Opinion ID: 1964876
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: clarification of the divorce judgment

Text: [¶ 6] We review the District Court's judgment directly when the Superior Court has acted in its appellate capacity. Costa v. Vogel, 2001 ME 131, ¶ 4, 777 A.2d 827, 828. We have applied a two-part test to determine whether an order clarifying a divorce judgment should stand: (1) whether the court's prior judgment was ambiguous as a matter of law; and (2) whether the court's construction of its prior judgment is consistent with its language read as a whole and is objectively supported by the record. MacDonald v. MacDonald, 582 A.2d 976, 977 (Me.1990) (citation omitted); see also Austin v. Austin, 2000 ME 61, ¶ 5, 748 A.2d 996, 999. The first question, the existence of an ambiguity, is a question of law that we review de novo. Staples v. Staples, 2001 ME 121, ¶ 9, 775 A.2d 378, 380. [¶ 7] We have suggested that whether a clarification is consistent with the judgment as a whole and supported by the record is also subject to de novo review, at least when the court has not considered extrinsic evidence. Blanchard v. Sawyer, 2001 ME 18, ¶ 5, 769 A.2d 841, 843; Hughes v. Morin, 2000 ME 135, ¶ 10, 755 A.2d 513, 516; Bliss v. Bliss, 583 A.2d 208, 210 (Me.1990). After reconsidering the issue, however, we conclude that de novo review of the resolution of the ambiguity is inappropriate. De novo review necessarily implies that there is only one correct answer; but when a provision in a judgment is ambiguous, it is possible that more than one interpretation may be both consistent with the judgment as a whole and supported by the record. In such circumstances, deference to the trial court is appropriate. We will therefore review a court's clarification of an ambiguity in a judgment for abuse of discretion. Cf. Doucette v. Washburn, 2001 ME 38, ¶ 7, 766 A.2d 578, 581 (divorce court's crafting [of] the judgment is reviewed for abuse of discretion). [¶ 8] The focus of this review will remain whether the court's construction of its prior judgment is consistent with its language read as a whole and is objectively supported by the record, MacDonald, 582 A.2d at 977. Other factors may also be relevant to our review of the court's exercise of its discretion, including whether the same judge who issued the original judgment also made the clarification. Deference is particularly appropriate when the same judge is involved at both stages because it is the intention of the court that issued the judgment originally that is controlling. Greenwood v. Greenwood, 2000 ME 37, ¶ 9, 746 A.2d 358, 361. Of course, if the parties present extrinsic evidence and the court makes factual findings, we will review those findings for clear error. See Blanchard, 2001 ME 18, ¶ 5, 769 A.2d at 843. [¶ 9] Therefore, in reviewing the clarification of the Fidelity account provisions, we first determine whether the contested provision is ambiguous. The classic definition of an ambiguity is language that is reasonably susceptible of different interpretations. Blanchard, 2001 ME 18, ¶ 4, 769 A.2d at 843 (quoting Hughes, 2000 ME 135, ¶ 9, 755 A.2d at 516). The language at issue is ambiguous because it can be interpreted reasonably in two ways. It could mean that Rothman was to pay Thompson $466,150, a sum representing thirty percent of the value of the Fidelity Spartan account, and he was to pay the sum within thirty days. On the other hand, it could be interpreted to mean that Rothman was to transfer thirty percent of the assets in the account to Thompson within thirty days. The provision is sufficiently ambiguous as a matter of law that it requires clarification. [¶ 10] We next consider whether the court abused its discretion in adopting the interpretation of the original judgment urged by Rothman. The most persuasive argument presented by Thompson regarding the consistency of the clarification with the language of the judgment as a whole is that the phrase as of 5-15-98, equalling an amount or value of $466,150 indicates that the figure was there for purposes of valuation only. In order to make an equitable distribution, the court had to have evidence of the value of the account, and in order to inform the parties, as well as to make findings sufficient for appellate review, the court had to indicate to the parties the value of the assets being distributed. The above-quoted phrase supports that purpose. In fact, in the clarification order the court states that very reason: By its terms [the provision] sets aside to Plaintiff Gail Thompson 30% of the Fidelity Spartan Account, which the Court found was $466,150.00 as of May 15, 1998. [2] [¶ 11] Giving due weight to the fact that the same judge issued both the original judgment and the clarification, we conclude that the clarification is consistent with the judgment read as a whole. [3] We cannot say that the court's interpretation of its judgment exceeded the bounds of its discretion. The entry is: Judgment of the Superior Court vacated; remanded to the Superior Court with instructions to affirm the judgment of the District Court.