Young v. Young

2026 Ohio 883
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided March 16, 2026·No. 5-24-52·Published

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

HANCOCK COUNTY

SEAN YOUNG, CASE NO. 5-24-52

PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT/ CROSS-APPELLEE,

v.

TONI YOUNG, OPINION AND

DEFENDANT-APPELLEE/ JUDGMENT ENTRY CROSS-APPELLANT.

Appeal from Hancock County Common Pleas Court Domestic Relations Division Trial Court No. 2022 DR 505

Judgment Affirmed in Part, Reversed in Part and Cause Remanded Date of Decision: March 16, 2026

APPEARANCES:

Scott H. Smith for Appellant Howard A. Elliott for Appellee

WILLAMOWSKI, J.,

{¶1} Plaintiff-appellant and cross-appellee Sean D. Young (“Sean”) appeals the judgment of the Domestic Relations Division of the Hancock County Court of Common Pleas, arguing that the trial court erred by (1) improperly classifying several assets as marital; (2) finding that he had not overpaid in child support since October of 2022; (3) selecting a valuation for the marital residence that relied on excluded evidence; (4) ordering him to pay spousal support; (5) failing to appoint a receiver to administer the sale of the marital residence; and (6) directing him to pay for several costs associated with the marital residence.

{¶2} Defendant-appellee and cross-appellant Toni R. Young (“Toni”)

appeals the judgment of the Domestic Relations Division of the Hancock County Court of Common Pleas, arguing that the trial court erred by (1) excluding her appraiser’s valuation of the marital residence; (2) ordering her to pay a $66,002.22 equalization payment; (3) setting her award of spousal support at $100.00 a month; and (4) ordering her to pay the first $420.00 of court costs. For the reasons set forth below, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed in part and reversed in part.

Facts and Procedural History

{¶3} Sean and Toni were married in 1990. On June 1, 2017, the parties filed a complaint for separation with the Domestic Relations Division of the Hardin County Court of Common Pleas (“Hardin County Domestic Relations Court”) that

became the basis of Case No. 2017-3076-DRK. A separation agreement that had been signed by both parties was filed alongside this complaint. On July 18, 2017, the Hardin County Domestic Relations Court issued an order of legal separation that incorporated this separation agreement. However, the separation agreement did not divide and allocate several assets, including the marital residence and three retirement accounts that existed at this time.

{¶4} Toni and Sean attempted to reconcile on several occasions over the next five years but ceased any further attempts at reunification in October of 2022. On December 19, 2022, Sean filed a complaint for divorce with the Domestic Relations Division of the Hancock County Court of Common Pleas (“trial court”). At this time, only one of Sean and Toni’s five children, E., had not yet reached the age of majority. After the parties sought to have Case No. 2017-3076-DRK transferred from Hardin County to Hancock County, the trial court in Hancock County accepted jurisdiction over this case on August 30, 2023, and the Hardin County case was transferred to and consolidated with the Hancock County case.

{¶5} On September 25, 2023, Sean filed a motion to show cause, alleging that Toni had violated the terms of the order of legal separation by preventing him from having visitation with his two youngest children, A. and E. In examining Sean’s show cause motion, the magistrate noted that the trial court had appointed a guardian ad litem (“GAL”) on October 30, 2023 at the request of both parties. The

trial court ultimately denied the show cause motion to permit further investigation into the parenting issues raised by Sean.

{¶6} After Sean withdrew his request for reasonable parenting time, the parties each sought to have the GAL discharged and relieved of further investigative responsibilities in this case. The trial court later discharged the GAL and approved the GAL fees of $420.00. These fees were paid out of a $600.00 deposit that Sean had previously made with the trial court.

{¶7} On November 14, 2023, Toni filed a motion to show cause, alleging that Sean had violated the order of legal separation by failing to pay to have the propane tank at the marital residence refilled. This motion remained pending at the time of the final hearing. Sean later testified that he did not have the funds in the relevant timeframe to cover this cost. Toni presented evidence that she paid $1,061.41 to have the propane tank refilled.

{¶8} On March 13, 2024, Sean filed a motion to emancipate his youngest son, A., from the child support obligation that was established in the order of legal separation. Sean pointed out that A. had turned eighteen over a year earlier in October of 2022. He then requested that the payments he had made since A’s eighteenth birthday in 2022 be credited towards his future child support obligation for his remaining minor child, E. In response, the magistrate issued an order that temporarily suspended the disbursement of Sean’s child support obligation.

{¶9} On March 13, 2024, Sean also filed a motion to compel Toni to grant his appraiser, Jon Fleegle (“Fleegle”), access to the marital residence so that he could complete a full assessment of the property. This motion stated that Fleegle was available to conduct a walk-through visit on March 15, March 19, or March 21, 2024. On March 19, 2024, the magistrate issued an order that directed Toni to grant Fleegle access to the marital residence on one of the dates listed in Sean’s motion.

{¶10} However, Fleegle was not given an opportunity to tour the inside of the house before he ultimately conducted a “drive-by” examination of the property on March 27, 2024. (Doc. 132). Based on several sales comparisons, he concluded the marital residence was worth $331,000.00. After receiving a copy of Fleegle’s evaluation, Toni had an appraiser, Ken Stefko (“Stefko”), go through marital residence on April 13, 2024 to conduct another valuation. Stefko took several pictures of the interior of the marital residence for his report and concluded that the property was worth $250,000.00.

{¶11} On April 15, 2024, Sean filed a motion in limine that sought to have Stefko’s appraisal excluded from evidence. In support of this motion, he pointed out that Fleegle was never granted access to the marital residence, even though Sean and his attorney had engaged in repeated efforts to schedule a walk-through visit since January. This motion also indicated that Sean had received Stefko’s report three days before the date of the final hearing. No ruling on this motion was made prior to the final hearing.

{¶12} On April 18, 2024, the final hearing was held before a magistrate.

Fleegle testified that the marital residence was worth $331,000.00. However, he revised his valuation to $301,000.00 after he was presented with the pictures of the home’s interior that Stefko had taken. Stefko then identified his report and testified that the marital residence was worth $250,000.00. Fleegle and Toni each testified about the efforts that were made to schedule a walk-through visit for the appraisal.

{¶13} On July 29, 2024, the magistrate issued a decision. Pursuant to Sean’s motion, the magistrate concluded that most of Stefko’s report and testimony should be excluded but that Stefko’s pictures of the home’s interior should be admitted. The marital residence was then assigned a value of $301,000.00 based on Fleegle’s revised appraisal.

{¶14} Toni was awarded the marital residence but was given a timeline for the sale of the house if she was unable to refinance the debts associated with this property. While Sean had made contributions to several of his retirement accounts after the order of legal separation had been issued, the value of these accounts was effectively divided between the parties. To balance the division of assets, Toni was directed to make an equalization payment of $66,002.22 to Sean.

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