Reagan v. Reagan

250 So. 3d 1122
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 27, 2018
Docket52,080–CA; 52,081–CA
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 250 So. 3d 1122 (Reagan v. Reagan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reagan v. Reagan, 250 So. 3d 1122 (La. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

BROWN, C.J.

*1126These consolidated cases1 arise out of the Twenty-Sixth Judicial District Court, Bossier Parish. Plaintiff, Kimberly Reagan, appeals from a property partition judgment between herself and defendant, Melvin Reagan. For the following reasons we affirm in part, amend in part and as amended, affirm, and reverse and remand with instructions in part.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Plaintiff, Kimberly Reagan ("Kimberly"), and defendant, Melvin Howard Reagan ("Melvin"), were married on May 25, 2009, and physically separated on December 23, 2013. There were no children of the marriage. Kimberly filed a petition of divorce under La. C.C. art. 102 on January 3, 2014. A judgment of divorce was rendered on November 13, 2014, retroactively terminating the community of acquets and gains on January 3, 2014. Melvin died on June 30, 2015. Kimberly filed a petition to partition the community property on September 11, 2015. Mavis Reagan, the executrix of Melvin's Succession ("executrix"), was substituted for Melvin by an ex parte order signed on September 23, 2015.

During their marriage, the parties lived in Bossier Parish at a house at Hunters Hollow owned by Melvin prior to the marriage. Throughout the marriage, Melvin was the sole member of MHR Land Services, LLC, a business entity he formed before the marriage. This LLC was Melvin's main source of income. Kimberly was not employed during the marriage.

The partition proceedings ensued over several months and numerous court dates. The parties filed many Sworn Detailed Descriptive Lists and Traversals, along with a joint list of the contested and uncontested issues. A trial was held, and certain assets were auctioned. Kimberly took possession of the items she won. The court issued a partial judgment reflecting the same. The matter was continued and eventually reset for trial. On that date, and after a pretrial conference, the court decided that the parties should submit briefs to determine which items were community assets or obligations, with a written judgment to follow from the court. The trial court then filed a "Judgment With Reasons."2 Kimberly appeals from that judgment and assigned the following errors on appeal:3

1. Item 17: Is the $325,000, Multiple Indebtedness Loan a separate obligation *1127of Melvin's when incurred during the community, but in his name only and borrowed on his separate property for his benefit only?
2. Item 19: Is Kimberly entitled to a reimbursement claim for the use of community funds to pay off Melvin's premarital tax debt?
3. Items 24, 33, 34 and 39: Is the court required to offset Melvin's membership interest in First Eagle, LLC, a community asset, by awarding Kimberly an equalization claim in other community assets?
4. Items 23 and 40: Is the court required to offset Melvin's membership interest in MHR Holdings, LLC, a community asset, by awarding Kimberly an equalization claim in other community assets?
5. Item 41: Is Melvin required to account for the former community property in his possession on the termination date, resulting in Kimberly receiving an equalization claim for one-half of the funds held by Melvin in the Morgan Stanley Active Assets account?
6. Items 38, 44 and 45: Is the court able to place a value on the remaining furnishings, furniture, guns and other contents of the house and garages located at Hunters Hollow without any basis to support the valuation?
7. Item 46: Is Kimberly entitled to a reimbursement claim for the amount of community funds used for the benefit of Melvin's separate property?
8. Item 52: Is the property located at 6125 Bostwick Road a community or separate asset?
9. Item 56: Is there a reimbursement claim owed on the Bass Pro Credit Card Number 7889?
10. Item 68: Is Melvin entitled to a reimbursement claim for funds spent gambling by Kimberly when he not only allowed and consented to her activities, but gave her and paid off the credit cards each month?
11. Item 78: Is Kimberly entitled to seek a reimbursement claim on the uncompensated labor of a spouse for accounts receivables earned during the marriage, but received shortly after the termination of the community property regime?
12. Item 66: is Melvin entitled to a reimbursement claim on Lot 76, Kings Pointe Subdivision, Phase 2 for a mortgage that never existed?

The executrix answered the appeal and asked the trial court's judgment be modified as follows:

13. Item 67: Melvin shows that he should have been awarded a reimbursement claim against Kimberly in the amount of $6,545.00 for payments made from the community property for breast surgery for Kimberly.
14. Item 68: The District Court miscalculated the amount of the reimbursement due to Melvin for Kimberly's gambling debts. The correct amount should have been $12,056.50 instead of the District Court's award of $6,028.25.

DISCUSSION

A trial court has much discretion in valuing and allocating assets and liabilities in community property partitions and must consider the source and nature of each asset or liability, the financial situation of the other spouse and any other relevant circumstances. Maxwell v. Maxwell , 51,335 (La. App. 2d Cir. 4/5/17), 217 So.3d 1227, writ denied , *112817-0958 (La. 10/9/17), 227 So.3d 830. A trial court's factual findings and credibility determinations made in the course of valuing and allocating assets and liabilities in the partition of community property may not be set aside absent manifest error. Clemons v. Clemons , 42,129 (La. App. 2d Cir. 5/9/07), 960 So.2d 1068, writ denied , 07-1652 (La. 10/26/07), 966 So.2d 583.

1. Item 17: $325,000 Multiple Indebtedness Line of Credit

The trial court, in its reasons for judgment, found that the $325,000 line of credit secured by Melvin's separate property was a community obligation because the loan was established during the existence of the community. The court reduced the balance of the loan by $134,000, since that portion of the funds was used to buy a house for Kimberly. Kimberly was then debited $95,500, one-half of the net balance on the loan.

Kimberly argues that the Multiple Indebtedness Line of Credit should be classified as Melvin's separate obligation.

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Bluebook (online)
250 So. 3d 1122, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reagan-v-reagan-lactapp-2018.