Opinion ID: 1296720
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Vicki's Premarital Debt

Text: Although the parties stipulated that the court could consider that marital assets were used to pay Vicki's premarital debt, Finding No. 12 held: The court gives little weight to this. The choice to use marital assets in payment of premarital debt under the circumstances of this case does not call for a substantial shift in the distribution of the marital estate upon divorce. The evidence does not reflect over-reaching or fraud between spouses on this issue and the decision to pay one's debts rather than to purchase additional things or savings does not automatically call for rebalancing the divorce equation. C.B. argues that, in fact, the court gave no weight whatsoever to this factor and shifted no money. However, the fact that no credit was given does not mean that the trial court did not give the matter adequate consideration. The decision not to adjust the parties' accounts as a result of this factor is within the discretion of the trial court and is therefore not reversible error. Cf. Ramsey, 834 P.2d at 809 (court did not abuse its discretion by failing to give credit for payments from non-marital income to preserve marital property); Chotiner, 829 P.2d at 834-35 (court did not abuse its discretion by failing to give credit for separate property contribution of husband).