Stacey v. Stacey, Unpublished Decision (4-6-2001)

CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 6, 2001
DocketCourt of Appeals No. L-00-1079, Trial Court No. DR-97-0826.
StatusUnpublished

This text of Stacey v. Stacey, Unpublished Decision (4-6-2001) (Stacey v. Stacey, Unpublished Decision (4-6-2001)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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
Stacey v. Stacey, Unpublished Decision (4-6-2001), (Ohio Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

DECISION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY
This is an appeal from a February 8, 2000 judgment of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, granting appellee, Ethel R. Stacey, a divorce from appellant, Donald G. Stacey, Sr. Appellant has presented the following nine assignments of error for consideration on appeal:

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE
THE COURT ERRED IN GRANTING APPELLEE THE ENTIRE INTEREST IN THE MARITAL RESIDENCE (WHICH COMPRISED THE ONLY REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY APPELLANT AND APPELLEE).

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER TWO
THE COURT ERRED IN GRANTING APPELLEE SPOUSAL SUPPORT (BOTH AS TO AMOUNT AND TIME).

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER THREE
THE COURT ERRED IN NOT CONSIDERING THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY PREVIOUSLY AWARDED TO APPELLEE (PRIOR TO FINAL HEARING) IN ITS DETERMINATION OF THE ALLOCATION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS.

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER FOUR
THE COURT ERRED IN NOT CONSIDERING THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY PREVIOUSLY AWARDED TO APPELLEE (PRIOR TO FINAL HEARING) IN ITS DETERMINATION OF THE ALLOCATION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS.

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER FOUR
THE COURT ERRED IN DISMISSING APPELLANT'S OBJECTIONS (REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION AS TO THE FINAL JUDGMENT ENTRY ENTERED BY THE COURT ON FEBRUARY 6, 2000).

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER FIVE
THE COURT ERRED IN ADOPTING ALLEGED STIPULATIONS SET FORTH IN THE FINAL ORDER.

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER SIX
IT WAS ERROR FOR THE TRIAL COURT TO LIMIT COUNSEL'S TIME FOR DIRECT OR CROSS-EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES.

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER SEVEN
THE COURT ERRED IN CONDUCTING A FINAL PORTION OF THE HEARING WITHOUT PARTICIPATION OF APPELLANT AND HIS COUNSEL.

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER EIGHT
THE COURT ERRED IN NOT DIVIDING OR ALLOCATING ALL THE MARITAL ASSETS OF THE PARTIES.

"ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER NINE
THE COURT ERRED IN NOT PERMITTING APPELLANT'S COUNSEL TO COMPLETE REDIRECT EXAMINATION OF HOWARD WHITCOMB."

The record shows appellant and appellee were married on January 14, 1967. The children born of the marriage were emancipated at the time of the divorce. During the pendency of the divorce, the parties entered into a consent judgment to permit appellee to sell the personal property of the parties, including several vehicles, and to keep the proceeds of the sale.

At the final hearing for divorce in the trial court, appellee's counsel made the following statement in opening:

"As the Court knows, we have presented to the Court, five stipulations in this matter. The first is Joint Exhibit 1 that has been submitted to the Court which is in regard to the gentleman's pension. Joint Exhibit 2 is the 401(k) plan. Joint Exhibit 3 is the temporary spousal support arrearage due and owing of the husband to the wife. Those have already been resolved by way of stipulation and agreement as the Court will recall from this morning. We have done the grounds so that's out of the way.

"With regard to the two additional stipulations we made this morning, one is the value of the real property that's in the joint names of the parties is $22,000 which represents a compromise between two appraisals we have in this matter. The other stipulation was that the wife is unemployed and has zero by way of annual earnings; and that the husband is gainfully employed and has 1998 earnings of $15,000. That concluded the stipulations from this morning.

"It is our contention that what we have left before the Court is four issues. One is bills. I'm pleased to report that relative to the bills, we have been able to reach an agreement as to that. And the agreement on the bills is that wife is going to take care of the payment of her college loan.

"MR. ROYER: List the amounts when you do this.

"MR. TUCKER: If I have the amounts I'll be happy to list them if you give me a moment. Yes, that's a good suggestion. Thank you, Mr. Royer. With regard to the bills, Judge, its my understanding we resolved that issue. That resolution is that wife is going to be solely liable on her student loan which now has a balance of $7,136.83. She is also going to take care of the Target indebtedness which is the sum of $386. She is also going to take care of the Hudson's indebtedness which is in the sum of $886.80. There is a MasterCard bill now known as Prime Option Visa having a balance of $5,442.59. Husband is going to be responsible for that bill. There are real estate taxes due and owing on the property and pursuant to the temporary order, husband was to pay that. There is a balance due and owing in the sum of $2,944.76 which the gentleman is going to be responsible for by agreement. There is also a sum of $907.46 which represents a payment on the real estate taxes which was made by the wife and husband will be obligated to repay her that sum of money. By virtue of that stipulation and agreement, Your Honor, that should resolve the issue of bills.

"THE COURT: What's the last amount.

"MR. TUCKER: The last amount was $900.

"THE COURT: It was for what please.

"MR. TUCKER: She paid some real estate tax bill that the temporary order required husband to pay.

"MR. ROYER: We only agreed to reimburse half of that.

"MR. TUCKER: Why would I agree to reimburse half of that if there is a temporary order that says it's his sole responsibility. That statement would be inconsistent with the Exhibit I gave you and my understanding of the discussion.

"MR. ROYER: Why don't we leave that particular item out of that.

"THE COURT: All right.

"MR. TUCKER: There is a temporary order that says that so I'll take my chances with the Court's decision in that regard.

"MR. ROYER: My understanding then real quickly is this Mr. Stacey, that you have agreed to pay the MasterCharge bill sum of five thousand and some dollars. She is paying the Hudson's and Target bill and school loan in the approximate amount of $8,000, and you're responsible for real estate taxes on the house.

"MR. STACEY: Right.

"THE COURT: Okay.

"MR. TUCKER: If I may, Judge; Mrs. Stacey, you heard the stipulation.

"MRS. STACEY: Yes.

"MR. TUCKER: Do you understand it?

"MR. TUCKER: Do you agree to it?

"MR. TUCKER: Thank you."

The record contains the joint exhibits referred to by appellee's counsel in his statements.

After the court clarified that the remaining issues were attorney fees, spousal support, a Prudential life insurance policy and the disposition of real property, appellee took the stand and testified. When asked about her education, she said she had achieved a GED and took some college course work at Stautzenberger College. She explained that because of health problems, she had to quit working during her separation from appellant. She testified that she has severe allergies, chronic asthma, "stomach problems" and migraine headaches.

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Bluebook (online)
Stacey v. Stacey, Unpublished Decision (4-6-2001), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stacey-v-stacey-unpublished-decision-4-6-2001-ohioctapp-2001.