She reduced her work involvement during her son's early years but later entered into a business venture of her own, providing trained employees to service the payrolls of small employers. The parties separated in 1997 and filed petitions and cross-petitions for dissolution. Wife and her children moved out of the family residence and into an apartment early in 1998. The case was heard before a Family Court Commissioner, and his judgment was routinely confirmed by the circuit judge. Both parties appeal from the judgment, but husband does not urge any points for reversal.
Wife presents twelve points alleging error, most of which have some merit.
We discuss the facts material to each asserted point in the subsequent sections of this opinion. For the reasons which will appear, we reverse the judgment and remand for further proceedings consistent with our opinion. The Commissioner who presided at the trial is no longer in office, and so further hearings will necessarily proceed before another judicial officer. The points on which we find error are to some extent interrelated, and there is not very much from the initial trial that can be salvaged. Nor are there many instances in which we are able to mandate the disposition of an issue pursuant to Rule 84.14.