2006, the trial court issued its written reasons for ruling, finding that shared custody would be in the best interest of the child; that Glynn had no ownership interest in either Gremillion Farm or Gremillion Cattle, and therefore, any increase in value of those entities would have no effect on the community property issues; that Anita was entitled to one-sixth of the value in a Simmesport State Bank account for Gremillion Feed Mill, or $5,883.00; that Anita was entitled to one-half the equity in a motorcycle, or $3,557.50; that Anita was entitled to $62,500.00, characterized by the trial court as one-half of the funds used to build the home where the parties lived during the marriage; that there was no credibility in Anita's allegations that Glynn had a large amount of cash in a filing cabinet; that Anita was entitled to $23,820.00, representing one-half the amount of funds which were clearly and distinguishably community funds in the Valic account; that Anita was entitled to $500.00, representing one-half the value of a four-wheeler; that Anita was awarded possession and ownership of a Mercedes automobile, but must assume any and all debt associated therewith; that Anita was entitled to one-half of Glynn's personal bank funds; and that the credit card debt was community debt and, therefore, was to be split equally between the parties. In sum, Anita's interest in the community assets was determined to total $100,489.50. Judgment to that effect was signed on December 11, 2006. Both parties filed motions for new trial, which were denied. However, the trial court did amend the judgment to include an award of $5,895.00 to Anita for one-half interest in another automobile. In response to Glynn's rule to establish child support and to remove Anita from his separate property, the trial court, at the same time, set child support at zero and ordered that the parties equally divide all tuition and lunch expenses for the minor child, with Glynn being responsible for the 2006-2007 calendar year and the parties alternating each school year thereafter. The trial judge also ordered Anita to vacate Glynn's separate property, bearing municipal address of 3591 Highway 1182, Simmesport, Louisiana, no later than March 31, 2007. Anita was also ordered to continue to maintain major medical health insurance on the minor, with the parties dividing equally all out-of-pocket medical expenses and the cost of the child's portion of coverage. Judgment to that effect was signed March 6, 2007. Both parties then appealed to this court.

DISCUSSION

Custody and Child Support

The standard of review in child custody matters has been clearly stated by this court:

*1232 The trial court is in a better position to evaluate the best interest of the child from its observances of the parties and witnesses; thus, a trial court's determination in a child custody case is entitled to great weight on appeal and will not be disturbed unless there is a clear abuse of discretion.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
966 So. 2d 1228, 2007 WL 2851099, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gremillion-v-gremillion-lactapp-2007.