Opinion ID: 2410499
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Date of Division

Text: The divorce was awarded in 1985 on the basis of three years separation. The parties had separated in 1981. The appellant contends, without citation of authority, that some of the assets should not have been divided by the chancellor because they were acquired by him after separation and before divorce. We note, however, that the decree purported to divide all personal property used by either [appellant or appellee] as household goods.... The decree also contained the following: Any further real estate interests owned by either party or any identifiable interest in the personal property or stock in trade of the Defendant in her business enterprise known as the Emporium in Fairfax, Virginia, or any equity therein, is ordered divided fifty percent to each party. The Emporium is the business in Virginia where the appellee has worked since the separation. The chancellor thus chose the date of divorce as the date upon which to ascertain what the marital property of the parties was although some of it had apparently been acquired while the parties were still married to each other but living separately. Our statute, Ark.Stat.Ann. § 34-1214(A)(1) (Supp.1985), clearly requires distribution of marital property at the time the divorce is entered. We hold it was not an abuse of the chancellor's discretion to ascertain the extent of marital property and evaluate it as of that date as well.