Case Name: SIMMONS v. SIMMONS
Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1975-02-11
Citations: 58 Mich. App. 480
Docket Number: Docket No. 18897
Parties: SIMMONS v SIMMONS
Judges: Before: J. H. Gillis, P. J., and V. J. Brennan and Peterson, JJ.
Reporter: Michigan appeals reports; cases decided in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Volume: 58
Pages: 480–485

Head Matter:
SIMMONS v SIMMONS
Opinion op the Court
1. Divorce — Property Division — Appeal and Error — Judge’s Discretion.
The trial court has wide discretion in a divorce case in dividing the property of the marital estate, and a property award will not be modified by the Court of Appeals unless it is convinced that, had it been in the position of the trial court, it would have reached a different result.
2. Divorce — Property Division — Sale op Property.
A trial court improperly ordered a defendant in a divorce case to sell an apple orchard and divide the proceeds with the plaintiff where the defendant alone was purchasing the orchard from his parents on a land contract, defendant had been an apple farmer all of his life, and the orchard was his primary means of earning a living.
Dissent by Peterson, J.
3. Divorce — Property Divisions — Sale op Property.
The sale of a defendant’s farm was properly ordered in a divorce case, with the proceeds to be divided between the parties, where the evidence made clear that the defendant, as a farmer, had not been capable of meeting his obligations and supporting his family and that the farm had a land value far in excess of its value as an operating farm.
References for Points in Headnotes
[1] 24 Am Jur 2d, Divorce and Separation §§ 929, 930, 933.
[2, 3] 24 Am Jur 2d, Divorce and Separation § 934.
Appeal from Oakland, Richard D. Kuhn, J.
Submitted Division 2 December 4, 1974, at Detroit.
(Docket No. 18897.)
Decided February 11, 1975.
Complaint by Freda M. Simmons against Bruce E. Simmons for divorce. Judgment of divorce for plaintiff. Defendant appeals and plaintiff cross-appeals.
Reversed and remanded for further proceedings.
Lampert & Fried (by David M. Fried and Gary K Levitt), for plaintiff.
Faintuck, Shwedel, Roether, Wolfram & McDonald, for defendant.
Before: J. H. Gillis, P. J., and V. J. Brennan and Peterson, JJ.
Circuit judge, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment.

Opinion:
J. H. Gillis, P. J.
By judgment of November 9, 1973, the marriage between the parties was terminated, provision was made for the custody and support of minor children, support of plaintiff by alimony was allowed, and the property interests of the parties were resolved.
Defendant appeals, asserting that the trial judge erred in the division of the marital property with particular reference to the provision dealing with a 72-acre apple orchard being purchased on land contract by defendant from his parents. As to that property, the court ordered that it be held by the parties as tenants in common, giving defendant the exclusive right of possession and use along with the duty to maintain the property and pay the taxes thereon. After five years, or sooner upon defendant's election, the judgment orders the property sold and the proceeds divided according to a formula set out in the judgment. The $100-per-month alimony provision ceases on the sale of the orchard.
The trial court has wide discretion in dividing the property of the marital estate. Czuhai v Czuhai, 30 Mich App 208; 186 NW2d 32 (1971). We will not modify its property award unless convinced that, had we been in its position, we would have reached a different result. Paul v Paul, 362 Mich 43; 106 NW2d 384 (1960); Feldman v Feldman, 55 Mich App 147; 222 NW2d 2 (1974). In the instant case, we are convinced that had we been in the trial court's position, we would not have ordered defendant to sell his apple orchard.
In Johnson v Johnson, 346 Mich 418, 431; 78 NW2d 216, 222 (1956), our Supreme Court said:
"The division of property in a divorce action is not governed by any rigid rules or mathematical formula. Each case depends on the particular facts involved.
"The portion of property awarded to each party depends upon all the equitable factors involved, including the following: source of property, contribution towards its acquisition, the years of married life, the needs of the parties, their earning ability and also the cause for divorce."
This orchard had belonged to defendant's family for more than a century. It was being purchased on land contract by defendant alone. Most importantly, defendant has been an apple farmer all of his life. This orchard is his primary means of earning a living. We think it is improper to require defendant to sell his business.
Therefore, we remand this case to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. The trial court can, of course, order defendant to make a cash payment to plaintiff. It can direct that the orchard be subject to a lien securing the payment of the cash award. The award should be made payable in installments over the next several years so as to give defendant a reasonable opportunity to avoid a forced sale of his farm.
Reversed and remanded. Costs to defendant-appellant.
V. J. Brennan, J., concurred.
The relevant statute, MCLA 552.23(1); MSA 25.103(1), provides:
"Upon every divorce from the bond of matrimony and also upon every divorce from bed and board if the estate and effects awarded to either party shall be insufficient for the suitable support and maintenance of either party and such children of the marriage as shall be committed to the care and custody of either party, the court may further award to either party such part of the real and personal estate of either party and such alimony out of the estate real and personal, to be paid to either party in gross or otherwise as it shall deem just and reasonable, having regard to the ability of either party and the character and situation of the parties, and all the other circumstances of the case."
MCLA 552.27; MSA 25.105, provides in pertinent part:
"In all cases where alimony or allowance for the support and education of minor children shall be awarded to either party, the amount thereof shall constitute a lien upon such of the real and personal estate of the adverse party as the court by its judgment shall direct, and in default of payment of the amount so awarded the court may order the sale of the property against which such lien is adjudged in the same manner and upon like notice as in suits for the foreclosure of mortgage liens ."