In Re Marriage of Brotherton

59 P.3d 1025, 30 Kan. App. 2d 1298, 2002 Kan. App. LEXIS 1057
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedNovember 27, 2002
Docket88,156
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 59 P.3d 1025 (In Re Marriage of Brotherton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Marriage of Brotherton, 59 P.3d 1025, 30 Kan. App. 2d 1298, 2002 Kan. App. LEXIS 1057 (kanctapp 2002).

Opinion

MARQUARDT, J.:

Diane M. Alley (formerly Brotherton) appeals the trial court’s order holding her in indirect contempt of court. We affirm.

In December 1999, Diane filed a petition for dissolution of her marriage to Ricky L. Brotherton. The parties signed a property *1299 settlement agreement (PSA) that was incorporated into the journal entry and decree of divorce entered on July 26, 2000. The PS a divided the property of the parties and gave Diane the personal property that was currently in her possession. Photographs, photo albums, videotapes, and other family memorabilia were to be divided equally between the parties.

Among the items in Diane’s possession were: a grandfather clock made by Ricky’s father; a chest that belonged to Ricky’s grandmother; shovels that belonged to Ricky’s grandfather; rocks from the farm where Ricky was born; tools and a tool box; a nail box; and Navy memorabilia. Ricky claimed that these items were his pursuant to the terms of the PSA. Diane failed to give the items to Ricky.

On April 30, 2001, Ricky’s counsel sent a letter to Diane’s counsel demanding delivery of the identified items. Shortly thereafter, Ricky received some personal items, pictures, videotapes, and memorabilia. None of the items listed in the demand letter was given to Ricky.

On July 11, 2001, Ricky filed an affidavit in contempt, stating that Diane had failed to give him his share of the photographs, photo albums, videotapes, and other personal property, including family heirlooms, that were awarded to Ricky pursuant to the PSA. The trial court issued a citation in contempt and ordered Diane to appear and show cause why she should not be held in indirect contempt of court for failure to comply with court orders.

A contempt hearing was held on September 26, 2001. Diane testified that she had possession of the memorabilia specified in Ricky’s demand letter and had decided what she would give to him. Diane stated for the first time that Ricky could have the chest that belonged to his grandmother and the rocks fromthe farm. She said that the only reason she had not given him the items was because they were not specifically itemized in the PSA. Ricky testified that he had attempted to get some of the items listed in his demand letter and other photos and family memorabilia but was told by Diane that he could not have them because they belonged to her.

The trial court held Diane in contempt for failure to give Ricky his personal property. The trial court awarded Ricky everything listed in his demand letter and $500 in attorney fees.

*1300 Diane filed a motion to alter or amend the trial court’s judgment, stay the order requiring delivery of certain items of personal property, and establish the amount of a supersedeas bond for appeal. A hearing was held, and the trial court denied Diane’s motion to alter or amend and her request to stay the order of delivery and established a supersedeas bond of $5,000. The trial court required Diane to give Ricky certain items of property by October 27,2001.

The parties could not agree on a journal entry for the contempt proceeding, and a hearing was held. Ultimately, the journal entry stated that Diane was in indirect contempt of court for her failure to give Ricky his equal share of the photographs, photo albums, videotapes, and other family memorabilia in a timely fashion. Diane timely appeals.

Diane argues that the trial court did not have jurisdiction over the contempt proceeding because she was never personally served with the notice of hearing. See K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 20-1204a(b). The notice of the hearing was mailed to her counsel, who duly advised her of its receipt. Diane also maintains that she did not, at any time, authorize her counsel to waive the service requirement, nor did she knowingly do so by her participation in the hearing. This issue is being brought before this court for the first time on appeal.

There is nothing in the record on appeal to support Diane’s lack of service contention. An appellant has the burden to designate a record sufficient to establish the claimed error. Without an adequate record, the claim of alleged error fails. Unrau v. Kidron Bethel Retirement Services, Inc., 271 Kan. 743, 777, 27 P.3d 1 (2001). Diane attached two affidavits to her brief; however, these affidavits are not in the record on appeal and will not be considered by this court. An appendix to an appellant’s brief cannot be used as a substitute for the record on appeal. Supreme Court Rule 6.02(f) (2001 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 35); see D.M. Ward Constr. Co. v. Electric Corp. of Kansas City, 15 Kan. App. 2d 114, 121, 803 P.2d 593 (1990), rev. denied 248 Kan. 994 (1991).

Jurisdiction may be raised for the first time on appeal. Rivera v. Cimarron Dairy, 267 Kan. 865, 868, 988 P.2d 235 (1999). However, where facts are at issue, the matter should have been raised *1301 at the trial court level. There is no evidence in the record on appeal to support Diane’s lack of jurisdiction argument.

Alternatively, it could be said that Diane voluntarily submitted herself to the jurisdiction of the trial court by her appearance at three different hearings. She did not object to the trial court’s lack of personal jurisdiction at any of the hearings. Jurisdiction over a party can be acquired only by issuance and service of process in the method prescribed by statute or by voluntary appearance. Haley v. Hershberger, 207 Kan. 459, 463, 485 P.2d 1321 (1971). A party may not present a case in the hope that the trial court will resolve the claims in a favorable manner and then, when an unfavorable verdict has been rendered, claim that the trial court lacked personal jurisdiction. See Carrington v. Unseld, 22 Kan. App. 2d 815, 820, 923 P.2d 1052 (1996).

Next, Diane contends that the trial court erred in finding her in contempt for failure to comply with the division of property set forth in the PSA. Diane states that she is “incensed and humiliated” from being held in contempt, and the sole purpose of her appeal is to vindicate her position and clear her name.

There is a dual standard of review in an appeal from a finding of contempt. This court applies a de novo review to determine whether the alleged conduct is contemptuous. An abuse of discretion standard is applied in reviewing the sanctions imposed. In re M.R., 272 Kan. 1335, 1342, 38 P.3d 694 (2002).

In State v. Jenkins, 263 Kan. 351, 950 P.2d 1338

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Bluebook (online)
59 P.3d 1025, 30 Kan. App. 2d 1298, 2002 Kan. App. LEXIS 1057, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-marriage-of-brotherton-kanctapp-2002.