Defendant appeals as of right the trial court's judgment of divorce.
Defendant raises a number of issues upon appeal.
Plaintiff filed for divorce from defendant while she was in medical school in Missouri. On the date set for trial, defendant's counsel sent an associate to withdraw him from the case. The trial court did not allow counsel to withdraw, however, and proceeded to discuss the issues of the case. The parties agreed that the case would be referred to the Friend of the Court for an evidentiary hearing on all disputed matters. Both attorneys signed a stipulation and order to that effect indicating that if either party objected to the referee's recommendation, the trial court would hold a hearing based on the record created at the referee hearing.