Title: Ex parte Rosemary Posey Brown. PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS (In re: Rosemary Posey Brown v. James Earl Brown)

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL: 06/30/2009 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance 
s h e e t s o f Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2008-2009 
1070157 
Ex p a r t e Rosemary Posey Brown 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS 
( I n r e : 
Rosemary Posey Brown 
v. 
James E a r l Brown) 
(Baldwin C i r c u i t Court, DR-03-1151; 
Court o f C i v i l Appeals, 2050748) 
MURDOCK, 
J u s t i c e . 
R o s e m a r y P o s e y Brown ("the 
w i f e " ) 
p e t i t i o n e d t h i s 
C o u r t 
f o r a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i 
a f t e r t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
a f f i r m e d i n 
p a r t a n d r e v e r s e d i n 
p a r t a j u d g m e n t d i v o r c i n g 
h e r 
f r o m James E a r l Brown ("the 
h u s b a n d " ) . 
We g r a n t e d 
c e r t i o r a r i 
1070157 
r e v i e w t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l A p p e a l s 
e r r e d 
i n 
a f f i r m i n g t h a t p a r t o f t h e d i v o r c e j u d g m e n t h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e p a r t i e s ' a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t was v a l i d and 
e n f o r c e a b l e . 
Brown v. B r o w n , 
[Ms. 2 0 5 0 7 4 8 , 
J u l y 27, 2007] 
So. 3d 
( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 0 7 ) . 
A f t e r r e v i e w i n g t h e r e c o r d i n 
t h i s 
c a s e , we 
a f f i r m . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
The 
p a r t i e s were 
m a r r i e d 
on A u g u s t 10, 1996. 
A t 
t h a t 
t i m e , t h e h u s b a n d was a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
64 y e a r s o l d and t h e w i f e 
was 
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
45 y e a r s o l d . E a c h p a r t y h a d b e e n 
m a r r i e d 
p r e v i o u s l y , and e a c h p a r t y h a d a d u l t c h i l d r e n f r o m t h o s e 
p r i o r 
m a r r i a g e s . 
The h u s b a n d was 
r e t i r e d , 
w i t h s u b s t a n t i a l i n c o m e 
f r o m m i l i t a r y - r e t i r e m e n t 
b e n e f i t s and r e a l - e s t a t e i n v e s t m e n t s . 
The w i f e was w o r k i n g as a r e a l - e s t a t e a g e n t , b u t h e r i n c o m e 
and e a r n i n g 
c a p a c i t y a r e n o t d i s c l o s e d i n t h e r e c o r d . 
A few 
weeks 
b e f o r e 
t h e w e d d i n g , 
t h e 
w i f e 
q u i t 
h e r j o b a t 
t h e 
h u s b a n d ' s 
r e q u e s t . 
S h o r t l y b e f o r e t h e p a r t i e s ' w e d d i n g , t h e h u s b a n d h a d h i s 
a t t o r n e y p r e p a r e an a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t . 
The c o p y o f t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
a d m i t t e d 
i n t o e v i d e n c e shows t h a t t h e 
document was 
s i g n e d b y t h e h u s b a n d on A u g u s t 8, 1996, and b y 
t h e w i f e on A u g u s t 9, 1 9 9 6 ; b o t h s i g n a t u r e s were w i t n e s s e d 
and 
n o t a r i z e d , 
a p p a r e n t l y 
b y 
d i f f e r e n t 
w i t n e s s e s 
and 
d i f f e r e n t 
2 
1070157 
n o t a r i e s . 
The 
w i f e 
a d m i t s t h a t she 
s i g n e d 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t , b u t t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
s u r r o u n d i n g h e r e x e c u t i o n o f 
t h e document a r e d i s p u t e d . 
The 
h u s b a n d 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
he 
gave 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t , 
w h i c h 
he 
h a d 
a l r e a d y 
s i g n e d , 
t o 
t h e 
w i f e 
on 
A u g u s t 8 o r 9, t o g e t h e r 
w i t h a c h e c k i n t h e amount o f $ 1 5 0 ; 
t h e c h e c k was t o p a y t h e w i f e ' s l a w y e r t o r e v i e w t h e document. 
The h u s b a n d 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t t h e w i f e r e t u r n e d t h e a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t 
t o 
h i m 
on 
A u g u s t 
9, 
s i g n e d 
by 
h e r , 
w i t h 
h e r 
s i g n a t u r e w i t n e s s e d and n o t a r i z e d . 
The h u s b a n d a l s o 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t he was n o t p r e s e n t when t h e w i f e s i g n e d t h e document 
and 
t h a t he has no p e r s o n a l 
k n o w l e d g e o f w h e t h e r she 
c o n s u l t e d 
w i t h h e r a t t o r n e y b e f o r e 
she s i g n e d i t . 
The 
w i f e 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
h u s b a n d 
gave 
h e r 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t " m i d d a y " on A u g u s t 9 and t h a t she 
t r i e d 
r e p e a t e d l y t o c o n t a c t h e r l a w y e r b u t t h a t he was t o o b u s y t o 
"work h e r i n " t h a t d a y .
1 
The w i f e 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t she 
s i g n e d 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t , b u t she does n o t remember 
h a v i n g 
h e r 
s i g n a t u r e 
w i t n e s s e d 
and 
n o t a r i z e d . 
The 
w i f e 
d i d n o t , 
h o w e v e r , o f f e r any e x p l a n a t i o n f o r t h e f a c t t h a t h e r s i g n a t u r e 
on t h e document 
i s w i t n e s s e d 
and 
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o t h e r 
t h a n t o 
1The 
w i f e 
does 
n o t 
i d e n t i f y 
t h e 
a t t o r n e y 
whom 
she 
t e s t i f i e d she a t t e m p t e d t o c o n t a c t . 
3 
1070157 
a g r e e 
w i t h 
t h e s u g g e s t i o n 
t h a t 
"somebody 
e l s e " 
h a d h e r 
s i g n a t u r e 
n o t a r i z e d . 
The w i f e 
a l s o 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t t h e 
$150 
c h e c k f r o m t h e h u s b a n d was n o t t o p a y h e r a t t o r n e y t o r e v i e w 
t h e document b u t p o s s i b l y t o r e i m b u r s e h e r 
f o r f l o w e r s f o r 
t h e 
w e d d i n g . 
The 
c o p y 
o f t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t 
a d m i t t e d i n 
e v i d e n c e c o n t a i n s t h e f o l l o w i n g 
p r o v i s i o n : 
" P o s e y 
[ t h e w i f e ] 
d e c l a r e s 
t h a t 
she 
f u l l y 
u n d e r s t a n d s 
t h e 
t e r m s 
a n d 
p r o v i s i o n s 
o f 
t h i s 
A g r e e m e n t , 
t h a t she h a s b e e n 
f u l l y i n f o r m e d o f 
h e r 
l e g a l r i g h t s a n d l i a b i l i t i e s , 
t h a t she b e l i e v e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e A g r e e m e n t a r e f a i r , 
j u s t a n d 
r e a s o n a b l e a n d t h a t she s i g n s 
t h i s A g r e e m e n t 
f r e e l y 
and 
v o l u n t a r i l y , 
a c t i n g 
u n d e r 
t h e 
a d v i c e 
o f 
i n d e p e n d e n t 
l e g a l 
c o u n s e l . " 
( E m p h a s i s 
a d d e d . ) 
When a s k e d a b o u t t h e f o r e g o i n g 
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , t h e w i f e 
d e n i e d t h a t t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n was t r u e a n d t e s t i f i e d t h a t she 
d i d n o t remember r e a d i n g t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t . 
She a l s o 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
" I d i d n ' t 
s a y any o f t h a t 
s t u f f " 
a n d 
t h a t 
" [ t ] h e y made t h a t up. I d i d n ' t s a y i t . " The w i f e 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t she s i g n e d t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t w i t h o u t r e a d i n g i t 
b e c a u s e t h e h u s b a n d 
t o l d h e r t h a t 
t h e r e w o u l d be no w e d d i n g 
u n l e s s she s i g n e d t h e a g r e e m e n t . 
The h u s b a n d 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
he d i d 
n o t t e l l t h e w i f e t h a t t h e r e w o u l d be no w e d d i n g i f t h e 
w i f e 
r e f u s e d 
t o s i g n t h e a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t . 
The 
w i f e 
t e s t i f i e d t h a t she f e l t u n d e r a g r e a t d e a l o f p r e s s u r e t o s i g n 
4 
1070157 
t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t b e c a u s e t h e w e d d i n g a r r a n g e m e n t s 
had 
a l r e a d y b e e n made and 
she was 
e x p e c t i n g many g u e s t s t o 
a t t e n d 
t h e 
w e d d i n g . 
The 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t 
i n c l u d e d 
a 
s c h e d u l e 
o f 
t h e 
a s s e t s owned by e a c h p a r t y . 
The h u s b a n d ' s s c h e d u l e o f 
a s s e t s 
i n c l u d e d 26 p a r c e l s o f 
r e a l e s t a t e 
and 
6 r e a l - e s t a t e - r e l a t e d 
a c c o u n t s r e c e i v a b l e . 
A l t h o u g h t h e s c h e d u l e d o e s n o t show 
t h e 
v a l u e o f any o f t h e h u s b a n d ' s a s s e t s , t h e r e i s e v i d e n c e i n t h e 
r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e w i f e knew b e f o r e 
t h e m a r r i a g e 
t h a t 
t h e 
h u s b a n d 
had 
e x t e n s i v e 
p r o p e r t y 
h o l d i n g s 
and 
t h a t 
h i s 
i n c o m e was 
s u f f i c i e n t 
t o a l l o w 
t h e 
w i f e 
t o q u i t w o r k i n g . 
A 
s e p a r a t e 
s c h e d u l e 
t o 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t 
shows 
t h e 
w i f e ' s 
s e p a r a t e 
a s s e t s , 
w h i c h 
i n c l u d e d 
a 
r e s i d e n c e 
and 
a 
c h e c k i n g 
a c c o u n t ; 
no 
v a l u e 
i s 
g i v e n 
f o r 
e i t h e r 
o f 
t h o s e 
a s s e t s .
2 
A t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f 
t h e 
d i v o r c e , 
t h e 
h u s b a n d ' s 
s e p a r a t e 
p r o p e r t y i n c l u d e d r e a l e s t a t e and r e a l - e s t a t e - r e l a t e d a c c o u n t s 
r e c e i v a b l e v a l u e d a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
$2 m i l l i o n , p l u s a 
c h e c k i n g 
2 A t 
t h e t i m e o f t h e 
d i v o r c e , 
t h e h u s b a n d 
s t i l l owned, i n 
h i s 
own name, a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
12 o f t h e 26 p r o p e r t i e s 
l i s t e d 
on 
h i s 
s c h e d u l e o f 
a s s e t s . 
T h e r e i s e v i d e n c e 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
t h e p r o c e e d s f r o m t h e 
s a l e o f some o f t h e h u s b a n d ' s 
s e p a r a t e 
a s s e t s were d e p o s i t e d 
i n t o j o i n t a c c o u n t s o r u s e d t o p u r c h a s e 
p r o p e r t y owned j o i n t l y by t h e h u s b a n d and t h e w i f e . 
The 
f a c t s 
b e f o r e us do n o t d i s c l o s e w h e t h e r , a t t h e t i m e o f t h e 
d i v o r c e , 
t h e 
w i f e 
s t i l l 
owned h e r 
s e p a r a t e 
r e s i d e n c e 
( w h i c h 
was 
n o t 
u s e d as t h e m a r i t a l 
r e s i d e n c e ) . 
5 
1070157 
a c c o u n t w i t h a b a l a n c e 
o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 
$ 1 2 6 , 0 0 0 . 
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f a c t s 
b e f o r e 
us 
do 
n o t 
d i s c l o s e t h e 
v a l u e 
o r 
c o m p o s i t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
w i f e ' s 
s e p a r a t e 
e s t a t e a t t h e t i m e o f t h e d i v o r c e . 
T h e r e i s 
e v i d e n c e 
i n t h e 
r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t , 
a t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f 
t h e 
d i v o r c e , 
t h e 
p a r t i e s ' 
j o i n t l y owned a s s e t s 
had 
a n e t 
v a l u e , 
a f t e r e n c u m b r a n c e s , i n e x c e s s o f $ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 . 
The 
h u s b a n d 
f i l e d 
t h e 
p r e s e n t 
a c t i o n i n December 2003, 
s e e k i n g 
a 
d i v o r c e 
f r o m 
t h e 
w i f e . 
A f t e r 
a 
t r i a l 
a t 
w h i c h 
o r e 
t e n u s e v i d e n c e was 
p r e s e n t e d , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e n t e r e d 
a 
j u d g m e n t 
d i v o r c i n g 
t h e 
p a r t i e s , 
f i n d i n g 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t t o be 
v a l i d 
and 
e n f o r c e a b l e , 
d i v i d i n g t h e 
p a r t i e s ' 
p r o p e r t y , 
and 
a w a r d i n g t h e w i f e a l i m o n y . 
I n r e s p o n s e t o 
t h e 
h u s b a n d ' s p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t amended i t s 
j u d g m e n t t o d e n y t h e w i f e a l i m o n y b a s e d on p r o v i s i o n s i n 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t . 
The 
w i f e a p p e a l e d ; t h e h u s b a n d c r o s s -
a p p e a l e d . 
The 
C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
a f f i r m e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t t o t h e e x t e n t 
t h a t i t h e l d t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
t o 
be 
v a l i d and 
d e n i e d a l i m o n y t o t h e w i f e b a s e d on t h e 
t e r m s 
o f 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t . 
The 
C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
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t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
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t h e 
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i t 
a w a r d e d 
t h e 
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a p o r t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
f u n d s 
i n a b a n k 
a c c o u n t 
b e l o n g i n g 
t o t h e h u s b a n d o n l y . 
The 
w i f e 
f i l e d 
a p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
6 
1070157 
a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i a s s e r t i n g t h a t t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s , 
i n s o f a r as i t u p h o l d s 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t , c o n f l i c t s w i t h e x i s t i n g 
p r e c e d e n t . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
"A d i v o r c e j u d g m e n t b a s e d on o r e t e n u s e v i d e n c e 
i s 
p r e s u m e d 
c o r r e c t , and s u c h a j u d g m e n t 
w i l l 
be 
r e v e r s e d o n l y when i t 
i s u n s u p p o r t e d by t h e e v i d e n c e 
so as t o be p l a i n l y and p a l p a b l y w r o n g . 
" I t 
i s a l s o 
w e l l 
e s t a b l i s h e d 
t h a t , 
i n t h e 
a b s e n c e o f s p e c i f i c 
f i n d i n g s o f f a c t , an a p p e l l a t e 
c o u r t 
w i l l 
assume t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t made 
t h o s e 
f i n d i n g s 
n e c e s s a r y 
t o s u p p o r t 
i t s 
j u d g m e n t , 
u n l e s s 
s u c h f i n d i n g s w o u l d be c l e a r l y 
e r r o n e o u s . " 
C l e m e n t s v. C l e m e n t s , 990 So. 2d 383, 389-90 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
2 0 0 7 ) ( c i t a t i o n s 
o m i t t e d ) . 
" ' [ I ] n o r e t e n u s p r o c e e d i n g s 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t i s 
t h e 
s o l e j u d g e o f t h e f a c t s and o f t h e 
c r e d i b i l i t y 
o f 
w i t n e s s e s , ' 
and 'we a r e r e q u i r e d t o r e v i e w t h e 
e v i d e n c e i n a l i g h t most f a v o r a b l e t o t h e p r e v a i l i n g 
p a r t [ i e s ] , ' 
.... 
D r i v e r v . H i c e , 
618 So. 2d 129, 
131 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 1 9 9 3 ) ; s e e a l s o 
F i r s t 
H e a l t h , 
I n c . v . B l a n t o n , 
585 So. 2d 1 3 3 1 , 1332 ( A l a . 1991) 
( r e v i e w i n g e v i d e n c e i n t h e l i g h t most f a v o r a b l e t o 
t h e 
p r e v a i l i n g 
p a r t y 
where 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
was 
e n t e r e d 
a f t e r 
an 
o r e 
t e n u s 
p r o c e e d i n g ) . " 
A r c h i t e c t u r a , I n c . 
v. M i l l e r , 769 So. 2d 330, 332 ( A l a . 
C i v . 
App. 
2 0 0 0 ) . 
"'"The o r e t e n u s r u l e i s g r o u n d e d upon t h e p r i n c i p l e 
t h a t when t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h e a r s 
o r a l 
t e s t i m o n y i t 
has 
an 
o p p o r t u n i t y 
t o e v a l u a t e 
t h e demeanor and 
c r e d i b i l i t y 
o f w i t n e s s e s . " 
The 
r u l e 
a p p l i e s t o 
" d i s p u t e d 
i s s u e s o f f a c t , " 
w h e t h e r t h e d i s p u t e i s 
b a s e d 
e n t i r e l y 
upon 
o r a l 
t e s t i m o n y 
o r 
upon 
a 
7 
1070157 
c o m b i n a t i o n 
o f 
o r a l 
t e s t i m o n y 
and 
d o c u m e n t a r y 
e v i d e n c e . ' " 
Y e a g e r v. L u c y , 
998 
So. 
2d 
460 
( A l a . 2008) 
( q u o t i n g Reed 
v. 
B o a r d 
o f 
T r s . 
f o r A l a b a m a 
S t a t e 
U n i v . , 
778 
So. 
2d 
791, 
795 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) ) . 
We 
a l s o 
n o t e 
t h a t 
" ' [ i ] t 
i s 
w e l l 
s e t t l e d 
t h a t 
an 
a p p e l l a n t 
has 
t h e 
b u r d e n 
o f 
p r e s e n t i n g 
a r e c o r d 
c o n t a i n i n g 
s u f f i c i e n t 
e v i d e n c e 
t o 
show 
e r r o r 
by 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . ' " 
W i l c o x e n 
v. 
W i l c o x e n , 
907 
So. 
2d 
447 , 
450 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
2005) 
( q u o t i n g 
L e e t h v. 
J i m 
W a l t e r Homes, I n c . , 
789 
So. 
2d 
243, 
246 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
2 0 0 0 ) ) . 
A n a l y s i s 
A l a b a m a l a w has 
l o n g h e l d t h a t a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t s 
a r e 
g e n e r a l l y 
e n f o r c e a b l e 
i n 
e q u i t y , 
b u t 
" [ b ] e c a u s e 
o f 
t h e 
c o n f i d e n t i a l 
r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e 
two 
p a r t i e s , s u c h 
c o n t r a c t s 
a r e 
s c r u t i n i z e d by 
t h e 
c o u r t s 
t o d e t e r m i n e 
t h e i r 
j u s t i c e 
and 
r e a s o n a b l e n e s s . " 
A l l i s o n v. S t e v e n s , 269 
A l a . 288, 
291, 
112 
So. 
2d 
451, 
453 
( 1 9 5 9 ) . 
See 
a l s o R u z i c 
v. R u z i c , 
549 
So. 
2d 
72 
( A l a . 1 9 8 9 ) ; A l a . Code 
1975, 
§ 30-4-9 
("The 
h u s b a n d 
and 
w i f e 
may 
c o n t r a c t 
w i t h 
e a c h 
o t h e r , 
b u t 
a l l c o n t r a c t s 
i n t o 
w h i c h t h e y may 
e n t e r 
a r e 
s u b j e c t 
t o 
t h e 
r u l e s o f 
l a w 
as 
t o 
c o n t r a c t s 
by 
and 
b e t w e e n 
p e r s o n s 
s t a n d i n g 
i n c o n f i d e n t i a l 
r e l a t i o n s . " ) . 
8 
1070157 
I n 
A l l i s o n , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e p r o p o n e n t 
o f 
an 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
has 
" t h e 
b u r d e n 
o f 
s h o w i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n 
was 
a d e q u a t e and 
t h a t 
t h e 
e n t i r e 
t r a n s a c t i o n was 
f a i r , 
j u s t and e q u i t a b l e f r o m t h e 
[ o t h e r p a r t y ' s ] p o i n t 
o f 
v i e w 
o r 
t h a t 
t h e 
a g r e e m e n t 
was 
f r e e l y 
and 
v o l u n t a r i l y 
e n t e r e d 
i n t o by 
t h e 
[ o t h e r p a r t y ] 
w i t h 
c o m p e t e n t i n d e p e n d e n t 
a d v i c e 
and 
f u l l 
k n o w l e d g e 
o f 
[ t h e 
o t h e r 
p a r t y ' s ] 
i n t e r e s t 
i n t h e 
e s t a t e 
and 
i t s 
a p p r o x i m a t e 
v a l u e . " 
269 
A l a . a t 291, 
112 
So. 
2d a t 452 
( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) . 
T h i s 
i s 
t h e same t e s t a r t i c u l a t e d i n B a r n h i l l v. 
B a r n h i l l , 
386 
So. 
2d 
749, 
751 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
1980) 
( c i t i n g 
A l l i s o n , 
269 
A l a . 
a t 
2 9 1 , 
112 
So. 
2d 
a t 
4 5 3 ) , 
one 
o f 
t h e 
p r i n c i p a l 
a u t h o r i t i e s 
r e l i e d on by t h e C o u r t o f 
C i v i l A p p e a l s i n t h e p r e s e n t 
c a s e .
3 
The 
w i f e c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e C o u r t o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s i s i n c o n f l i c t w i t h t h e f o r e g o i n g 
l e g a l p r i n c i p l e s 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
i s i n v a l i d 
and 
u n e n f o r c e a b l e 
b e c a u s e , she 
s a y s , 
(1) 
she 
d i d n o t 
r e a d 
t h e a g r e e m e n t 
b e f o r e 
she 
s i g n e d 
i t , (2) 
she 
d i d n o t have a r e a s o n a b l e 
o p p o r t u n i t y 
t o s e e k i n d e p e n d e n t 
a d v i c e 
b e f o r e 
she 
s i g n e d 
t h e 
a g r e e m e n t , 
(3) 
she 
was 
f o r c e d 
t o 
s i g n 
t h e 
a g r e e m e n t 
i n 
a 
c o e r c i v e 
a t m o s p h e r e , 
and 
(4) 
t h e 
h u s b a n d 
d i d n o t 
f u l l y 
d i s c l o s e 
t h e 
3 B a r n h i l l 
has 
b e e n 
a p p l i e d 
See 
T i b b s v. A n d e r s o n , 580 
So. 
W a l t e r s , 
580 
So. 
2d 
1352 
( A l a . 
w i t h 
a p p r o v a l 
by 
t h i s 
C o u r t . 
2d 
1337 
( A l a . 1 9 9 1 ) ; Ex 
p a r t e 
1 9 9 1 ) . 
9 
1070157 
v a l u e s 
o f 
t h e 
a s s e t s 
he 
l i s t e d 
i n 
a 
s c h e d u l e 
t o 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t . 
A f t e r 
r e v i e w i n g 
t h e 
r e c o r d 
on 
a p p e a l , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e C o u r t o f 
C i v i l A p p e a l s r e a c h e d t h e 
c o r r e c t r e s u l t 
i n 
t h e 
p r e s e n t 
c a s e , a l t h o u g h 
we 
do n o t a p p r o v e o f a l l t h e 
r e a s o n i n g 
and 
a n a l y s i s 
s e t 
f o r t h 
i n 
t h e i r 
o p i n i o n . 
As 
a 
t h r e s h o l d 
m a t t e r , 
we 
n o t e 
t h a t 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s b e g i n s i t s 
a n a l y s i s 
by 
d i r e c t l y 
a d d r e s s i n g 
o n l y 
t h e 
f i r s t 
A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t , 
i . e . , w h e t h e r 
t h e 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n 
was 
a d e q u a t e and t h e e n t i r e t r a n s a c t i o n f a i r , 
j u s t , and 
e q u i t a b l e , 
and 
t h a t i t t h e n p r o c e e d s t o d i s c u s s w h e t h e r t h e f a i r n e s s 
and 
e q u i t y 
e l e m e n t s 
o f 
t h a t 
t e s t 
were 
s a t i s f i e d 
s o l e l y 
by 
r e f e r e n c e t o w h e t h e r p a r t o f t h e s e c o n d A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t , 
i . e . , 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
a g r e e m e n t 
was 
e n t e r e d 
i n t o 
f r e e l y 
and 
v o l u n t a r i l y , 
was 
p r o v e n . 
Brown, 
So. 
3d a t 
. 
A l t h o u g h 
i t 
may 
be 
t r u e 
t h a t e l e m e n t s 
o f 
t h e 
s e c o n d 
A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t 
can 
s e r v e 
as e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t i s 
f a i r , 
see W o o l w i n e v. W o o l w i n e , 
519 
So. 
2d 
1347, 
1350 
( A l a . 
C i v . 
App. 
1 9 8 7 ) , 
we 
r e e m p h a s i z e 
t h a t 
t h e 
two 
t e s t s 
a r e 
s e p a r a t e 
t e s t s . 
T h i s 
o p i n i o n 
a d d r e s s e s 
t h e 
s e c o n d 
A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t 
d i r e c t l y , 
b e c a u s e 
t h a t 
t e s t 
i s 
t h e 
s u b j e c t 
o f t h e w i f e ' s 
b r i e f 
t o t h i s 
C o u r t . 
10 
1070157 
U n d e r t h e s e c o n d A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t , 
t h e h u s b a n d 
was 
r e q u i r e d 
t o p r o v e 
(1) 
t h a t 
t h e 
w i f e 
s i g n e d 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t f r e e l y and 
v o l u n t a r i l y , 
(2) t h a t t h e w i f e 
o b t a i n e d 
c o m p e t e n t i n d e p e n d e n t a d v i c e b e f o r e 
she s i g n e d t h e a g r e e m e n t , 
and 
(3) t h a t , d e s p i t e t h e a b s e n c e o f v a l u e s 
on t h e h u s b a n d ' s 
s c h e d u l e 
o f a s s e t s , t h e w i f e knew t h e a p p r o x i m a t e v a l u e o f 
t h e 
h u s b a n d ' s s e p a r a t e 
e s t a t e . 
A l l i s o n , 
269 A l a . a t 291, 
112 
So. 
2d 
a t 
452. 
I n 
t h e 
p r e s e n t 
c a s e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h e a r d 
c o n f l i c t i n g 
o r e 
t e n u s 
t e s t i m o n y 
and 
r e c e i v e d 
d o c u m e n t a r y 
e v i d e n c e , 
i n c l u d i n g t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
i t s e l f , 
and i t 
f o u n d t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t t o be 
v a l i d 
and 
e n f o r c e a b l e . 
T h i s 
f i n d i n g 
i s 
p r e s u m e d 
c o r r e c t 
and 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t b a s e d on t h a t f i n d i n g w i l l n o t be r e v e r s e d u n l e s s 
t h e 
w i f e 
p r e s e n t s 
e v i d e n c e 
e s t a b l i s h i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t 
" i s 
u n s u p p o r t e d by 
t h e e v i d e n c e so as t o be 
p l a i n l y and 
p a l p a b l y 
w r o n g . " 
C l e m e n t s , 990 
So. 
2d a t 
389. 
The 
w i f e has 
n o t 
e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e s e c o n d 
A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t 
i n 
l i g h t 
o f 
t h e 
c o n f l i c t i n g 
a c c o u n t s 
as 
t o 
t h e 
e v e n t s 
s u r r o u n d i n g 
t h e w i f e ' s e x e c u t i o n o f t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t . 
F i r s t , 
t h e w i f e ' s 
t e s t i m o n y 
a t 
t r i a l 
-- 
t h a t 
she 
s i g n e d 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t o n l y u n d e r d u r e s s and 
t h a t she 
d i d 
n o t 
c o n s u l t w i t h h e r 
a t t o r n e y b e f o r e 
she 
s i g n e d 
i t -- 
c o n f l i c t s 
11 
1070157 
w i t h t h e w i f e ' s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i n 
t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t -¬
t h a t she s i g n e d t h e document 
" f r e e l y and v o l u n t a r i l y , a c t i n g 
u n d e r t h e a d v i c e 
o f i n d e p e n d e n t 
l e g a l c o u n s e l " 
-- and 
w i t h 
p a r t s o f t h e h u s b a n d ' s 
t e s t i m o n y . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , as t h e 
s o l e j u d g e o f t h e c r e d i b i l i t y o f t h e w i t n e s s e s , 
was f r e e t o 
b e l i e v e what t h e h u s b a n d s a i d a t t r i a l and what t h e w i f e 
s a i d 
i n t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t and t o d i s b e l i e v e what t h e w i f e 
s a i d a t t r i a l .
4 
The t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t i s a l s o 
c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h t h e h o l d i n g i n c a s e s s u c h as Power E q u i p m e n t Co. v . 
F i r s t 
A l a b a m a 
Bank, 
585 
So. 2d 
1 2 9 1 , 1296 
( A l a . 1 9 9 1 ) , 
t h a t 
" o r d i n a r i l y when a c o m p e t e n t a d u l t , h a v i n g t h e a b i l i t y t o r e a d 
and u n d e r s t a n d an i n s t r u m e n t , 
s i g n s a c o n t r a c t , he 
w i l l 
be 
h e l d t o be on n o t i c e o f a l l 
t h e p r o v i s i o n s 
c o n t a i n e d 
i n t h a t 
c o n t r a c t and w i l l be b o u n d t h e r e b y . " 
F u r t h e r , we n o t e 
t h a t 
t h e w i f e was n o t u n s o p h i s t i c a t e d o r i l l i t e r a t e b u t t h a t 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
m a r r i a g e 
she 
h a d 
b e e n 
e m p l o y e d 
as 
a 
r e a l - e s t a t e 
p r o f e s s i o n a l . 
T h e r e was no e v i d e n c e i n t h e r e c o r d i n d i c a t i n g 
4 W i t h r e g a r d t o t h e w i f e ' s 
c r e d i b i l i t y , we n o t e t h a t 
t h e r e 
was e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t , a f t e r t h e p a r t i e s s e p a r a t e d , t h e 
w i f e d i v e r t e d t o h e r own u s e a p p r o x i m a t e l y $11,000 o f p r o c e e d s 
f r o m t h e s a l e o f p r o p e r t y 
s e c u r e d b y a n o t e and m o r t g a g e 
t h a t 
was 
h e r h u s b a n d ' s 
s e p a r a t e 
p r o p e r t y . 
A c c o r d i n g 
t o t h e 
e v i d e n c e , t h e w i f e 
s i g n e d 
t h e h u s b a n d ' s name t o a m o r t g a g e 
r e l e a s e 
( a l t h o u g h 
she c l a i m e d 
t h a t she was a u t h o r i z e d t o do 
so) 
and h a d h e r 
f r i e n d 
f a l s e l y 
n o t a r i z e 
t h e 
h u s b a n d ' s 
s i g n a t u r e when t h e h u s b a n d d i d n o t s i g n t h e document i n t h e 
n o t a r y ' s 
p r e s e n c e . 
12 
1070157 
t h a t , 
b e f o r e 
t h e p r e s e n t 
a c t i o n was 
f i l e d , 
t h e w i f e 
e v e r 
o b j e c t e d t h a t t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s i n 
t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
were u n t r u e o r c o m p l a i n e d a b o u t t h e t e r m s o f t h e a g r e e m e n t .
5 
A c c o r d i n g l y , we c a n n o t 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
w i t h 
r e s p e c t 
t o 
t h e 
f i r s t 
e l e m e n t 
o f 
t h e 
s e c o n d 
A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t . 
As t o t h e s e c o n d e l e m e n t o f t h e s e c o n d 
A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t , t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l 
A p p e a l s ' 
o p i n i o n s t a t e s t h a t 
" [ t ] h e 
w i f e ' s 
f a i l u r e t o s e c u r e 
i n d e p e n d e n t 
l e g a l 
a d v i c e 
... 
, w h i l e 
c e r t a i n l y 
r e g r e t t a b l e , i s n o t a l o n e 
s u f f i c i e n t t o v o i d t h e 
a g r e e m e n t . " 
So. 3d a t 
. The o p i n i o n a l s o s t a t e s t h a t 
" [ t ] h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c o u l d have d e t e r m i n e d 
t h a t t h e w i f e 
was 
aware o f t h e i m p o r t o f t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t and t h a t h e r 
d e c i s i o n t o s i g n i t w i t h o u t 
r e a d i n g i t n e g a t e d any n e e d f o r 
h e r t o s e e k i n d e p e n d e n t l e g a l a d v i c e r e g a r d i n g t h e a g r e e m e n t . " 
So. 3d a t 
. Those c o n c l u s i o n s a r e u n n e c e s s a r y i n l i g h t 
o f t h e c o n f l i c t i n g e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d t o t h e t r i a l c o u r t as t o 
w h e t h e r 
t h e w i f e 
d i d c o n s u l t 
w i t h 
c o u n s e l , 
and t h e 
t r i a l 
5 I n h e r b r i e f 
t o t h i s 
C o u r t , 
t h e w i f e 
c i t e s 
Ex 
p a r t e 
W i l l i a m s , 
617 So. 2d 1032 ( A l a . 
1 
992 
) , f o r t h e p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t an a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t c a n be i n v a l i d a t e d when i t i s 
e x e c u t e d u n d e r d u r e s s . 
W i l l i a m s i s d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e f r o m t h e 
p r e s e n t 
c a s e b e c a u s e i t i n v o l v e d a summary j u d g m e n t , 
r a t h e r 
t h a n a t r i a l a t w h i c h o r e t e n u s e v i d e n c e was p r e s e n t e d , 
and 
b e c a u s e t h e w i f e i n W i l l i a m s was 24 y e a r s o l d 
and p r e g n a n t o u t 
o f w e d l o c k a t t h e t i m e she was 
t o l d 
t h a t 
t h e r e w o u l d be no 
w e d d i n g i f 
she d i d n o t s i g n t h e a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t . 
13 
1070157 
c o u r t ' s 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
was 
v a l i d . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
as 
n o t e d , 
t h e 
w i f e 
r e p r e s e n t e d 
i n 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t 
i t s e l f 
t h a t 
she 
was 
s i g n i n g 
t h e 
a g r e e m e n t " f r e e l y and 
v o l u n t a r i l y , a c t i n g u n d e r t h e a d v i c e 
o f 
i n d e p e n d e n t 
l e g a l 
c o u n s e l . " 
The 
h u s b a n d 
t e s t i f i e d 
(1) 
t h a t 
t h e w i f e 
l e f t h i s p r e s e n c e w i t h a document e x e c u t e d by h i m 
and 
a c h e c k w i t h w h i c h t o pay 
h e r a t t o r n e y t o r e v i e w 
t h e document 
and 
(2) t h a t t h e w i f e l a t e r r e t u r n e d w i t h a document s i g n e d 
by 
t h e 
w i f e , 
whose 
s i g n a t u r e 
was 
w i t n e s s e d 
and 
n o t a r i z e d . 
B e c a u s e t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t c o u l d h a v e f o u n d t h e w i f e ' s 
t e s t i m o n y 
n o t 
t o be 
c r e d i b l e , 
t h e 
w i f e 
has 
n o t 
d e m o n s t r a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
i n f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l a g r e e m e n t 
was 
v a l i d . 
We 
d e c l i n e 
t o 
a d d r e s s 
t h e 
t h i r d 
e l e m e n t 
o f 
t h e 
s e c o n d 
A l l i s o n / B a r n h i l l 
t e s t 
( k n o w l e d g e 
o f 
t h e 
o t h e r 
s p o u s e ' s 
s e p a r a t e 
e s t a t e ) 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
w i f e ' s 
b r i e f 
p l a c e s 
a l m o s t 
no 
r e l i a n c e 
on 
i t . 
F u r t h e r , 
t h e 
o p i n i o n 
o f t h e 
C o u r t o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s s t a t e d t h a t " t h e r e c o r d e v i d e n c e s u p p o r t s 
a c o n c l u s i o n 
t h a t t h e w i f e was aware o f t h e g e n e r a l e x t e n t o f t h e h u s b a n d ' s 
a s s e t s 
a t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f 
t h e 
e x e c u t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
a n t e n u p t i a l 
a g r e e m e n t . " 
So. 
3d 
a t 
. 
Our 
r e v i e w 
o f 
t h e 
r e c o r d 
l e a d s 
t h i s C o u r t t o t h e same c o n c l u s i o n . 
14 
1070157 
B a s e d 
on 
t h e 
f o r e g o i n g , 
t h e 
j u d g m e n t 
o f 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l A p p e a l s 
i s a f f i r m e d . 
AFFIRMED. 
Cobb, C . J . , and L y o n s and 
S t u a r t , J J . , c o n c u r . 
B o l i n , J . , c o n c u r s i n t h e 
r e s u l t . 
15