Court Opinion

ID: 9696714
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:55:52.689908+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:25.836936
License: Public Domain

ROBERTS, J.
(dissenting in part). Defendant to whom divorce in this action was granted contends that the court was without authority to assign to plaintiff the family homestead.
As to the disposition of the homestead on termination of the marriage by divorce, SDC 14.0728 provides: "The court, in rendering a decree of divorce, may assign the homestead to the innocent party, either absolutely or for a limited period, according to the facts in the case, and in consonance with the law relating to homesteads."
Legislation providing for homestead exemptions is enjoined by § 4, Art. XXI, State Constitution. The homestead does not create a new title or enlarge an existing title. The primary benefit of a homestead is exemption "from judicial sale, from judg*451ment lien, and from all mesne or final process from any court, to the extent and as provided" in the statutes. SDC 51.1701. It is immaterial whether title is vested in the husband or the wife if in fact it is the home of the family.
Where there is no adjudication in a divorce decree regarding the homestead, the wife does not have the same right in the family homestead as though there had been no divorce. Brady v. Kreuger, 8 S.D. 464, 66 N.W. 1083, 59 Am.St.Rep. 771; Youngberg v. Youngberg, 44 S.D. 530, 184 N.W. 360; Higgins v. Higgins, 60 S.D. 576, 245 N.W. 397. In the Youngberg case the court decreed that the homestead property worth $12,000 and encumbered for $6,000 be sold and that $2,500 of the proceeds be paid plaintiff wife and the residue to defendant husband. She claimed that because the husband had deserted her and disappeared that she was entitled to the entire homestead and that the husband and his creditors were not entitled to any part of the property. This court in rejecting such contention said: "The theory of appellant, as revealed by the argument and citations, is that she has the same right in the homestead as though there had been no divorce. Such is not the law. She is no longer the wife of defendant. He is no longer her husband. * * * Except as otherwise ordered by the court, plaintiff had thenceforth no interest in the homestead owned by defendant."
Section 165, R.C. 1919, provided as follows: "Where a divorce is granted for an offense of the husband, the court may compel him to provide for the maintenance of the children of the marriage, and to make such suitable allowance to the wife for her support during her life, or for a shorter period, as the court may deem just, having regard to the circumstances of the parties respectively; and the court may from time to time modify its orders in these respects." These provisions and those of section 14.0728, above quoted, had their origin in territorial statutes. Warne v. Warne, 36 S.D. 573, 156 N.W. 60. Section 165, which presently became SDC 14.0726, was amended in 1923 (Chap. 219, Laws 1923) by adding the following paragraph: "Where a divorce is granted for an offense of either husband or wife, the courts shall in such action have full power to make an equitable division *452of the property belonging to either or both, whether the title to such property is in the name of the husband or the wife. In making such division of the property the court shall have regard for equity and the circumstances of the parties." A division of specific property may thus be made without reference to fault except as it may enter into a determination of what is equitable. Caldwell v. Caldwell, 58 S.D. 472, 237 N.W. 568; Kressly v. Kressly, 77 S.D. 143, 87 N.W.2d 601.
The homestead provisions of section 14.0728 are in my opinion reconcilable with those of section 14.0726 and remain in effect at this time. Under these sections a homestead property may be divided or it may be sold and the proceeds divided. The homestead characteristics in those instances do not survive. The homestead "in consonance with the law relating" thereto may under the clear terms of section 14.0728 be assigned to the innocent party. The innocent spouse is not then deprived of the protection of the home. There appears to be no expression in the decisions of this court to the contrary. In Meile v. Meile, 70 S.D. 115, 15 N.W.2d 453, a divorce was granted to the wife. The husband had title to the family residence referred to in the statement of facts as a "homestead." The judgment awarded to each of the parties the property in his or her name. The homestead as such was not assigned. Whether homestead characteristics survived dissolution of the marriage or remained as incidents of the property in possession of the husband is not important. The homestead right did not remain in him as a result of the decree.
The result in which the majority concur is that plaintiff even though the divorce was granted for her fault have possession of the homestead for the benefit of the minor children and as a part of their support allowance. This disposition of the homestead in my opinion is not within the statutory authority of the court. Authority therefore must be found in the statute. Bernard v. Bernard, 74 S.D. 449, 54 N.W.2d 351. It is equally clear that the various sections of the divorce statute should be construed in pari materia. In Re Swanson's Estate, 79 S.D. 3, 107 N.W.2d 256. In Simpson v. Simpson, 80 Cal. 237, 22 P. 167, the California court construing language of a statute providing that in case *453of divorce the homestead "may be assigned to the innocent party, either absolutely or for a limited period," concluded that the "law did not authorize the court to assign the homestead, or any equitable interest in it, to the children, nor to the 'wife in trust for any purpose." The legislature has granted authority to require the husband to secure payments for maintenance, but not to award the use of the home as a provision for the support of the minor children. SDC 14.0728; see also Jenkins v. Jenkins, 110 Cal.App.2d 663, 243 P.2d 79. In Housman v. Housman, 55 S.D. 548, 226 N.W. 755, this court affirmed the disposition of the homestead to the minor children, but there the husband found to be the innocent party and therefore eligible to have assigned to him the family homestead and upon whom devolved the duty of supporting the minor children consented "that the property be adjudicated directly to the children." For these reasons, I do not think that the trial court has authority to decree the disposition of the homestead in the manner indicated by the majority, and, accordingly, dissent from that part of the majority decision.
RENTTO, J., concurs.