Opinion ID: 1145441
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mick

Text: Mick is less complicated. Following Norman Mick's petition for dissolution of his marriage to Hazel Mick, the district court held a bench trial in July 1990. The court considered how to divide the parties' community property, including Hazel's retirement benefits arising from her employment at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico. At the time of trial, her federal civil service retirement benefits were vested but unmatured. Hazel was to become eligible to retire and receive benefits in May 1992, but she testified at trial that she had no intention to retire when she became eligible to do so. Norman contended that he should receive his community property portion of Hazel's retirement benefits when the benefits matured even if she continued to work past the maturity date. The trial court disagreed, ordering that Norman could not receive his community property share of Hazel's retirement benefits until she actually retired. [4] On appeal from this order, the Court of Appeals affirmed, stating that its ruling was controlled by Ruggles, which had been decided just two months earlier. [5] Mick, 114 N.M. at 175, 836 P.2d at 94. Norman petitioned this Court for a writ of certiorari. We granted the petition and consolidated the case with Ruggles to consider the issue of substantial public interest identified at the beginning of this opinion.