Brenda Jean Thompson vs. Jerry F. Thompson

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I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE EASTERN SECTI ON FILED August 28, 1996 Cecil Crowson, Jr. Appellate C ourt Clerk BRENDA J EAN THOM PSON Pl a i nt i f f - Appe l l e e v. J ERRY F. THOM PSON De f e nda nt - Appe l l a nt ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) BRADLEY COUNTY 03A01- 9602- GS- 00052 HON. C. VAN DEACON, J R. , J UDGE REM ANDED LYNN PERRY a nd TERRI L. LACEY OF CLEVELAND FOR APPELLANT B. PRI NCE M LLER, J R. , OF CLEVELAND FOR APPELLEE I O P I N I O N Godda r d, P. J . J e r r y F. Thomps on a ppe a l s a di vor c e de c r e e of t he Ge n e r a l Se s s i ons Cour t f or Br a dl e y Count y, c ompl a i ni ng t ha t t h e d i v i s i o n of ma r i t a l pr ope r t y wa s i ne qui t a bl e a nd t ha t a n a wa r d o f r e h a b i l i t a t i ve a l i mony f or 30 mont hs a t t he r a t e of $200 pe r mo n t h wa s unwa r r a nt e d. The pa r t i e s ha d be e n ma r r i e d a ppr oxi ma t e l y 16 ye a r s a n d n o c h i l dr e n we r e bor n t o t he i r ma r r i a ge . Bot h ha d be e n p r e v i o u s l y ma r r i e d. The hus ba nd' s a ppe a l c ont e nds t ha t t he Cour t ' s di vi s i o n o f ma r i t a l pr ope r t y, a f t e r de duc t i ng de bt s or de r e d t o be pa i d b y t h e Co u r t , ga ve t he wi f e $ 112, 500, whi c h i s 77 pe r c e nt of t he i r ma r i t a l e s t a t e , a nd hi m on l y $34, 500, whi c h i s 23 pe r c e nt . On t he ot he r ha n d, t he wi f e poi nt s out t ha t s he c o n t r i b ut e d t o t he i r ma r i t a l r e s i de nc e $42, 000 of he r s e pa r a t e p r o p e r t y, whi c h wa s he r e qui t y i n t he r e s i de nc e s he owne d a t t h e t i me o f t he i r ma r r i a ge . 1 She a l s o poi nt s out t ha t t he hus ba nd i s n o t c o u nt i ng a r e t i r e me nt a s s e t i nc i de nt t o hi s e mpl oyme nt , whi c h f o r t h e mos t pa r t wa s a c c umul a t e d dur i ng t he i r ma r r i a ge . v a l u e o f t hi s a s s e t wa s ne ve r di s c l os e d t o t he Cour t . The She a r g u e s i n l i g h t of t he f a c t t ha t t he hus ba nd wa s l e s s t ha n f or t hc omi ng r e l a t i v e t o t wo ot he r a s s e t s , a 410- K pl a n a nd s t oc k i n t he c o r p o r a t i on whe r e he wa s e mpl oye d, whi c h wa s onl y di s c l os e d a t a h e a r i n g s ubs e que nt t o t he di vor c e pr oc e e di ng, we s houl d a s s ume t h e v a l ue of hi s r e t i r e me nt pl a n wa s s uf f i c i e nt l y l a r ge t o ma k e t h e d i v i s i on of pr ope r t y e qui t a bl e . Be c a us e ma ki ng t hi s a s s umpt i on mi ght ve r y we l l pr ove t o b e a n i nj us t i c e t o t he hus ba nd a nd, be c a us e a s s umi ng t ha t t hi s a s s e t i s v a l ue l e s s r e qui r i ng a r e a l l oc a t i on of t he ma r i t a l 1 Th e h u s b a n d c o n t e n d s t h i s e q u i t y wa s $ 2 6 , 0 0 0 . 2 p r o p e r t y c oul d ve r y we l l be a n i nj us t i c e t o t he wi f e , we be l i e v e i t i s a ppr opr i a t e i n t he i nt e r e s t of j us t i c e t o bot h pa r t i e s t o r e ma n d t he c a s e t o t he Tr i a l Cour t f or a he a r i ng a s t o t he va l u e o f t h i s a s s e t a nd i n a c c or da nc e wi t h t he pr ovi s i ons of T. C. A. 2 7 3- 128. I n t he e ve nt t he a s s e t ha s no s i gni f i c a nt va l ue , t he Tr i a l Cour t s houl d r e a s s e s s hi s di vi s i on of ma r i t a l pr ope r t y a n d ma k e s u c h di vi s i on a s i s wa r r a nt e d. For t he f or e goi ng r e a s ons t he c a s e i s r e ma nde d t o t h e Tr i a l Cour t f or f ur t he r pr oc e e di ngs not i nc ons i s t e nt wi t h t hi s opi ni on. Cos t s of a ppe a l a r e a dj udge d one - ha l f a ga i ns t t he h u s b a n d a nd one - ha l f a ga i n s t t he wi f e . _______________________________ Hous t on M Godda r d, P. J . . CONCUR: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _________________________ He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _________________________ Ch a r l e s D. Sus a no, J r . , J . 3

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