Court Opinion

ID: 9543349
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:44:37.971296+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:10:11.078430
License: Public Domain

RUDMAN, Justice,
with whom CLIFFORD and COLLINS, JJ. join, dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
In Carter v. Carter, 419 A.2d 1018 (Me.1980), we held that a transfer of property during marriage from one spouse to both spouses jointly is presumed to be a transfer to the marital estate. Id. at 1022. This presumption, however, may be overcome by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. Id. “Clear and convincing evidence is that which ‘place[s] in the ultimate factfinder an abiding conviction that the truth of [the] factual contentions are highly probable’ ” McCracken v. McCracken, 617 A.2d 1034, 1035-36 n. 3 (Me.1992) (quoting Taylor v. Comm’r of Mental Health, 481 A.2d 139, 153 (Me.1984)). The District Court concluded that Ronald sufficiently demonstrated such clear and convincing evidence to the contrary. The court found that the transfer of the Long Pond and Vassalboro properties was made for the sole purpose of securing the loan and was not intended as a gift to the marital estate.
The following evidence supports the court’s findings: the parties went to the Kennebec Federal Savings and Loan to borrow money for their pharmacy business in March of 1979. Ronald testified that the bank wanted the Long Pond and Vassal-boro properties to be used as collateral and requested that the property be transferred to himself and his wife in order to facilitate the transaction. Ronald testified that he thought “this was part of banking principles.” Accordingly, the deed transferring the property, the mortgage deed, and the mortgage note were all dated and acknowledged on the same date. Adelaide testified that prior to the bank’s request she and Ronald never discussed transferring the Long Pond and Vassalboro properties into a joint tenancy.
The District Court’s determination of what is marital property and what is not *62marital property is reviewed for clear error and should not be disturbed on appeal if there is competent evidence to support it. Gray v. Gray, 609 A.2d 694, 697 (Me.1992). The District Court Judge was the trier of fact, and based on the testimonial and documentary evidence presented, I cannot say that the court clearly erred in finding that the transfer was not a gift to the marital estate. I would affirm the decision of the District Court.