In Re Marriage of Rossi

446 N.E.2d 1198, 113 Ill. App. 3d 55, 68 Ill. Dec. 801, 1983 Ill. App. LEXIS 1554
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedFebruary 22, 1983
Docket81-2942
StatusPublished
Cited by46 cases

This text of 446 N.E.2d 1198 (In Re Marriage of Rossi) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois 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 Rossi, 446 N.E.2d 1198, 113 Ill. App. 3d 55, 68 Ill. Dec. 801, 1983 Ill. App. LEXIS 1554 (Ill. Ct. App. 1983).

Opinion

JUSTICE McGLOON

delivered the opinion of the court:

Respondent Joseph Rossi appeals and petitioner Clarice Rossi cross-appeals from the financial and property dispositions of a supplemental judgment for dissolution of marriage entered December 1, 1981.

On appeal, respondent contends (1) that the judgment is contrary to law and equity because it is punitive; (2) that the trial court’s findings and orders with respect to the designation and valuation of certain assets are erroneous; and (3) that the trial court’s order awarding petitioner’s attorney fees and costs of $42,864.82 to be paid by respondent is erroneous.

On cross-appeal, petitioner contends that the property distribution is erroneous and the award of attorney fees is insufficient.

We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand with directions.

On January 30, 1979, judgment for dissolution of marriage of respondent and petitioner was entered. The matters of property settlement and maintenance were continued. On June 22, 1981, the circuit court of Cook County entered its memorandum opinion on these issues, reserving the issue of assessment of petitioner’s attorney fees. The trial court entered its final supplemental judgment for dissolution of marriage on December 1,1981, and respondent appeals.

The parties were married for 17 years prior to separating in 1978. Both parties are in their early forties. As a result of the marriage, four children were bom. Two are currently residing with petitioner.

At the time of the marriage, petitioner was an elementary school teacher. She ceased teaching to raise the parties’ family. Respondent held various jobs during the marriage. In 1971, respondent began managing Progressive Bronze Works, Inc. (PBW), a business which manufactures brass ecclesiastical supplies. Respondent is currently president and 100% shareholder of PBW.

The judgment from which this appeal and cross-appeal are taken distributed the assets as follows. Respondent was awarded: (1) 100% of the stock of PBW valued at $600,000; (2) the real estate on which PBW is situated, known as the Spaulding Avenue property, with equity valued at $73,000; (3) the beneficial interest in PBW’s pension fund, established by respondent, which had $20,184 on deposit; (4) three real estate limited partnerships for tax shelter purposes, in which respondent invested $88,180 after the judgment of dissolution was entered and which the trial court designated as non-marital property of respondent; (5) 100% of the stock of Exchem Corporation valued at $3,000; (6) furniture and personalty valued at $5,000.

Petitioner was awarded: (1) the marital residence located in Park Ridge, Illinois, with a gross equity of $130,000, subject to all mortgage payments and real estate taxes accruing after June 22, 1981; (2) $67,000, representing the sale proceeds, held in escrow, of a lot at 990 Rose Street, Park Ridge, Illinois; (3) various shares of stock held in respondent’s name valued at $47,700 on January 30, 1979; (4) sole title to a vacant lot in Delavan, Wisconsin, valued at $35,000 and subject to real estate taxes after June 22, 1981; (5) $25,200 representing the sale proceeds, held in escrow, of a 32-foot boat purchased by respondent in 1976; and (6) furniture and personalty valued at $15,000.

Respondent was also ordered to pay petitioner the principal amount of $100,000 in five equal installments plus interest at a rate of 8% per annum. The court further ordered respondent to pay $2,500 per month unallocated maintenance and child support, all extraordinary medical and dental expenses of the minor children and tuition for any of the children who desire to attend college. Respondent was also ordered to keep a $30,000 life insurance policy in effect so long as his responsibilities under the judgment had not been fulfilled. Finally, respondent was ordered to pay petitioner’s attorney fees and costs of $42,864.82.

First, respondent contends that the December 1, 1981, order is punitive and therefore contrary to law and equity. To support this contention, he argues that the order takes all his assets, with the exception of the Spaulding Avenue property, leaving him destitute. We disagree.

The total value of the marital assets, as set forth above, equals $1,121,084. Of this amount, respondent was awarded approximately $701,185 or 63%. The total value of petitioner’s award was approximately $419,900 or 37%. During oral arguments before this panel, attorneys for both parties reiterated that they agreed with the court’s valuation of the marital assets with the exception of the stock of PBW. Therefore, assuming, arguendo, that the stock of PBW is worth its book value ($263,774), respondent still received 46% of the marital assets; if valued at its net worth ($357,014), respondent received 52%.

Section 503(c) of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (Act) requires that the court shall divide marital property in just proportions considering all relevant factors. (111. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 40, par. 503(c).) Cases decided under the Act have established that an equitable division of marital property is not necessarily an equal one. (In re Marriage of Borg (1981), 96 Ill. App. 3d 282, 421 N.E.2d 214; In re Marriage of Lloyd (1980), 81 Ill. App. 3d 311, 401 N.E.2d 328.) The court can properly award one spouse a greater share where the relevant factors warrant such a result. In re Marriage of Gustke (1979), 78 Ill. App. 3d 274, 397 N.E.2d 146.

The apportionment of property by the trial court will not be disturbed in the absence of an abuse of discretion. Moreover, discretion is abused only if no reasonable person would take the view of the trial court. In re Marriage of Borg (1981), 96 Ill. App. 3d 282, 287, 421 N.E.2d 214, 218.

In the instant case, the distribution of property was clearly not against the manifest weight of the evidence nor an abuse of judicial discretion.

Following a lengthy trial on the matter, the trial judge recognized that unique circumstances were presented with regard to PBW and the Spaulding Avenue property. The court noted that these two assets alone comprised over 60% of the marital assets and were, in effect, the sole income producer for all concerned. The court pointed out that the award to respondent of the business (valued at $600,000) and the land resulted in a “lopsided division of marital property” in favor of respondent. However, the court reasoned that the best interests of all concerned were served by such an award because the corporation had thrived under the direction of respondent over the years he had operated it. Furthermore, the court attempted to equalize respondent’s award by awarding petitioner the sum of $100,000. In light of these facts and statistics, we find that the trial court considered relevant factors in dividing the marital property and did not abuse its discretion.

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Bluebook (online)
446 N.E.2d 1198, 113 Ill. App. 3d 55, 68 Ill. Dec. 801, 1983 Ill. App. LEXIS 1554, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-marriage-of-rossi-illappct-1983.