Opinion ID: 1772317
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: whether more weight should be given to marital fault in applying the ferguson factors, pursuant to carrow i and carrow ii?

Text: ¶ 6. Hank argues that the chancellor erred by not giving more weight to the fact that Jane admittedly had numerous affairs during their twenty-three year marriage. Hank further argues that Jane should have been penalized and should not have received 50% of the marital assets as the chancellor so ordered. Hank argues that one of the principles of Ferguson v. Ferguson, 639 So.2d 921, 928 (Miss.1994), is that marital misconduct or fault as a ground for divorce is relevant to equitable distribution if it impacted the harmony and stability of the marriage. ¶ 7. Jane responds that Hank relies solely on his own testimony and minimizes or ignores the contrary testimony that favors her. In fact, Hank does rely on other testimony, particularly the testimony of Jane's mother. As we have often stated: This Court must examine the entire record and accept that evidence which supports or reasonably tends to support the findings of fact made below, together with all reasonable inferences which may be drawn therefrom and which favor the lower court's findings of fact. Ezell v. Williams, 724 So.2d 396, 397 (Miss.1998). The word `manifest,' as defined in this context, means `unmistakable, clear, plain, or indisputable.' Magee v. Magee, 661 So.2d 1117, 1122 (Miss.1995). Where evidence is contradictory, this Court `generally must affirm.' Boatner v. State, 754 So.2d 1184, 1191-92 (Miss.2000). ¶ 8. Hank claims the chancellor's decision is at odds with Carrow I and Carrow II. [1] In Carrow I, 642 So.2d at 903, Jean Carrow was granted a divorce from Jimmie Carrow, her husband of twenty-nine years. The chancellor determined that Jean was not entitled to equitable distribution. Id. at 904. This Court reversed and remanded, stating that the chancellor placed undue emphasis on Jean's three affairs that occurred after the couple were separated and failed to make findings on the record as to how these affairs contributed to the deterioration, if any, of the marriage. Id. at 905. This Court stated: It is difficult to adjust conventional values of morality when weighing marital misconduct for purposes of a just division of marital property. However, marital misconduct is a viable factor entitled to be given weight by the chancellor when the misconduct places a burden on the stability and harmony of the marital and family relationship. See Ferguson v. Ferguson, 639 So.2d 921, 927 (Miss.1994). Thus, the chancellor erred in holding that Jean's adulterous conduct precluded her from being entitled to any form of equitable distribution of the property upon divorce. In addition, this case must also be considered in light of this Court's recent case of Ferguson, which deals with the issue of equitable distribution and also provides guidelines for the division of marital property, as well as, Hemsley v. Hemsley, 639 So.2d 909, 915 (Miss.1994), which defines marital assets as any and all property acquired or accumulated during the marriage. 642 So.2d at 904-05. Citing Hemsley, we further stated: We define marital property for the purpose of divorce as being any and all property acquired or accumulated during the marriage. Assets so acquired or accumulated during the course of the marriage are marital assets and are subject to an equitable distribution by the chancellor. We assume for divorce purposes that the contributions and efforts of the marital partners whether economic, domestic or otherwise are of equal value. Carrow I, 642 So.2d at 906. We then reversed and remanded with instructions for the chancellor to conduct equitable distribution, applying the Ferguson factors. ¶ 9. In Carrow II, 741 So.2d 200 (Miss. 1999), Jimmie appealed the subsequent equitable distribution of the couple's assets by the chancellor. This Court affirmed, stating: In addition to contributing her employment income, Jean raised the parties' child, and handled most of the household duties and expenses, which allowed Jimmie to use more of his time and money for business investments. The court determined Jimmie's contribution to the accumulation of the property included his income from employment and rental income, as well as his restoration of the Corvettes in the collection. There was no finding by the court as to any tax consequences or emotional value in reference to the distribution of the marital assets. Id. at 203. Concerning the adultery, we stated: The chancellor correctly found the affairs to be just one factor for the court to consider in reference to any burden that may have been placed on the stability and harmony of the marital and family relationship. The chancellor further found that Jean greatly contributed to the stability and harmony of the parties' marital and family relationship by working full-time, taking care of the family's needs, taking care of Jimmie, and raising the parties' child. It is apparent that the chancellor considered the adultery, but found that it did not burden the stability and harmony of the Carrow family relationship. That finding is not manifestly erroneous. Id. at 204. ¶ 10. In the case sub judice, Ferguson factor (1)(b), (Contribution to the stability and harmony of the marital and family relationships as measured by quality, quantity of time spent on family duties and duration of the marriage) is the factor Hank argues weighs heavily in his favor. We agree with Hank. Contributions and fault should be considered by the chancellor in determining equitable distribution of a marital estate. Jane's admissions concerning eight incidents of adultery all of which occurred during the last fifteen years of the marriage resulting in her being physically absent from her home and away from her son and her husband for significant periods of time during these escapades clearly reflect that such marital misconduct was relevant to the chancellor's consideration of equitable distribution because it impacted upon the harmony and stability of the marriage. While it is only one of the Ferguson factors to be considered, when the facts of this case are examined, the overwhelming nature of Jane's involvement in numerous affairs and the resulting strain and conflict created in the marriage cannot be ignored or lessened. The testimony of Jane's mother is indeed revealing as she knew nothing of Jane's numerous affairs. Yet, she testified that Jane had been gone from Hank and Dan, both physically and emotionally, for about a year before the divorce action was initiated. Hank's claim that the affairs affected the stability and harmony of the marriage is substantially supported by the testimony. ¶ 11. In Ferguson, we said, it must be remembered, the goal in a divorce case is to do equity. Ferguson, 639 So.2d at 934. Equity envisions equal partners pulling equally together during life's good times as well as during times of trials and tribulations. Evidence of such togetherness would warrant substantial participation if not equal distribution of property assets by a chancellor when applying the principle of equitable distribution. ¶ 12. Here, the chancellor considered, on the record, the Ferguson factors and decided the marital assets should be divided 50/50. The chancellor found that Jane was physically and emotionally gone from Hank and their son because of the numerous adulterous relationships. She also found that Jane was extravagant. Nevertheless, the chancellor awarded Jane 50% of the marital assets. Considering the significant and compelling facts of this case, the division of the assets appears to place minimal weight upon the numerous incidents of Jane's adultery and its effect on the marriage and also ignores principles of equity. ¶ 13. We find the Court of Appeals' decision is in conflict with Carrow I and Carrow II. In Carrow II, in upholding the chancellor we noted that there was no burden created by the adulterous relationships of Betty Jean upon the stability and harmony of the Carrow family relationship. 741 So.2d at 204. Also, we note that in Carrow I, Betty Jean's three affairs occurred after the separation of the parties, thus, there was no finding by the chancellor as to how these affairs contributed to the deterioration, if any, of the marriage. Carrow I, 642 So.2d at 905. In the case sub judice however, Jane's numerous affairs significantly impacted and burdened the stability and harmony of the marriage, and we again note that it was Hank who was granted the divorce on grounds of adultery because of Jane's numerous affairs. Although a chancellor is generally given great deference as to findings of fact and conclusions of law, here, considering the overwhelming nature of the evidence adduced by Hank, we conclude that the chancellor's decision was unsupported by substantial evidence. Thus, the chancellor in applying the law to these facts was manifestly wrong, abused her discretion, and failed to do equity. As such, we reverse and remand this issue for rehearing.