Opinion ID: 2196291
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction over thistle productions

Text: [¶ 8] Pepper contends that the court erred when it ordered that Thistle Productions make payments to Curtis because Thistle Productions was a separate legal entity that was neither a named party before the trial court nor otherwise a party over which that court could properly exercise jurisdiction. [¶ 9] Generally, courts are afforded a very broad discretion when determining property division and alimony in divorce cases, and such determinations are reviewed for an abuse of that discretion. See Arey v. Arey, 651 A.2d 351, 353 (Me. 1994). Absent a violation of some positive rule of law, we will overturn the trial court's decision `only if it results in a plain and unmistakable injustice, so apparent that it is instantly visible without argument.' Williams v. Williams, 645 A.2d 1118, 1123 (Me.1994) (quoting Anderson v. Anderson, 591 A.2d 872, 874 (Me.1991)). [¶ 10] Pepper relies on our decision in Sweeney v. Sweeney, 534 A.2d 1290 (Me. 1987), to contend that because Thistle Productions is an Arizona corporation with no connection to Maine, the court had no jurisdiction over the corporation, and accordingly, had no authority to impose upon it an obligation of support for which Pepper is responsible. In Sweeney, the trial court had ruled upon the ownership of certain property pursuant to a divorce. See id. at 1292. The property at issue was in the possession of the wife's father, a Connecticut resident, who claimed ownership but was not a party in the case. See id. The trial court found that the property was owned by the couple's minor daughter, also not a party. On appeal, we concluded that, because neither of the persons who claimed ownership were before the court, such a determination was improper. See id. Pepper contends that any distinct legal entity, such as Thistle Productions, must be a named party within a court's jurisdiction before that court may make rulings concerning the entity. We disagree. [¶ 11] Here, stock in Thistle Productions was the main source of marital wealth. The court had given Pepper exclusive control of the corporation. All business decisions were made by her. As such, Pepper alone is the real party-in-interest, and Thistle Productions was represented in all but name before the court. The trial court acted on the reasonable assumption that Thistle Productions and Pepper were essentially the same party. [2] Moreover, in its final order, the court made no attempt to impose any obligation on Thistle Productions.