Martin v. Martin

174 N.W.2d 468, 46 Wis. 2d 218, 1970 Wisc. LEXIS 1064
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 6, 1970
Docket71
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 174 N.W.2d 468 (Martin v. Martin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martin v. Martin, 174 N.W.2d 468, 46 Wis. 2d 218, 1970 Wisc. LEXIS 1064 (Wis. 1970).

Opinion

*221 Beilfuss, J.

The reported cases of this state ad infinitum all hold that the division of estate, award of support money, alimony and contribution to the wife’s attorney’s fees are all matters that must rest primarily in the discretion of the trial court, and this court will not reverse or modify without a clear showing of a disregard of a divorce statute, inadequate findings, findings against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence, or an abuse of judicial discretion.

Although the appellant’s brief contends “the evidence supports the husband-defendant counterclaim,” we will not consider that issue because it is not encompassed within the notice of appeal.

To present a statement of facts in this matter has been made much more difficult for the court because of the appellant’s neglect to provide an adequate appendix and failure to comply with sec. 251.34 (5) (a), (b), (c) and (d), Stats. Henceforth, the court will see fit to affirm without opinion, and upon motion, impose double costs for these derelictions.

The parties were married on August 7, 1954. Both of them were about thirty-five years old. The plaintiff-wife had been married and divorced before. She had a five-year-old daughter, Jacalyn, whom she had previously adopted. This was the defendant’s first marriage. Shortly after the marriage, he too, adopted Jacalyn. There were no other children.

The divorce was granted to the plaintiff-wife upon the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment. We will not restate the evidence except to say a review of the voluminous record convinces us that the trial court was justified in finding the defendant had treated the plaintiff in a cruel and inhuman manner and that this conduct adversely affected her health entitling her to a divorce.

*222 The court will first discuss the support money and alimony orders because of their relative unimportance to present issues between the parties.

The order fixed Jacalyn’s support at $20 per month but to .terminate on July SI, 1968, because Jacalyn would be considered emancipated as of that date. There is really no serious issue between the parties as to this matter, — it is moot, and the judgment is affirmed as to Jacalyn’s custody and support money.

The plaintiff-wife was awarded $200 per month alimony. The testimony was that defendant-husband was earning approximately $9,000 per year at the time of the divorce judgment and that the plaintiff was in poor health with limited earning capacity. Under these circumstances we cannot conclude $200 per month alimony was excessive or an abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court. The alimony problem, too, has become moot. Because the notice of appeal did not encompass the provisions of the judgment awarding an absolute divorce, it became final one year after its pronouncement. The year has passed; she was advised she could remarry, and she has. The defendant’s obligation to make alimony payments ceased upon her remarriage. The defendant’s delinquencies, if any, in the alimony payments ordered until the time of plaintiff’s remarriage are not at issue on this appeal and will not be considered.

The principal dispute between the parties is the division of estate. The trial court found the total assets of the parties at the time of the divorce trial to be $16,985.27; that the plaintiff-wife’s separate estate (and in her possession) was $15,499.59 of this total, leaving a balance of $1,485.68. The trial court awarded the plaintiff $700 of .this balance, which is about 47 percent.

The marriage was of a twelve-year duration. The husband claims that as of the time of the marriage his assets were $12,840, consisting of cash and farm live *223 stock and machinery; that his wife’s assets at that time were $2,832.59, and that his earnings throughout the marriage were jointly used.

The wife claims her separate estate contributed to the marriage was about $12,000 more than the $15,499.59 as found by the trial court.

It is apparent that at the time of the marriage the wife had an equity in some real estate in Madison, some household goods, and some cash. During the marriage she received inheritances from the estates of both her mother and her father.

Shortly after the marriage the parties bought a farm in the Lake Mills area. This farm was subsequently sold. The parties thereafter acquired two pieces of real estate in Lake Mills.

In an extensive memorandum opinion the trial court recapitulates the assets of the parties as of the time of the divorce trial and divides the estate as follows:

RECAPITULATION

A. Equity in 129 Milton Street $5,367.94

B. Net receipts of 126 Woodland Beach Road 7,131.65

C. 1965 Mustang 1,800.00

D. Furniture and Miscellaneous to plaintiff 1,200.00

In hands of Plaintiff. $15,499.59

E. N. Y. Life policy $1,232.70

F. Motor Bike 125.00

G. Tools 50.00

H. Net refund check (in court) 77.98

In hands of Defendant $1,485.68

I. Lutheran Aid policy ???

J. Franklin Life policy $296.38

Assets for Jackie ? ? ?

*224 III. DETERMINATION AND EVALUATION OF PLAINTIFF’S SEPARATE ESTATE.

A. Equity from 609 Baldwin (see pretrial order (R. 90, R. 94) PI. Ex. #4 (11-29-67) $2,482.84

B. Net proceeds from mother’s home (see pretrial order (R. 90, R. 94) PI. Ex. 11 (11-29-67) 4,286.59

C. Boot paid to purchase Ford (see pretrial Order (R. 92, R. 94) PI. Ex. 9 (11-29-67) 2,381.00 (R M)

D. Deposit in Anchor Savings & Loan (PI. Ex. #8 (11-29-67) 1,525.00 (R M)

E. Spent on trip to Mexico (balance of $5000) 1,094.00 (R M)

(Plaintiff inherited Lot 10, block 1, Power Replat in Madison from her mother about March 28, 1960 (closing). This real estate was appraised at $11,000 and was subject to a mortgage of $2,787.33 when appraised late in 1959. PI. Ex. 6 (11-29-67) shows a mortgage dated April 1, 1960, whereby plaintiff borrowed $7,600 from Anchor Savings and Loan. Exhibit 8 is dated April 21, I960; Ex. #9 is dated Apr. 20,1960. Plaintiff’s testimony is that the mortgage balance was about $2600 and she borrowed $5000 more to pay these two checks and the balance of $1,094 was used for the trip.)

F.Furniture taken to farm $2,500.00

The testimony, especially on cross-examination satisfactorily establishes *225 this value which was a contribution in bulk to the marriage such as should be considered in determining separate estate.

G.

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Bluebook (online)
174 N.W.2d 468, 46 Wis. 2d 218, 1970 Wisc. LEXIS 1064, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-v-martin-wis-1970.