Greene v. Greene ( 2014 )


Menu:
  •       IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
    CASSIDY A. MOORE GREENE,1               §
    §      No. 573, 2013
    Respondent Below,                 §
    Appellant,                        §      Court Below—Family Court of
    §      State of Delaware in and for
    v.                                §      New Castle County
    §
    FRANK W. GREENE,                        §      File No. CN13-01243
    §      Pet. No. 13-01500
    Petitioner Below,                 §
    Appellee.                         §
    Submitted: September 12, 2014
    Decided:   November 25, 2014
    Before HOLLAND, RIDGELY and VALIHURA, Justices.
    ORDER
    This 25th day of November 2014, upon consideration of the parties’
    briefs and the Family Court record, it appears to the Court that:
    (1)    The appellant, Cassidy A. Moore Greene (hereinafter “Wife”),
    filed this appeal from the Family Court’s August 27, 2013 order that decided
    issues of property division and alimony ancillary to the parties’ divorce.
    Wife also appeals the Family Court’s September 24, 2013 order that granted
    in part and denied in part Wife’s motion for reargument. Having found no
    merit to the appeal, we affirm the judgment of the Family Court.
    1
    By Order dated October 22, 2013, the Court sua sponte assigned pseudonyms to the
    parties. Del. Supr. Ct. R. 7(d).
    (2)    In an appeal from an order dividing marital property and
    determining alimony, this Court reviews the facts and the law as well as the
    inferences and deductions made by the Family Court.2 We will not disturb
    findings of fact unless they are clearly wrong and justice requires that they
    be overturned.3 Conclusions of law are reviewed de novo.4 If the Family
    Court has correctly applied the law our standard of review is abuse of
    discretion.5       When the determination of facts turns upon the credibility of
    witnesses who testified under oath before the trial judge, this Court will not
    substitute its opinion for that of the trial judge.6
    (3)    The parties in this case married in February 2011, separated in
    July 2012, and divorced in March 2013. It was the second marriage for
    both. The appellee, Frank W. Greene (hereinafter “Husband”), testified that
    he was married to his former wife for forty-one years until her death in 2009.
    Wife testified that she was previously married to a West African prince and
    was divorced in 1982.
    (4)    The Family Court held a hearing on August 13, 2013. In the
    August 27, 2013 order that followed, the court (i) denied Wife’s request for
    2
    Forrester v. Forrester, 
    953 A.2d 175
    , 179 (Del. 2008).
    3
    
    Id.
    4
    
    Id.
    5
    
    Id.
    6
    Wife (J.F.V.) v. Husband (O.W.V.), 
    402 A.2d 1202
    , 1204 (Del. 1979).
    2
    alimony, (ii) valued and divided the parties’ interests in a condominium
    (hereinafter “condo”), and (iii) allocated responsibility for the payment of a
    $152,000.00 home equity loan.
    (5)     In her motion for reargument of the August 27, 2013 order,
    Wife claimed that the Family Court erred (i) when denying her request for
    alimony, (ii) when placing a value on the condo in the absence of an expert
    opinion, (iii) when awarding her only 5% interest in the condo, and (iv)
    when holding her responsible for half of the home equity loan. Also, Wife
    claimed that the court did not address her request for personal property. In
    its order of September 24, 2013, the Family Court denied all of Wife’s
    claims except one. Agreeing that it erred when valuing the condo, the court
    revalued the condo and amended the August 27, 2013 order accordingly.
    (6)     In her first claim on appeal, Wife argues that the Family Court
    erred when ruling that she was ineligible for alimony. To receive alimony, a
    person must prove that “he or she is a dependent party” under title 13,
    section 1512 of the Delaware Code. Under that section, a person may be
    awarded alimony only if the person “[l]acks sufficient property, including
    any award of marital property made by the Court, to provide for his or her
    reasonable needs”7 and “[i]s unable to support himself or herself through
    7
    13 Del. C. § 1512(b)(2).
    3
    appropriate employment.”8 Also, absent unusual circumstances not present
    here, a person receiving alimony must make affirmative, good faith efforts to
    seek such employment.9
    (7)     In this case, the Family Court determined that Wife was not
    dependent and therefore was not eligible for an award of alimony. The court
    made its dependency determination based, in part, on Wife’s testimony
    about her income circumstances, which the court found “vague, very general
    and unspecific.” The court summarized Wife’s testimony as follows:
    According to Wife, she currently resides in an
    apartment leased by Husband in Washington, DC
    with a monthly rental of $2,175.00. Wife reports
    that she is currently not employed but would like
    to open a paint-your-pet business. In the past, she
    claims to have been married to a Prince and
    worked in Beverly Hills, California, as a medical
    referral person. Apparently, she referred patients
    to certain medical centers and physicians. She was
    friends with prominent entertainers and celebrities.
    Her most recent position was as a broker working
    with both lenders and investors for improvements
    on the infrastructure of African countries and
    Jamaica. She stated she had personal contacts with
    the World Bank and has some projects pending for
    which she hopes to receive significant
    commissions.
    When questioned how she has been supporting
    herself since these parties separated, she reported
    8
    13 Del. C. § 1512(b)(3).
    9
    13 Del. C. § 1512(e).
    4
    that she has received help from her mother and her
    sister. Wife testified that her sister is married to
    the Prince of Zaire who she reported to be the third
    wealthiest person in the world. She also stated that
    she and her mother are raising her sister’s children
    in America where they attend school. Wife argues
    that it is not fair for her family to support her.
    (8)    When denying Wife’s request for alimony, the court found that
    Wife was “more than capable of supporting herself,” and that she had “made
    no effort [to become self-supporting], other than whatever she is doing in her
    brokerage business, since her separation slightly over one year ago.”
    Moreover, the court found that “Wife should have considerable funds
    remaining from her home equity loan withdrawals,” noting that it had
    “allowed her to retain $76,000.00.”
    (9)    Under title 13, section 1512, the Family Court has broad
    powers to determine what, if any, alimony is to be awarded.10 Having
    reviewed the parties’ positions on appeal and the Family Court record, we
    conclude that Wife’s claims challenging the denial of alimony are without
    merit. There is no basis for disturbing the factual findings of the Family
    Court and no errors of law.           The court’s denial of alimony reflects due
    consideration of the governing statute, and the court’s deductions and
    inferences are the product of a logical and deductive reasoning process. On
    10
    Thomas v. Thomas, ___ A.3d ___, 
    2014 WL 4854202
    , at *2 (Del. Oct. 1, 2014).
    5
    appeal, Wife has failed to identify any factual findings or inferences made
    by the Family Court that are clearly wrong, unsupported by the record or
    illogical.
    (10) In her second claim on appeal, Wife argues that the Family
    Court erred when holding her responsible for repaying half of the parties’
    home equity loan. Wife argued in the Family Court that her access to, and
    use of, the credit were a gift from husband. On appeal, Wife further argues
    that Husband “is in a far better position to repay the loan, since [she] was
    unemployed and making no income when the debt was incurred.” Also,
    Wife argues that the Family Court had no authority to hold her responsible
    for the home equity loan because the loan was secured by out-of-state non-
    marital property that was owned by Husband and his daughter.
    (11) Under title 13, section 1513 of the Delaware Code, the Family
    Court has broad powers to allocate assets and debts ancillary to a divorce.11
    In this case, the court ruled that both Husband and Wife were responsible for
    repaying the home equity loan because both parties signed the loan
    documents. Moreover, the court determined that the home equity loan,
    which was “signed for by both parties but totally utilized by Wife . . . for her
    sole use and enjoyment,” must be repaid 50% by Wife and 50% by Husband,
    11
    
    Id.
    6
    because Husband had “gifted [Wife] access to the funds.          Each owes
    $76,000.00 to the [the lender].”
    (12) Having reviewed the parties’ positions on appeal and the
    Family Court record, we conclude that Wife’s claims related to the
    allocation of responsibility for the home equity loan are without merit.
    There is no basis for disturbing the factual findings of the Family Court and
    no errors of law.    The court’s ruling reflects due consideration of the
    governing statute, and the court’s deductions and inferences are the product
    of a logical and deductive reasoning process. On appeal, Wife has failed to
    identify any factual findings or inferences made by the Family Court that are
    clearly wrong, unsupported by the record or illogical.
    (13) Wife’s third claim on appeal challenges the Family Court’s
    valuation and division of the condo. Wife claims that the Family Court
    erred when valuing the condo in the absence of an expert opinion and when
    awarding her only 5% interest in it. Wife also claims that the court erred
    when it ruled that Husband could defer paying Wife for her share in the
    condo until August 1, 2014, and, if necessary, use Wife’s share in the condo
    to partly pay off Wife’s share of the home equity loan.
    (14) The record reflects that Husband purchased the condo with his
    former wife in 2008. Husband added Wife’s name to a new deed in 2011.
    7
    When valuing the condo and determining the parties’ interests in it, the
    Family Court ruled:
    It is undisputed . . . that 100% of the purchase
    price for the [condo] came from Husband.
    Husband has also been solely responsible for all
    taxes and condominium fees since 2008 and for the
    slightly over one year that these parties actually
    resided together. In light of the marriage’s short
    duration and Husband’s sole contribution toward
    purchasing and maintaining this vacation home,
    the Court awards Husband 95% of the equity in
    this property. In recognition of the gift made by
    husband to Wife . . . the Court awards her 5%.
    The only evidence of fair market value is
    Husband’s reported value of $700,000.00.
    Husband, therefore, owes Wife $35,000.00 for her
    interest in the property.
    (15) Later, when ruling on Wife’s motion for reargument, the court
    amended its $700,000.00 valuation, after determining that it had overlooked
    Wife’s reported value of $1,000,000.00. In the absence of an appraisal the
    court “[found] it fair to split the difference between the two opinions of the
    parties and revalue [the condo] at $850,000.00,” which “increase[d] Wife’s
    interest in the property to $42,500.00.”
    (16) The court also granted Husband the right to defer paying Wife
    for her share of the condo until August 1, 2014. The court ruled that if, prior
    to August 1, 2014, the lender sought the full amount of the $152,000.00
    home equity loan from Husband or foreclosed on Husband’s property that
    8
    was pledged as collateral, Husband could use Wife’s $42,500.00 interest in
    the condo to partly pay Wife’s $76,000.00 share of the home equity loan.
    (17) Having reviewed the parties’ positions on appeal and the
    Family Court record, we conclude that Wife’s claims related to the valuation
    and distribution of the condo, and Husband’s right to defer payment and to
    use Wife’s interest in the condo to partly pay her share of the home equity
    loan, are all without merit. There is no basis for disturbing the factual
    findings of the Family Court and no errors of law.      The Family Court’s
    decision reflects due consideration of the governing statute, and its
    deductions and inferences are the product of a logical and deductive
    reasoning process.    On appeal, Wife has failed to identify any factual
    findings or inferences made by the Family Court that are clearly wrong,
    unsupported by the record or illogical.
    (18) In her last claim on appeal, Wife contends that the Family
    Court failed to consider and rule on her claim for “personal property.” The
    hearing transcript reflects that Wife asked for property that she said was in
    Husband’s possession, namely clothing, jewelry, bedroom furniture, and a
    Steinway baby grand piano that Wife claims she and Husband bought
    together in Delaware. Wife testified that the clothes, jewelry, and piano
    9
    were at the house she shared with Husband in Wilmington, and that the
    bedroom furniture was in the condo.
    (19) Husband disputed Wife’s testimony in toto. Denying that he
    and Wife shared a house in Wilmington, Husband testified that he and Wife
    lived in separate residences during the course of their marriage, he in a
    house in Wilmington, and she in an apartment in DC. Husband denied
    having any of Wife’s personal property at the house in Wilmington, and he
    denied that there was bedroom furniture that was marital property at the
    condo. Husband testified that the bedroom furniture in the condo was the
    same bedroom furniture that he had prior to the marriage. Husband also
    denied that Wife had any claim to the Steinway baby grand piano. Husband
    testified that he purchased the piano thirty years ago in California.
    (20) Noting the discrepancy in the parties’ testimony about the
    piano, the Family Court advised Wife that she had the burden of proving her
    claim that the piano was marital property, and that she had not sustained that
    burden.12 We agree with the Family Court’s ruling on the piano and further
    conclude that Wife did not sustain her burden of proof with respect to the
    clothes, jewelry, and furniture. With the parties’ testimony in equipoise, and
    12
    In the equitable division of marital property, the party making a request for property
    has the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence. Husband R.T.G. v. Wife
    G.K.G., 
    410 A.2d 155
    , 159 (Del. 1979).
    10
    in the absence of any competent credible evidence in support of Wife’s
    personal property claim, we conclude that the Family Court’s implicit ruling
    maintaining the status quo of the parties was not an abuse of discretion.13
    (21) Finally, Wife’s contention that the Family Court failed to rule
    on her personal property claim is not supported by the record. As previously
    noted, Wife’s personal property claim was one of several claims that the
    Family Court rejected as without merit when ruling on her motion for
    reargument.14
    NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the judgment of the
    Family Court is AFFIRMED.
    BY THE COURT:
    /s/ Henry duPont Ridgely
    Justice
    13
    Accord Jorett v. Jorett, 
    1994 WL 665246
     (Del. Nov. 21, 1994) (awarding parties the
    assets each possessed at the time of the hearing after concluding that parties had failed to
    provide the court with evidence to grant ancillary relief beyond the status quo at the time
    of the hearing).
    14
    See supra ¶ (5).
    11
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 573, 2013

Judges: Ridgely

Filed Date: 11/25/2014

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 11/26/2014