Court Opinion

ID: 9522504
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 02:27:27.208153+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:03:05.453928
License: Public Domain

Cavanagh, J.
(dissenting). I respectfully dissent, because I disagree with defendant’s contention that he was entitled to an evidentiary hearing de novo before the circuit court. Not only did defendant fail to comply with the requirement of MCL 552.507(5); MSA 25.176(7X5) that he submit a written request within twenty-one days after the recommendation of the referee was made available to him, Constantini v Constantini, 171 Mich App 466, 468-469; 430 NW2d 748 (1988), but he also stipulated the court’s use of transcripts of the referee’s hearings in lieu of a new evidentiary hearing.
*517Defendant claims the trial court abused its discretion by adjourning and postponing scheduled trial and hearing dates on approximately twenty-five occasions over a six-year period, citing MCL 552.508; MSA 25.176(8). However, that statute specifies time frames for dispositions of child or spousal support orders only, and makes no mention of any time frame for marital property distribution. Furthermore, while the numerous adjournments have undoubtedly tended to increase the confusion surrounding this case, part of the delay can be attributed to defendant’s dilatory tactics, and defendant at no time objected to the adjournment of this matter because of the trial court’s conflict with other trials.
I would affirm.