Court Opinion

ID: 9537225
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:14:28.19342+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:56:12.203308
License: Public Domain

SHEPARD, Justice,
specially concurring.
I concur in the opinion of the majority since the attitudes of the parties and the now interposition of the property rights of third parties have, in my view, made any other disposition impossible. I suggest, however, that this is a black day in the history of justice in the state of Idaho.
The parties came to the courts seeking a divorce and a division of property valued in the vicinity of one million dollars. It was clearly the intent of the parties, and the object of the court, to obtain an equal division of the community property. The court intended that the defendant husband be awarded the real property so that he could continue in the farming business, and that the defendant husband should pay the plaintiff wife half the value of the real property. Froward circumstance, probably compounded by the attitudes of the parties, defeated the court’s attempt to do justice. As I view the record, the defendant husband is left with none of the erstwhile community property, and has an outstanding judgment against him in the amount of approximately $300,000.00 in favor of his ex-wife. The former wife is left with her one-half share of the farming equipment, valued at the time of the divorce at approximately $60,000.00, the approximately $60,-000.00 realized from the sheriff’s sale, and a $300,000.00 judgment against her ex-husband who is probably judgment proof. Such is far from an ideal application of our system of justice.
With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, it is my belief that the trial judge, when it became obvious that disaster was about to strike and make a shambles of his intended results, should have seized control of the situation on his own volition and revised and amended the judgment in such a manner as would more adequately implement the hopes of the parties and intention of the court. If the property could not in fact be sold for a sum even approaching the original valuation, then an amended decree and judgment should have so modified the amounts of money payable. The court might in an amended judgment have required the property to be sold through a process other than a sheriff’s sale where the price was undoubtedly severely further depressed. At the least the court might have considered the possibility of division of the real property in kind, much as the court divided the farm equipment in kind between the parties. While as aforesaid, this Court has the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, I cannot believe but that a better result reflective of justice could have been obtained.
ON REHEARING
I
Appellant’s Petition for Rehearing having been granted, and oral argument having been held, the Court continues to adhere to the views expressed in the Court’s opinion issued March 11, 1986.
II
The Court is aware that the parties have worked themselves into a procedural morass which, when coupled with the collapse in market value of agricultural assets, has brought about an end result which in many respects was detrimental to *113both parties. Given the substantial period of time which has elapsed since the original entry of the magistrate court’s judgment in this matter, there may well have been a substantial change in circumstances, which, if the trial court were able to re-evaluate the judgment, might impel the court to modify the disposition of assets in its original judgment in order to achieve a more equitable disposition of the assets in this matter.
Accordingly, in view of the unusual circumstances in this equity case, upon issuance of this Court’s remittitur in these appeals, the magistrate court shall have jurisdiction for ten days to entertain any motion to alter or amend the judgment herein, pursuant to I.R.C.P. 59(e). In the event that such a motion to alter or amend the judgment is timely filed, and the magistrate court shall deny the same, such order of denial shall be non-appealable and the judgment in this matter shall become final. However, in the event that such a motion to alter or amend the judgment is timely filed, and the trial court on such rehearing alters or amends the judgment herein, then any new judgment entered shall be appeal-able as provided in I.R.C.P. 83(a).
Costs on rehearing to respondents; no attorney fees allowed.
DONALDSON, BAKES and HUNTLEY, JJ., concur.
SHEPARD, C.J., concurs only in Part I.