Montgomery v. Montgomery, Unpublished Decision (5-1-2003)

CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 1, 2003
DocketCase No. 02CA687.
StatusUnpublished

This text of Montgomery v. Montgomery, Unpublished Decision (5-1-2003) (Montgomery v. Montgomery, Unpublished Decision (5-1-2003)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Montgomery v. Montgomery, Unpublished Decision (5-1-2003), (Ohio Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

DECISION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY
{¶ 1} This is an appeal from the judgment of the Pike County Court of Common Pleas, which granted a divorce to Plaintiff-Appellant Stella Montgomery and Defendant-Appellee Kevin Montgomery. Appellant asserts that the trial court's division of assets was inequitable, that the trial court erred by failing to award her spousal support, and that the trial court erred in retaining jurisdiction over the issue of spousal support.

{¶ 2} For the reasons that follow, we disagree with appellant's first and second arguments. However, we find that appellant's third argument has merit and we modify the judgment accordingly.

Proceedings Below
{¶ 3} On May 21, 1988, Plaintiff-Appellant Stella Montgomery and Defendant-Appellee Kevin Montgomery were married, and two minor children were born of the marriage. The parties separated in March 2001, and appellant filed for divorce in April 2001.

{¶ 4} Appellant asserted in her complaint for divorce that she and appellee were incompatible. Appellee filed his answer and asserted a counter-claim for divorce, also claiming that he and appellant were incompatible. Both parties asserted that there was marital property that required division by the court.

{¶ 5} Eventually, the trial court conducted a final hearing in this case. Testimony regarding the parties' property was presented at this hearing. The disposition of certain real property located at 61 Maple Street, Waverly, Ohio (Maple Street property) was mainly at issue. The parties agreed that the value of the Maple Street property was $90,000.

{¶ 6} Evidently, the Maple Street property had been jointly owned by appellant's parents. When appellant's father passed away in 1974, appellant inherited a 1/30 interest in the property. Appellant's mother inherited a 1/6 interest to be added to the 1/2 interest she already owned, and appellant's nine siblings each inherited a 1/30 interest in the property. Over time, appellant's mother obtained a 29/30 interest in the Maple Street property (all but appellant's interest), free and clear of any mortgage. Appellant and appellee, however, twice mortgaged the entire property, with appellant's mother's consent, to secure financing totaled at $37,400.

{¶ 7} In 1992, appellant's mother deeded the Maple Street property to appellant and records show that $29,700 was given in consideration for the property. However, at the final hearing, appellant's mother testified that she never received any money for the property and that it was a gift from her to her daughter. Over the next five years, the parties mortgaged the property four more times, obtaining loans totaling $147,000. Then, in 1998, appellant transferred the Maple Street property to herself and appellee to be jointly held with rights of survivorship. Again, the parties mortgaged the property and their marital residence, obtaining a loan of $140,000.

{¶ 8} In February 2002, the trial court issued its final judgment, granting a divorce to the parties. The trial court named appellant the residential parent to the two minor children and granted visitation to appellee in accordance with the court's visitation schedule. The trial court ordered appellee to pay child support in the amount of $1,104.36 per month.

{¶ 9} Regarding the parties' real property, the trial court found that the Maple Street property was a marital asset, but awarded it and the marital residence to appellant. Regarding, appellant's pre-marriage 1/30 inherited interest in the property, the trial court found that appellant failed to prove the value of that interest. In total, the trial court awarded appellant marital property, including the Maple Street property and marital residence, valued at $188,000, and ordered that she pay $75,000 of marital debts. Appellee was awarded marital assets valued at $90,126 and ordered to pay marital debts totaling $55,195. In order to render the asset division more equitable, the trial court also ordered that upon the sale of either parcel of real property or when the parties' youngest child attains 18 years of age, whichever occurs first, appellant is to pay appellee $25,000. Finally, the trial court did not award appellant spousal support, but held that its finding regarding spousal support was "subject to the continuing jurisdiction of this Court."

The Appeal
{¶ 10} Appellant timely filed her notice of appeal and presents the following assignments of error for review.

{¶ 11} First Assignment of Error: "The trial court erred in its division of assets as such was inequitable and against the manifest weight of the evidence."

{¶ 12} Second Assignment of Error: "The trial court erred in failing to award spousal support."

{¶ 13} Third Assignment of Error: "The trial court erred in its attempt to retain jurisdiction over the issue of spousal support."

I. Division of Assets
{¶ 14} In her First Assignment of Error, appellant asserts three arguments. First, appellant argues that the trial court's distribution of property was generally inequitable considering the status of the parties. Second, appellant asserts that the trial court erred by not awarding appellant her inherited interest in the Maple Street property, or the value of that interest, as separate property. Third, appellant argues that the trial court erred by finding that the Maple Street property was a marital asset. We will address the second and third arguments conjointly.

A. Standard of Review
{¶ 15} "Courts must distribute and allocate both marital debt and marital property under R.C. 3105.171(F). Samples v. Samples, Washington App. No. 02CA21, 2002-Ohio-5441, at ¶ 22. Trial courts are required to divide marital property equitably between the spouses. R.C. 3105.171(B). This requires the court, in most cases, to divide the marital property equally. R.C. 3105.171(C)(1). However, if an equal division would produce an inequitable result, the trial court is only required to divide the property equitably. Id. Since the trial court possesses a great deal of discretion in attaining an equitable distribution, we will not reverse the court's division of property absent an abuse of discretion. SeeHolcomb v. Holcomb (1989), 44 Ohio St.3d 128, 131, 541 N.E.2d 597." Brownv. Brown, Pike App. No. 02CA689, 2003-Ohio-304; see, also, Wylie v.Wylie (June 4, 1996), Lawrence App. No. 95CA18; Parker v. Parker (June 8, 2000), Scioto App. No. 98CA2628. An abuse of discretion connotes more than a mere error of law or judgment; it suggests an attitude on the part of the trial court that is unreasonable, arbitrary, or unconscionable. See id.; Blakemore v. Blakemore (1983), 5 Ohio St.3d 217, 219,450 N.E.2d 1140.

{¶ 16}

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Bluebook (online)
Montgomery v. Montgomery, Unpublished Decision (5-1-2003), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/montgomery-v-montgomery-unpublished-decision-5-1-2003-ohioctapp-2003.