Hunt v. Hunt

645 N.E.2d 634, 1994 Ind. App. LEXIS 1801, 1994 WL 732216
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 29, 1994
Docket64A03-9408-CV-316
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 645 N.E.2d 634 (Hunt v. Hunt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hunt v. Hunt, 645 N.E.2d 634, 1994 Ind. App. LEXIS 1801, 1994 WL 732216 (Ind. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

OPINION

HOFFMAN, Judge.

Appellant-respondent Thomas Hunt appeals the trial court’s determination as to the division of property in the dissolution of his marriage to appellee-petitioner Gloria J. Hunt. The evidence relevant to the appeal appears below.

The parties were married in December 1970. Two children were born during the marriage. A 20-year-old son was emancipated at the time of the dissolution proceedings. Custody and support for a 14-year-old daughter were at issue in the proceedings below. However, no matters regarding custody and support have been raised for review.

Gloria did not finish high school prior to the marriage. In 1987, Gloria completed a G.E.D. program. During the marriage, Gloria did not work outside of the home until approximately four years prior to the dissolution proceedings. She then worked in factory settings performing packing and assembly work. Gloria had to discontinue working for some employers due to family obligations. She was unable to work a “swing shift” because she needed to take care of her daughter. She left another place of employment because it was located too far from her home.

At the time of the October 1993 hearing, Gloria was employed by Best Home Inspections earning $200.00 per week. However, the evidence indicates that she did not expect to be paid until sometime after the dissolution proceedings were final. She had been terminated from her latest factory job due to an injury. At the time of the hearing, Gloria had no pension, IRA or savings for the future accumulated on her own.

Thomas was employed at Heckett Engineering. He had worked there nineteen years at the time of the October 1993 hearing. The year before the hearing, Thomas earned $47,000.00.

Gloria testified that she contributed most of her income to the family’s resources. She purchased food, gave their daughter lunch money and gave money to Thomas. She occasionally had the opportunity to purchase items for herself, as did Thomas.

During the October 1993 hearing, Thomas presented evidence that Gloria and her friend Russell King had discussed co-ownership of a home inspection business. Also on cross-examination, Gloria acknowledged the existence of a post office box in her name only. She stated that the post office box was opened to facilitate establishing credit in her own name. Thomas presented the evidence ostensibly to prove the existence of marital assets available for distribution and the waste of marital assets. Gloria testified that although she and King had discussed in pro *636 spective terms the commencement of a business and that she had taken a business venture class, she was not a partner in the business.

By the time of the hearing in March 1994, Gloria was working at ServiceMaster cleaning homes after fire or water damage. She was earning $7.00 per hour working less than 40 hours per week. Between January 1993 and January 1994, Gloria earned approximately $9,500.00.

At the March 1994 hearing, Thomas testified that his pension was valued at $43,-000.00. Further, he stated that he expected to earn approximately $48,000.00 during 1994. He stated that it was by mutual agreement that Gloria had not worked outside of the home while the children were younger. He noted that her attempt to do so “didn’t work out too well.” He also understood that while he was building seniority and a pension at his employment, Gloria had not established any security and was at a disadvantage in the job market.

The trial court awarded Gloria 60% of the marital assets including Thomas’ pension. The court specifically found that the disparity in earning ability warranted an unequal distribution. This appeal ensued. Other evidence appears below as necessary to discussion of the issues.

Thomas raises two issues for review. As restated, the issues are:

(1) whether the trial court erred in awarding Gloria 60% of the marital property; and
(2) whether the trial court erred in failing to assign a value to Gloria’s interest in the home inspection business.

Gloria contends that Thomas’ appeal is frivolous and that she should be awarded appellate attorney fees.

IND.CODE § 31—1—11.5—11(c) (1988 Ed.) provides that a court shall presume that an equal division of marital property is just and reasonable. The court may determine that other factors, including “[t]he earnings or earning ability of the parties as related to a final division of property and final determination of the property rights of the parties,” require an unequal distribution. IND.CODE § 31-l-11.5-ll(c)(5).

Subject to statutory provisions including the above provision, the disposition of marital assets is committed to the sound discretion of the trial court. In re Marriage of Snemis (1991), Ind.App., 575 N.E.2d 650, 653. This Court may not reweigh evidence or assess the credibility of witnesses. Id. Instead, on review only the evidence most favorable to the trial court’s disposition will be considered. Id. Reversal is warranted only where the trial court’s decision is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances before the court. Id. A party challenging the trial court’s division of marital assets must overcome a strong presumption that the court complied with the statute and properly considered the evidence on each of the statutory factors. Fiste v. Fiste (1994), Ind.App., 627 N.E.2d 1368, 1373.

Here, the trial court was presented with evidence that Gloria had not been a member of the work force for much of the 24-year marriage. The decision that she would remain a homemaker was mutual. Thomas argues that Gloria did not present evidence of the quality of her homemaking services. Apparently, his contention is that she must prove some level of competency in order to obtain credit for contributing to the family during the marriage. Such is not the case. Moreover, Thomas presented no evidence that she failed in her homemaking duties.

Further, evidence of the disparity in earning capacity attributable to factors including Gloria’s lengthy hiatus from the work force, her education, Thomas’ 19-year position with the same employer, and Thomas’ pension establish that the trial court did not err in finding that Gloria is entitled to 60% of the marital assets. No error occurred as to the unequal distribution of the marital property.

Thomas complains that the trial court erred in failing to assign a value to and divide Gloria’s interest in a home inspection business. Although for purposes of dissolution all “assets” of the parties are considered property to be divided, a party must have a *637 “present interest of possessory value.” See Fiste, 627 N.E.2d at 1372. At trial, Thomas attempted to establish that Gloria dissipated marital assets by assisting in the development of the business, that Gloria is a partner in the business, and that Gloria’s actions require attribution of fault.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
645 N.E.2d 634, 1994 Ind. App. LEXIS 1801, 1994 WL 732216, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hunt-v-hunt-indctapp-1994.