Opinion ID: 1036999
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: standard of review

Text: “There are three basic steps in the equitable division of marital assets: (1) deciding what specific property is available for distribution, (2) finding the value of the property, and (3) dividing the property equitably.”1 The first step involves characterizing the parties’ property as separate or marital, a process that “may involve both legal and factual questions.”2 “Underlying factual findings as to the parties’ intent, actions, and contributions to the marital estate are factual questions.”3 “Findings of fact are reviewed for clear error, but whether the trial court applied the correct legal rule in exercising its discretion is a question of law that we review de novo using our independent judgment.”4 “The second step, valuation of assets, is a factual determination that we review for clear error.”5 “We review the trial court’s third step, the equitable allocation of property, for an abuse of discretion.”6 We have also held that “ ‘the trial court must render findings of ultimate fact that support any decreed property division; the findings must be explicit and sufficiently detailed to give this court a clear understanding of the basis of the trial 1 Beals v. Beals, ___ P.3d ___, Op. No. 6789 at 6, 2013 WL 3242376, at  (Alaska, June 28, 2013) (citing Doyle v. Doyle, 815 P.2d 366, 368 (Alaska 1991); Wanberg v. Wanberg, 664 P.2d 568, 570 (Alaska 1983)). 2 Id. (citing Odom v. Odom, 141 P.3d 324, 330 (Alaska 2006)). 3 Id. 4 Hanson v. Hanson, 125 P.3d 299, 304 (Alaska 2005) (quoting Schmitz v. Schmitz, 88 P.3d 1116, 1122 (Alaska 2004)). 5 Beals, 2013 WL 3242376, at . 6 Id. -4- 6806 court’s decision.’ ”7 “Whether a superior court’s findings are sufficiently clear is a legal question, which we review de novo.”8 “A finding of fact is clearly erroneous if, upon review of the entire record, we are left with a firm and definite conviction that a mistake has been made.”9 “We will grant especially great deference when the trial court’s factual findings require weighing the credibility of witnesses and conflicting oral testimony.”10 “We review for abuse of discretion a superior court’s decision whether to give a credit to a spouse for payments made to maintain marital property, such as the family home.”11