Opinion ID: 1935071
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Marital Debt and Attorney Fees

Text: Marital debt is apportioned pursuant to the same considerations as the division of marital property. See Harding v. Murray, 623 A.2d 172, 175 (Me.1993). The medical bill was incurred during the marriage and is therefore a marital debt. See § 722-A(2). The court is permitted to consider the relative financial ability of each of the parties to contribute to the debt. § 722-A(1)(C); See e.g., Harding, 623 A.2d at 175. Here, the court divided the debt equally. The allocation appears to be equitable given the financial strength of both parties. [4] The court's allocation does not approach a plain and unmistakable injustice. The trial court has the discretion to order payments of attorney fees in a divorce action. 19 M.R.S.A. § 722(3) (1981 & Supp. 1993); Hebert v. Hebert, 475 A.2d 422, 426 (Me.1984). In awarding attorney fees, the trial court should consider the parties' relative capacity to absorb the costs of litigation. 19 M.R.S.A. § 722(3); Harding, 623 A.2d at 177. The trial court award will not be disturbed absent an abuse of discretion. Most v. Most, 477 A.2d 250, 263 (Me.1984). Neither Judy nor Owen is in a financial position to afford the entire burden of Judy's attorney fees. Judy's attorney fees total $3050.92 and Owen was ordered to pay $750 of the fee. In Lee v. Lee, 595 A.2d 408, 412 (Me.1991), we stated that it is within the discretion of the trial court to deny allocation of attorney fees because the parties were essentially on the same financial footing. In the instant case, the court could have found the parties to be of near equal financial capability and denied any allocation of Judy's debt. There was, therefore, no abuse of discretion.