Opinion ID: 1246954
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: value of husband's property

Text: 14. Was the erroneous exclusion of the 1953 annual corporate statement prejudicial? The answer depends on whether the court, in the light of the evidence before it and in the light of defendant's conduct, could fix the amount of alimony without knowing the total value of plaintiff's real and personal property. The court had before it plaintiff's Federal and state income tax figures for the years 1944 to and including 1953, his bank deposit books, all original stock certificates, his life insurance policies and annuity contracts, and all real estate papers. There was evidence indicating that after the payment of Federal and state income taxes the plaintiff had an income of $39,826.24 for 1951, $36,332.60 for 1952, and $43,571.49 for 1953, and that his declared net worth  without ascribing any value to his corporate stock  was $222,957.78. In maintaining the home he had spent annually $8,583 for insurance coverage, $2,419 for food, $306 for fuel, $2,403 for a housekeeper, $3,747 for medical expenses, of which $2,800 was for the defendant, about $2,700 for charity, $628 for taxes, $1,281 for summer camp for the children, and various other items which in aggregate total about $30,675. The principal value of these figures is to indicate the available income and the standard of living to which the parties were accustomed. As heretofore indicated, plaintiff was awarded the divorce and the custody of the two children. Without knowing the full value of plaintiff's property, the court awarded defendant alimony of $500 a month in addition to the $136.25 monthly income which she derived from the $40,000 which she had acquired from the plaintiff prior to the divorce. As already shown, the conduct of the wife is a factor bearing on the amount of the alimony which may be awarded to her in the event of a divorce. [23] In the trial court's memorandum, which was made a part of the order denying an amendment of the findings of fact and conclusions of law, the trial court said:    Defendant during her married life showed no interest in her children and left their care to the plaintiff and a housekeeper. While she requested custody, her calculations for support money and alimony were based on the plaintiff having the children. Defendant brought little into the marriage except an uncontrollable temper, a desire for security and an abnormal interest in sex. Prior to her marriage to plaintiff she had been a primary school teacher in the State of Missouri, earning $1,000.00 a year. She now has more than $40,000 in cash and liquid securities and an income in excess of $600 per month to live upon. The trial court's finding of extreme misconduct on defendant's part is sustained by the evidence. Since her misconduct, and we shall not review the details, constituted in effect an extreme case of systematic and calculated cruelty, and involved indifference and misconduct inimical to the welfare of the children and to the maintenance of a wholesome family atmosphere, we cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in fixing the amount of alimony and in limiting the division of property to what she had already received without first knowing the total value of plaintiff's property. Since the delinquency of the parties is a factor to be considered in fixing the amount of alimony and the division of the property, its significance as a factor increases with the degree of delinquency, with the result that in an exceptional case the marital misconduct may be so grave that the wife is not entitled to an amount of alimony and property in any proportion to the husband's estate, and the award thereof may then be made without establishing the total value of the husband's property. This rule is applicable only in very exceptional cases. We here have that exceptional case and we find no abuse of discretion. We reiterate what we said in Swanson v. Swanson, 233 Minn. 354, 360, 46 N.W. (2d) 878, 882, that marital harmony will not be promoted if a wife may drive her husband from her without prejudice to her claim for alimony and property. The income here assured to the defendant will reasonably maintain her according to the standard to which she has become accustomed. She has exhibited no genuine interest in the children and has only to care for herself. As we have pointed out repeatedly, [24] the power of the court to revise a decree for alimony is very broad and gives the defendant ample protection if her future needs, in the light of all the circumstances of the case, justify a revision. In view of our holding, the erroneous exclusion of the annual corporate financial statement was without prejudice and it becomes unnecessary to discuss whether discovery ought ultimately to have been allowed to establish the value of plaintiff's corporate stock. The trial court further found that the $2,750 which defendant's attorneys had already collected for their services (together with the sums of $986.30 and $43.70 for necessary disbursements incurred) adequately compensated them in view of the quality of work and their manner of handling the case. Under the circumstances we sustain such allowance of attorneys' fees and disbursements as adequate. In approving such limited attorneys' fees, we are mindful of the illegal contingent fee contract which provided an unwholesome incentive and that such incentive may have contributed to the undue protraction of the trial.