Court Opinion

ID: 9675081
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:41:39.271646+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:31.324949
License: Public Domain

Sawyer, J.
(dissenting). I respectfully dissent.
Defendant argues that the trial court erred in the award of alimony. The standard of review to be applied in reviewing a dispositional ruling in a divorce case, including alimony awards, was stated by the Supreme Court in Sparks v Sparks, 440 Mich 141, 151-152; 485 NW2d 893 (1992):
To alleviate any possible confusion stemming from our prior cases, we hold here that the appel*617late standard of review of dispositional rulings is not limited to clear error or to abuse of discretion. The appellate court must first review the trial court’s findings of fact under the clearly erroneous standard. If the findings of fact are upheld, the appellate court must decide whether the dispositive ruling was fair and equitable in light of those facts. But because we recognize that the dispositional ruling is an exercise of discretion and that appellate courts are often reluctant to reverse such rulings, we hold that the ruling should be affirmed unless the appellate court is left with the firm conviction that the division was inequitable. Kuntze v Kuntze, 351 Mich 144; 88 NW2d 608 (1958); Whittaker v Whittaker, 343 Mich 267; 72 NW2d 207 (1955).
Defendant argues that the trial court erred in awarding rehabilitative alimony for a period of two years rather than awarding permanent alimony. However, having reviewed the record and the parties’ arguments, I am not persuaded that the trial court erred, I am satisfied that the trial court considered the appropriate factors, and I am not persuaded that the trial court’s decision with respect to alimony was inequitable.
Concerning defendant’s request for attorney fees and costs for prosecuting this appeal, because the trial court is in a superior position to determine the need for defendant to be awarded attorney fees to proceed with the appeal, I would merely allow defendant to move in the trial court for an award of fees for this appeal and for the trial court to decide the issues accordingly.