Opinion ID: 2265400
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the award of 70 percent of the marital estate

Text: We are of the opinion that the general master did not err in awarding the wife 70 percent of the marital estate since we cannot say that he was clearly wrong in applying the criteria for equitable distribution pursuant to G.L. 1956 (1988 Reenactment) § 15-5-16.1, which sets forth the factors to be considered in distributing marital assets, namely, (1) the length of the marriage, (2) the conduct of the parties during the marriage, (3) the contribution of each of the parties in the acquisition, preservation, or appreciation in value of their respective estates, and (4) the contribution and services of either party as homemaker. In the instant case the parties had been married for seventeen and a half years. The wife had been an exemplary homemaker, caring for the five children of the parties, and had contributed to her husband's education. She had been employed whenever possible after the birth of the first child and had assisted the husband as a nurse when he opened an office in the town of North Providence. The master attributed no fault to the wife for the break up of the marriage but found that the husband was fully responsible for the termination of the marriage by carrying on an extra-marital affair with one of his employees while his wife was pregnant with the fifth child. The general master, in considering all the factors set forth in the statute, acted well within his discretion in making the award. See Marocco v. Marocco, 571 A.2d 572 (R.I. 1990); Stanzler v. Stanzler, 560 A.2d 342 (R.I. 1989).