Shuey v. Shuey

290 P.2d 1100, 129 Mont. 549, 1955 Mont. LEXIS 86
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 8, 1955
DocketNo. 9528
StatusPublished

This text of 290 P.2d 1100 (Shuey v. Shuey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shuey v. Shuey, 290 P.2d 1100, 129 Mont. 549, 1955 Mont. LEXIS 86 (Mo. 1955).

Opinions

MR. CHIEF JUSTICE ADAIR:

From a final decree awarding tbe wife, Frances B. Sbuey, an absolute divorce, custody of the three minor children of the parties and $125 per month for the support of herself and said children, the husband, Bert R. Shuey, has appealed.

December 1, 1946, at Libby, Montana, the parties intermarried. Each had been previously wed. By his former marriage the husband had two daughters, namely, Edith Marie Shuey and Mrs. Jane Shuey Brown. By her former marriage the wife had a daughter, Judith, aged five years at the time her mother married Mr. Shuey.

Three children were born as issue of the December 1, 1.946, marriage, namely: Steven Leroy Shuey, Paul Allen Shuey and Evelyn May Shuey. The husband, the wife and their minor children resided and made their home upon a tract comprising 1,500 acres of land in Sanders County, Montana, owned and operated by the husband and situate approximately three miles distant from Trout Creek, Montana.

Divorce Case No. 3097. In August 1952 the wife, Frances B. Shuey, as plaintiff, filed in the district court of Sanders County, Montana, an action for divorce against her husband, Bert R. Shuey, defendant, being Cause No. 3097, charging extreme cruelty. Upon the filing of her suit the wife and her children left their Trout Creek home and took up their abode at Thompson Falls, the county seat.

Shortly thereafter the husband’s daughter, Mrs. Brown, accompanied by her husband Lee E. Brown, journeyed from their then home at Kalispell, Montana, to Thompson Falls and prevailed upon plaintiff to return to her husband’s ranch following which her divorce suit, No. 3097, was dismissed by the voluntary action of both parties.

Almost two years later, to-wit, on July 21, 1954, plaintiff Frances B. Shuey, accompanied by the couple’s three children, [551]*551then aged seven years, six years and four and one-half years and also by her daughter Judith, then aged twelve years, again left their Trout Creek home and returned to Thompson Falls where plaintiff rented a one-room, unfurnished tourist cabin at $35 per month where she and her four minor children have since lived.

Divorce Case No. 3239. On the following day, July 22, 1954, the plaintiff Frances B. Shuey filed in the district court of Sanders County her instant suit for divorce, being cause No. 3239, wherein she charged extreme cruelty and sought dissolution of the marriage, custody of the children, costs, attorney’s fees and a division of their property or in lieu thereof a proper award for the support of herself and the children of the marriage.

On August 2, 1954, the defendant, through his counsel, interposed a demurrer to plaintiff’s complaint. Bight days later to-wit, on August 10, 1954, defendant’s counsel withdrew his demurrer to the complaint and on motion was granted fifteen days additional time within which to file defendant’s answer. Also on August 10th, the trial court, after first hearing the testimony of both the plaintiff and the defendant, ordered that the defendant pay to the clerk of court temporary support money in a fixed amount, — that defendant pay $50 on account of plaintiff’s attorney’s fees and that the cause be set for trial on the merits for August 24, 1954.

On August 24, 1954, the day so set for the trial, defendant’s counsel interposed a motion for a continuance at which time defendant agreed to pay on a day certain a stipulated sum as temporary support money and a further sum on account of plaintiff’s attorney fees whereupon the trial court granted defendant’s motion for a continuance and reset the cause for trial on the merits for September 14, 1954.

On September 14, 1954, a further continuance was granted and the cause reset for trial for October 11, 1954.

On October 11, 1954, counsel for the respective parties again appeared before the court and after each had announced that [552]*552he was ready for trial, defendant’s counsel then interposed a motion for leave to amend defendant’s answer. This motion the trial court granted allowing defendant additional time within which to make his proposed amendment and ordering that the trial be had on October 26, 1954.

On October 14, 1954, defendant filed an “Amended Answer and Cross-Complaint.’’ The amended answer first places in issue the allegations of cruelty made against defendant and next, in what is termed a further separate first defense, alleges that after the dates mentioned in plaintiff’s complaint and prior to the commencement of the instant action the plaintiff, being informed thereof, freely condoned the alleged acts of cruel treatment and conduct of which she now complains, forgave defendant, freely cohabited with him and that ever since such alleged condonation defendant has been a faithful husband who has treated plaintiff with conjugal kindness. Next by cross-complaint, defendant, upon information and belief, charges plaintiff with misconduct which he alleges he “is informed and believes’’ occurred on or about December 5, 1951, being prior to the commencement of plaintiff’s first suit for divorce, and prays for a judgment (1) forever dissolving the marriage,— (2) awarding him the exclusive care, custody and control of the three minor children of the marriage but (3) according to their mother all rights of reasonable visitation.

On October 18, 1954, plaintiff replied to defendant’s amended answer and cross-complaint, placing in issue the allegations thereof including the charges so made against her on information and belief.

On October 26, 1954, the cause was tried to the court sitting without a jury. At such trial the plaintiff Frances B. Shuey,— her daughter Judith and a neighbor, F. W. Bushell, testified on plaintiff’s behalf, and the defendant Bert R. Shuey, — his daughter, Mrs. Jane Brown, and his son-in-law, Lee E. Brown, gave testimony on behalf of the defendant and cross complainant.

Much of the material testimony adduced from the witnesses [553]*553testifying for the husband is in conflict with the testimony given by the witnesses who testified on behalf of the wife but after hearing and considering all the evidence submitted the trial court, on October 30, 1954, made and filed written findings of fact, conclusions of law and judgment in favor of the wife and against the husband.

The judgment (1) ordered the dismissal of the husband’s cross-complaint without relief, — (2) granted the wife an absolute divorce and the absolute care, custody, and control of the three minor children of the marriage with the right in the father to AÚsit and see them at reasonable times and places, (3) awarded to the mother the sum of $125 per month for the support of herself and children and (4) awarded the wife her costs and disbursements in the action.

On this appeal the appellant husband contends that it was error for the trial court to find that his wife’s complaint stated a cause of action against him. In six separately numbered paragraphs the wife, in her complaint, has set forth the ultimate facts constituting her cause of action in ordinary and concise language. In the prayer thereto she has set forth her demand for the relief which she claimed and which the trial court has granted. In our opinion the wife’s complaint fully meets all the requirements of the provisions of R.C.M. 1947, section 93-3202, and adequately states a cause of action.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Walker v. Mink
158 P.2d 630 (Montana Supreme Court, 1945)
Williams v. Williams
278 P. 1009 (Montana Supreme Court, 1929)
Kerrigan v. Kerrigan
139 P.2d 533 (Montana Supreme Court, 1943)
Casey v. Northern Pacific Ry. Co.
198 P. 141 (Montana Supreme Court, 1921)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
290 P.2d 1100, 129 Mont. 549, 1955 Mont. LEXIS 86, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shuey-v-shuey-mont-1955.