Marriage of Simon CA4/1

INTRODUCTION

Nora Watts-Simon petitioned the family court for the dissolution of her marriage to Phillip W. Simon. After a contested evidentiary trial, the court found the marital residence was half community property and half the

separate property of Nora’s aunt, Lynetta Watts.1 Thereafter, the court granted Nora and Lynetta exclusive use and possession of the residence pending a refinancing or sale of the home. Proceeding as a self-represented litigant, Phillip appeals the family court’s characterization of the marital residence and its order granting exclusive use and possession of the residence to Nora and Lynetta. He claims the court did not have jurisdiction to issue its rulings or to adjudicate the property interests of Lynetta, who was joined to the marital dissolution proceeding as a party. He also argues the court exhibited judicial bias against him and erred in its characterization of the residence and the Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits he used as a partial downpayment for the residence. We reject these arguments and affirm. II

BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background Phillip and Nora married in 2010 and have three children together. In 2018, Phillip, Nora, and…