McCoy v. McCoy

429 P.2d 999
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedJuly 18, 1967
Docket40557
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 429 P.2d 999 (McCoy v. McCoy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCoy v. McCoy, 429 P.2d 999 (Okla. 1967).

Opinions

PER CURIAM.

This appeal involves a divorce action which was commenced on September 10, 1962 by the plaintiff in error, Shirley Elizabeth McCoy, hereinafter called the plaintiff, in which the defendant in error, Alexander Watts McCoy III, hereinafter called the defendant, filed an answer and a cross-petition for a divorce from the plaintiff. After a trial, commenced on February 20, 1963 and lasting some fourteen days, the trial court took the matter under advisement, and on April 29, 1963 rendered its judgment, which granted a divorce to each of the parties from the other on the ground of incompatibility, awarded to the plaintiff the custody of the two minor children of the marriage but subject to visitation by the defendant, required the defendant to pay to the plaintiff $100.00 per month for the support of each of said two minor children during the minority of the child or until further order of the court, and made certain orders concerning the property of the parties, alimony to the plaintiff, an attorneys’ fee for plaintiff’s attorneys, and the court costs of the proceeding.

The plaintiff filed a motion for a new trial and, after the samé had been overruled by the trial court, perfected this appeal to this court. She raises no question concerning the divorces to both parties or the custody of the minor children of the parties or support money for them or the court costs of the action, but presents her appeal upon two basic propositions: First, that the trial court erred in making an inadequate award to the plaintiff of alimony and/or division of jointly acquired property and by failing to restore plaintiff’s separate property; and, second, that the trial court erred in awarding inadequate attorneys’ fees and suit money to the plaintiff.

Under her first proposition plaintiff contends, in effect, that under 12 O.S.1961, § 1278 and Oklahoma cases construing it, the trial court should have awarded her all of her separate property, free and clear of any and all encumbrances imposed thereon -during the marriage, and at least one-half of the property acquired by the parties during the marriage, as well as alimony in an amount compatible with her way of life during the marriage and the defendant’s true earning capacity. That statute provides that:

“When a divorce shall be granted by reason of the fault or aggression of the husband, the wife shall be restored to her [1003]*1003maiden name if she so desires, and also to all the property, lands, tenements, ■hereditaments owned by her before marriage or acquired by her in her own right after such marriage, and not previously disposed of, and shall be allowed such alimony out of the husband’s real and personal property as the court shall think reasonable, having due regard to the value of his real and personal estate at the time of said divorce; which alimony may be allowed to her in real or personal property, or both, or by decreeing to her such sum of money, payable either in gross or in installments, as the court may deem just and equitable. As to such property, whether real or personal, as shall have been acquired by the parties jointly during their marriage, whether the title thereto be in either or both of said parties, the court shall make such division between the parties respectively as may appear just and reasonable, by a division of the property in kind, or by setting the same apart to one of the parties, and requiring the other thereof to pay such sum as may be just and proper to effect a fair and just division thereof. In case of a finding by the court, that such divorce should be granted on account of the fault or aggression of the wife, the court may set apart to the husband and for the support of the children, issue of the marriage, such portion of the wife’s separate estate as may be proper.”

However, in the present case, a divorce was not granted to only one of the parties by reason of the fault or aggression of the other party, but a divorce was granted to both parties on the ground of incompatibility. In Chappell v. Chappell, Okl., 298 P.2d 768, 771, 58 A.L.R.2d 1214, this court held that incompatibility is a “two-way proposition,” and in the first and third paragraphs of its syllabus to Wegener v. Wegener, Okl., 365 P.2d 728, held that:

“Actionable incompatibility exists when there is such a conflict of personalities as to destroy the legitimate ends of matrimony and the possibility of reconciliation. Such a state may exist although the situation is considered serious by one spouse and less so by the other.” and,
“Where no misconduct of the complaining spouse exists, but the evidence discloses incompatibility, the trial court is not vested with the right to weigh the degree of fault contributed by the parties.” -rv

In the present case the finding of the trial court upon which the divorce was granted is in harmony with those rules. That finding, as set forth in the journal entry, is as follows:

“The Court further finds that both of the parties are at fault and that they are incompatible and that the incompatibility is caused by the actions of both parties and that said incompatibility existing during the marriage relationship has destroyed all of the legitimate aims and ends of matrimony and that both of the parties are entitled to a divorce each from the other.”

Although 12 O.S.1961, § 1271 makes incompatibility one of the grounds for divorce, the authority for granting a divorce to both parties is contained in 12 Q.S. 1961, § 1275, which provides, first, that:

“The parties appear to be in equal wrong shall not be a basis for refusing to grant a divorce, but if a divorce is granted in such circumstances, it shall be granted to both parties. * * * ” and then provides that:
“In any such case or where the court grants alimony without a divorce or in any case where a divorce is refused, the court may for good cause shown make such order as may be proper for the custody, maintenance and education of the children, and for the control and equitable division and disposition of the property of the parties, or of either of them, as may be proper, equitable and [1004]*1004just, having due regard to the time and manner of acquiring such property, whether the title thereto be in either or both of said parties.”

Consequently, 12 O.S.1961, § 1275, supra, rather than 12 O.S.1961, § 1278, supra, relied upon by the plaintiff, applies in this instance.

This court has held that 12 O.S. 1961, § 1278, supra, when applicable, requires an “equitable division” of the parties’ jointly acquired property. Bruce v. Bruce, 141 Okl. 160, 285 P. 30; Chamberlain v. Chamberlain, 121 Okl. 145, 247 P. 684. Thus, although not directly applicable ¡in a case where a divorce is granted to both parties, cases involving the provisions of .12 O.S.1961, § 1278 concerning jointly acquired property would be of assistance in effecting an “equitable division and disposition” of all of the property of the parties, or of either of them, as required by 12 O.S.1961, § 1275, supra, when a divorce is granted to both parties. An “equitable division” of the jointly acquired property of the parties, under 12 O.S.1961, § 1278, does not require an equal division of the property. Carter v. Carter, 181 Old. 204, 73 P.2d 404.

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McCoy v. McCoy
429 P.2d 999 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1967)

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Bluebook (online)
429 P.2d 999, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccoy-v-mccoy-okla-1967.