Court Opinion

ID: 9765831
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 04:21:24.514977+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:16.050285
License: Public Domain

McDONALD, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
The contributing nonprofessional party to this type situation should be permitted to have evaluated whatever his/her contribution was toward the attainment of the degree. After the contribution is evaluated in dollars and cents, applicable interest would be fixed and applied. This sum would be paid back under an award based upon the inherent power of the trial court to do equity until the legislature has an opportunity to address the issue. The contributing nonprofessional would be made “whole.”
I do not agree with any evaluations of a spouse’s expectations of “the good life,” or any evaluation of an enhanced expectation of greater earning power.
Why should the professional under these circumstances be subjected to such incalculable and unpredictable forces? A professional degree is not an absolute guarantee, in this day and time, of affluence. Many nonprofessionals may achieve an earning power comparable to that of a professional without incurring the educational expenses of the professional student.
A simple return of the contribution (constructive trust theory) with fair interest would be acceptable under the “just proportions” mandate and is all that should be expected.