Opinion ID: 2076775
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Equitable Distribution of Rittenhouse

Text: The court then considered whether Bansda had an equitable interest in the Rittenhouse property and decided that she did not. The court noted that in some instances, property may be subject to being encumbered by an equitable lien in favor of ... the non-purchasing spouse. In Yeldell v. Yeldell, 551 A.2d 832 (D.C. 1988), we acknowledged that a divorce court, exercising its general equity power, could apportion individually owned property, but in order to do so, `the court was required to find that the nontitled spouse had a legal or equitable interest in the property.' Id. at 834 (quoting Hemily v. Hemily, 403 A.2d 1139, 1142 (D.C.1979)). The only way for a nontitled spouse to establish such an equitable interest is by showing that she made substantial contributions to the home. Id. The trial court found that Bansda contributed only $3,000 for repairs to the home and did not contribute toward capital improvements, while Wheeler paid the monthly mortgage and other taxes and charges on the house. In Yeldell, we held that Mr. Yeldell had an equitable interest in his ex-wife's house in large part because he had contributed approximately $50,000 to pay the mortgage on the home, twice the amount that Mrs. Yeldell paid to purchase the property. 551 A.2d at 833. We noted that although Mr. Yeldell's contributions were of marital funds under § 16-910(b) and not separate funds under § 16-910(a), he was still entitled to an equitable share in the house because he made the monthly payments from his marital earnings. Id. at 834 n. 4. Bansda's contributions were far less substantial than those of Mr. Yeldell. Not only did Wheeler purchase the house, but he made the majority of the mortgage payments from his earnings, both separate and marital. The rest of the mortgage payments came from rental income. Wheeler testified that the contract sales price of the Rittenhouse property was $270,000. He also testified that he had made payments on the house in the amount of $151, 699. This figure is far more substantial than the amount contributed by Bansda for repairs. Bansda also argues that she furnished and maintained Rittenhouse, cleaned the home, clothes, and car, and prepared the meals, but the court found that there was no evidence of any homemaker contributions by Bansda, a finding we see no basis for rejecting. In Ealey v. Ealey, 596 A.2d 43 (D.C.1991), we upheld a trial court's denial of an equitable interest in the residence where the appellant, Ms. Ealey, alleged that she had contributed a substantial amount to the home as a homemaker, by cleaning, cooking, conducting daily chores, and providing home maintenance and repair. Id. at 47-49. We noted that [s]ince the judge considered all possible homemaker contributions, he cannot be held to have abused his discretion for viewing homemaker contributions too narrowly. Id. at 49. Bansda contends, however, that the trial court improperly curtailed her testimony on her homemaker contributions in order to speed the trial along. However, the record reveals otherwise. It indicates that the trial court did not improperly preclude her from discussing her homemaker contributions. Likewise, Bansda's attorney cross-examined Wheeler about the contributions Bansda made in both furnishing the property and obtaining renters. As Wheeler notes in his brief, Bansda now attempts to rely on evidence that was never introduced at trial to substantiate her claim, and we will not consider evidence introduced for the first time on appeal. See Fisher v. Sinrod, 197 A.2d 846, 847 (D.C.1964) ([W]e must consider the case as we find it from the record of the trial.). Moreover, while the appellant in Ealey had rendered her homemaker services for twenty-three years, Ealey, 596 A.2d at 45, the trial court observed that Bansda and Wheeler were married for only five years and had lived together in the home for less than two years. This short amount of time provides additional support for the trial court's conclusion that Bansda's homemaker services did not entitle her to an equitable lien on the property. There was no abuse of discretion.