Opinion ID: 884318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Did the District Court abuse its discretion in its valuation of miscellaneous personal property in the marital estate?

Text: The District Court used one valuation in it findings of fact and another valuation in its conclusions of law. This Court remanded the matter to the District Court, with instructions to correct the valuation discrepancy. To do so, the District Court on remand substantively adopted the property valuations contained in its original findings of fact. It did not, however, expressly state that its new findings and conclusions were based on the valuations contained in the findings of fact in Scott I. In asserting that the District Court erred in its valuations on remand, Dee asserts three specific errors. First, she asserts that the District Court did not set forth how it arrived at its finding that the new valuations left her with $11,736 more than George. This figure, however, is taken directly from the Scott I findings of fact, and is arrived at by merely subtracting the amount awarded to George from the amount awarded to Dee. While the District Court's order on remand may have been clearer if this mathematical computation had been explicitly set forth, a careful reading of the new order, together with the old, reveals the District Court's analysis. Second, Dee asserts that the District Court erred by not setting forth the actual valuations it used in its new findings of fact. Again, while it might have been less confusing had the District Court done so, a close reading of the order on remand reveals that the valuations adopted by the District Court were those contained in the findings of fact in Scott I. Dee does not assert, nor do we conclude, that the use of the valuations from the Scott I findings of fact were otherwise erroneous. Third, Dee asserts that the District Court exceeded its authority on remand by going beyond this Court's directive to correct the discrepancy in property values to actually reapportion certain assets. This allegation is the basis for Issue 2, and does not independently serve to invalidate the District Court's decision to use the valuations contained in the Scott I findings of fact for purposes of valuing the marital estate. The adoption of the valuations listed in the Scott I findings of fact as the actual values of the items in dispute served to correct the discrepancy which had necessitated a remand. We affirm the District Court on Issue 1.