Meridith v. Meridith

264 Cal. App. 2d 504, 70 Cal. Rptr. 631, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 2112
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 29, 1968
DocketCiv. No. 860
StatusPublished

This text of 264 Cal. App. 2d 504 (Meridith v. Meridith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Meridith v. Meridith, 264 Cal. App. 2d 504, 70 Cal. Rptr. 631, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 2112 (Cal. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

CONLEY, P. J.

A complaint for separate maintenance was filed on July 28, 1966, by Marie Helen Meridith; it stated that the plaintiff and defendant had been married for over 23 years that they had three children, two girls and a boy, born of their marriage; and that the parties owned community property as follows: two duplexes, membership in the Merced Golf and Country Club, a 1964 Dodge Four-Door Automobile, a 1966 Chevrolet Impala, a bank account in the United California Bank in Merced in the name of defendant, a National Service Life Insurance Policy on the life of defendant in the amount of $10,000, a savings account in Fresno Guarantee Savings & Loan Association of approximately $140, a joint bank account in Bank of America in Merced containing about $100, household furniture, fixtures, appliances in the family home rented by the parties at 1011 West 20th Street in Merced, and a real estate brokerage business known as Meridith’s Realty with offices at 19th and “N” Streets in Merced. The complaint alleged that defendant had treated plaintiff with extreme cruelty, that plaintiff was the proper person to have custody of the three children, and that she should have allowances for support of her children and for herself, together with counsel fees. She requested that defendant be restrained from selling the community property and asked for an order of exclusive possession of the family home. Elledge and Dun-ford, an experienced firm of attorneys with offices in Modesto, were the attorneys of record for the plaintiff; Mr. Dunford personally handled the case for the plaintiff.

On August 8, 1966, the defendant filed an answer and also a cross-complaint for divorce, alleging that his wife had treated him with extreme cruelty; that the minor children should be awarded to the custody of the cross-complainant with a right of reasonable visitation reserved to the cross-defendant; and that cross-complainant was willing and able to pay a reasonable sum for the support of the children. The defendant prayed that plaintiff should be denied a decree of separate maintenance, but asked that the marriage be dissolved, that an equitable division of the community property be made, that the custody and control of the children be awarded jointly to the plaintiff and defendant, with reasonable visitation rights for both, and that the court fix a reasonable sum for defendant to pay for the children’s support. On August 18, 1966, an amendment to the cross-complaint was filed in which Mr. Meridith alleged specific acts of extreme cruelty. Plaintiff and [506]*506cross-defendant filed an answer to the cross-complaint on August 23,1966.

The clerk’s minutes show that the hearing of the case was held on December 15, 1966, before Judge Gregory P. Maushart, and that David G. Dunford and C. Ray Robinson represented the respective parties. The minutes state that counsel informed the court that the parties entered into a stipulation which was recited to the court, but the details of which were not included in the minutes. Both parties and their counsel have admitted that there was no reporter present at the hearing. C. Ray Robinson told the court that the cross-complaint could be withdrawn. The court heard the divorce on the plaintiff’s amended complaint, which was yet to be filed, accompanied by a default of the defendant. Plaintiff testified, as did Lynn Ann Meridith, a daughter of the parties. The minutes show that plaintiff was granted an interlocutory decree. of divorce on the ground of extreme cruelty, that custody of the children was awarded jointly to the parties with the right of reasonable visitation reserved to each and the further order that when the children were in the physical custody of the mother defendant would pa.y $100 a month to her for the support of each child, but when they were in the physical custody of the defendant no payment would be made for the children during such period. Defendant was ordered to pay the plaintiff $200 a month for one year, and then $100 a month for the second year so that her earnings, whatever they might be, would be supplemented for a total income of $300, and that thereafter she would be paid $1.00 a year as alimony.

On December 27, 1966, some twelve days after the trial a written stipulation for the division of the community property, the payment of outstanding indebtedness and the custody and support of the children and alimony of the wife was filed. The stipulation was not signed by the parties but only by the respective attorneys; the document, prepared by Mr. Dunford, stated that it was made pursuant to the stipulation orally entered into before the court . . and audibly pronounced and approved in the presence of the parties . . .’’on December 15, 1966. This written stipulation declared that the duplexes located in Merced would be community property and that they should be sold and the net proceeds divided equally between the parties; the encumbrances, taxes, and expenses of maintenance were to be paid by the defendant and he was to keep the rents, issues and profits derived from the duplexes until the sale thereof. Plaintiff was awarded the Dodge car, and defendant the Chevrolet with him paying whatever bal[507]*507anee might be due on either one. Plaintiff was awarded the savings accounts in the Fresno Guarantee Savings & Loan and the Bank o£ America, which amounted to a small balance in each institution. Defendant was awarded the real estate brokerage business and the bank account in the United California Bank in Merced. The written stipulation recited that the household furniture and appliances had been physically divided between the parties. The stipulation further provided that defendant assign to plaintiff a promissory note of one Jack Wilhelm for $2,400, the proceeds to be applied to a debt owed by the parties to Anna Seno, mother-in-law of the plaintiff, in the amount of $3,000, with the further provision that after such application the defendant should pay any then unpaid amount on the debt to Mrs. Seno. The defendant undertook to pay the premiums on the National Service Life Insurance Policy, which would be held for the benefit of the minor children rather than of Mrs. Meridith, but that when the youngest of the children should become 21 years of age the policy would then be the sole property of defendant. Custody of the children was awarded jointly to the husband and wife with defendant agreeing to pay to plaintiff the sum of $100 per month for each child during any period when such child was in the physical custody of the plaintiff. Defendant further agreed to pay alimony to plaintiff for her support, consisting of $200 per month for one year and then $100 per month, or less, for the following year to the end that such payment for the second year, together with her own earnings, amounted to at least $300 a month, and after the second year $1.00 per year until plaintiff’s death or remarriage. Defendant further agreed to pay $350 as attorney’s fees to Mr. Dun-ford, as counsel for the wife.

The written stipulation further recited that it was agreed that defendant would withdraw his cross-complaint and plaintiff would amend her complaint to state a cause of action for divorce. At the same time—December 27, 1966—a first amended complaint for divorce was filed by plaintiff and the court signed an interlocutory decree awarding a divorce to plaintiff, together with the custody of the minor children pursuant to the hearing of December 15, 1966. Mrs. Meridith did not move for a new trial or appeal from the judgment.

We now come to the motion which plaintiff filed on May 23, 1967, and concerning which the present appeal is lodged.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
264 Cal. App. 2d 504, 70 Cal. Rptr. 631, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 2112, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/meridith-v-meridith-calctapp-1968.