Case Name: Carlton Deforest WILSON, Appellant, v. Maudeste Karen WILSON, Appellee
Court: Mississippi Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2002-06-25
Citations: 820 So. 2d 761
Docket Number: No. 2001-CA-00659-COA
Parties: Carlton Deforest WILSON, Appellant, v. Maudeste Karen WILSON, Appellee.
Judges: KING, P.J., BRIDGES, LEE, IRVING, And CHANDLER, JJ., CONCUR. BRIDGES, J., CONCURS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY LEE, MYERS, AND CHANDLER, JJ. SOUTHWICK, P.J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY MCMILLIN, C.J, THOMAS AND BRANTLEY, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 820
Pages: 761–768

Head Matter:
Carlton Deforest WILSON, Appellant, v. Maudeste Karen WILSON, Appellee.
No. 2001-CA-00659-COA.
Court of Appeals of Mississippi.
June 25, 2002.
Roy J. Perilloux, Jackson, James Eldred Renfroe, Daniel Brian Allen, Attorneys for Appellant.
Michael Hartung, Jackson, Attorney for Appellee.

Opinion:
MYERS, J.,
for the court.
¶ 1. Carlton Wilson was granted a divorce from his wife, Maudeste Wilson, on February 26, 1999. Maudeste received no notice of the hearing on the divorce petition and petitioned the chancellor to vacate the divorce decree. The chancellor refused to vacate the divorce itself but did vacate part of the decree concerning the division of property. Upon hearing evidence concerning the marital property, the chancellor awarded Maudeste an undivided one-half interest in the marital home. Aggrieved by this decision, Carlton perfected this appeal raising the following issues:
1. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED IN VACATING THE' PROPERTY DIVISION CONTAINED IN THE INITIAL DIVORCE DECREE; AND
2. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED IN AWARDING MAUD-ESTE WILSON AN INTEREST IN THE MARITAL HOME.
STATEMENT OF FACTS
¶ 2. Maudeste and Carlton Wilson were married on June 12, 1993. Maudeste filed a petition for separate maintenance or, alternatively, divorce from her then husband Carlton on June 5, 1998. Maudeste subsequently moved to Texas where after fulfilling the residency requirements filed for divorce against Carlton in that state. The action in Texas was eventually dismissed because of the pending litigation in Mississippi. Carlton answered Maudeste's petition for separate maintenance or, alternatively, divorce on November 13, 1998. In the same pleading, Carlton asserted a counterclaim for divorce against Maudeste. Maudeste failed to answer Carlton's counterclaim and petitioned the chancellor through correspondence to dismiss her litigation as she did not wish to proceed. Maudeste's first attorney was allowed to withdraw from the litigation on February 1,1999. Carlton pursued his counterclaim, was granted a divorce on February 26, 1999, and was awarded sole possession of the marital home. Maudeste did not receive notice of the proceedings held that day or the judgment rendered by the chancery court. On March 2, 1999, Maud-este through her new attorney of record answered Carlton's counterclaim.
¶ 3. Maudeste subsequently learned of the chancellor's divorce decree and filed a motion to vacate and set aside the final divorce decree. The chancellor refused to set aside the divorce itself but vacated the part of the divorce decree concerning the division of marital property. On February 20, 2001, Maudeste was awarded a one-half interest in the marital home. Aggrieved by the chancellor's decision, Carlton perfected the present appeal.
LEGAL ANALYSIS
¶ 4. This Court has limited powers of review over a chancellor's equitable division of marital property. Henderson v. Henderson, 757 So.2d 285, 289(1119) (Miss. 2000). We "will not disturb the findings of a chancellor when supported by substantial evidence unless the chancellor abused his discretion, was manifestly wrong, clearly erroneous or an erroneous legal standard was applied." Parsons v. Parsons, 741 So.2d 302, 306(¶ 21) (Miss.Ct.App.1999). The chancellor must determine what credibility and weight to give to the evidence. Powell v. Ayars, 792 So.2d 240, 243(¶ 6) (Miss.2001). With this standard in mind, we look to the issues raised in this appeal.
1. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED IN VACATING THE PROPERTY DIVISION CONTAINED IN THE INITIAL DIVORCE DECREE.
¶ 5. The chancellor vacated the initial divorce decree to revisit the division of marital assets, particularly the marital home, based on principles of equity. "Assets acquired or accumulated during the course of a marriage are subject to equitable division unless it can be shown by proof that such assets are attributable to one of the parties' estates prior to the marriage or outside the marriage." Parsons, 741 So.2d at (¶ 25). It is uncontro-verted that Carlton paid for the house from the sale of assets he acquired prior fo his marriage to Maudeste. Maudeste's only claim to the house is that the initial title to the house contained her name. However, "title is no longer determinative in deciding a party's rights to the property." Id. at (¶ 26). Maudeste has failed to show that she contributed to the marital property during the course of their five year marriage in order for her to obtain an interest in the marital home.
¶ 6. The chancellor abused her discretion when she set'aside the initial divorce decree and awarded Maudeste a one-half interest in the marital home as the evidence clearly shows that Carlton paid for the marital home entirely from the sale of assets he acquired prior to their marriage. The chancellor's decision is reversed and this case is remanded to the chancery court so that Carlton can be awarded the entire interest in the home.
¶ 7. THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHANCERY COURT OF HINDS COUNTY IS REVERSED AND REMANDED. ALL COSTS OF THIS APPEAL ARE ASSESSED TO APPEL-LEE.
KING, P.J., BRIDGES, LEE, IRVING, And CHANDLER, JJ., CONCUR. BRIDGES, J., CONCURS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY LEE, MYERS, AND CHANDLER, JJ. SOUTHWICK, P.J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY MCMILLIN, C.J, THOMAS AND BRANTLEY, JJ.