Opinion ID: 887711
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: District Court's failure to include Liz's former 12% interest in her parents' company in the property division

Text: ¶32 Jim complains that Liz sold her 12% interest in her parents' family-owned business back to her parents shortly before the trial. He maintains that this corporate interest was a marital asset and the sale was in violation of § 40-4-121(3)(a), MCA, which prohibits parties in a dissolution proceeding from selling property without the permission of the other party or the court. Jim argues that the District Court erred by not making a specific finding on this issue. However, the record reveals there was substantial credible evidence presented to the District Court to warrant exclusion of Liz's gifted interest in the company from the marital estate. Moreover, given that she no longer possessed this interest and provided a reasonable explanation for the sale, we conclude the District Court did not err in failing to include this $5,000.00 in the marital property or in failing to render a specific factual finding on this issue. As a general rule, a district court is not required to make a specific finding as to each item of evidence presented, especially undisputed evidence. Rather, the court need only make specific findings of the essential and determining factors upon which its conclusions rest. See Moseman v. Moseman (1992), 253 Mont. 28, 31, 830 P.2d 1304, 1306.