Court Opinion

ID: 9750513
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 15:03:32.954742+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:26:11.470150
License: Public Domain

*327MONTEMURO, Judge,
concurring:
The majority holds that since the local divorce rules of Northampton County were not followed by the appellee, the order granting a divorce should be reversed. I agree.
I write separately to indicate that rather than entering a blanket order of reversal, I would also remand with instructions.
First, I would instruct the trial court to permit the parties to proceed in accordance with Northampton Local Rule N. 1920.42.
Secondly, in appellee’s complaint, she alleges “Plaintiff and Defendant are the owners of marital property as that term is defined in the Divorce Code of 1980.” (See Paragraph 20 of Plaintiff’s Complaint). Therefore, appellant has at least a colorable claim concerning equitable distribution of marital property.
Although appellant’s brief states that the real estate is titled in appellee’s name, he contends that he contributed to the increase in value of the property and made the mortgage payments. Thus, I would further instruct the court to provide an evidentiary hearing concerning the equitable distribution of marital property.