Opinion ID: 2056279
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: duration of the marriage and the conduct of the parties

Text: At the time of the trial, Dale and Sylvia had been married for 21½ years. Sylvia had remained in the home all of those years to take care of the family. Sylvia experienced problems in pregnancies and suffered several miscarriages. These problems prompted a reluctance on Sylvia's part to become pregnant. Dale was involved in extramarital relationships and a child was born as a result of one of such relationships, which Dale continued at the time of trial despite his repeated assurances to Sylvia that such relationship would end. In the month of May of 1979, Sylvia moved to Wyoming to live with Dale because Dale had assured her that his extramarital relationship had ended. Dale, however, continued the extramarital relationship and he soon ordered Sylvia to leave and secure a divorce. Sylvia did not condone these extramarital relationships. In 1974, the family home in Burlington was threatened with a flood and Sylvia and the children were ordered to evacuate the home. Dale did not assist Sylvia in the evacuation effort and Sylvia turned to her family for assistance. For a period of six months Sylvia's brother supported Sylvia and the children. Although Dale did financially contribute to the family's support for extended periods of time, initially the level of financial support was not commensurate with Dale's increase in income or the family's needs.