Opinion ID: 2196291
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: valuation of thistle productions

Text: [¶ 12] Pepper also contends that the trial court erred when it concluded that the value of Thistle Productions was $500,000. We review the trial court's determination of the value of marital property for clear error. See Sewall v. Saritvanich, 1999 ME 46, ¶ 22, 726 A.2d 224, 229. Pepper's expert valued the corporation at $184,000, while Curtis's expert testified that the value of the corporation was $800,000. We have previously held that any estimate that is within the range of expert opinion is valid provided the presiding justice reached his own conclusion through an independent review of the evidence. Shirley v. Shirley, 482 A.2d 845, 849 (Me.1984). Here, the trial court took several factors into account, including income and salary figures, corporate balance sheets, profit and loss statements, the loss of two recent accounts, offers to purchase the corporation, and the two expert appraisals. Because the court determined that value of the corporation after an independent review of the evidence, and because that value is within the range of expert opinion, the court's decision was not clearly erroneous.