Marriage of Goveia and Kasberger CA4/3

BACKGROUND

In April 2010, the family court filed a status only judgment of dissolution between appellant (Husband) and respondent (Wife). The parties subsequently stipulated to appoint a referee (retired Judge Thomas Murphy) to determine an accounting for the use of community funds, with the family court (Commissioner Renee Wilson) to determine contested issues of breach of fiduciary duties and sanctions. On November 21, 2014, Commissioner Wilson signed and filed a document entitled “Judgment on reserved issues.” The judgment and accompanying statement of decision endeavored to resolve disputed issues concerning Husband’s alleged breach of his fiduciary obligations to Wife by failing to disclose a loan in excess of $1 million to Husband’s business partner, as well as the partner’s alleged partial repayment, among

* Before O’Leary, P.J., Bedsworth, J., and Fybel, J.

2 other matters involving Husband’s fiduciary breaches in the investment of community funds and in payments to Husband. However, the November 21, 2014 judgment left numerous issues remaining for resolution, including characterizing and valuing various community assets and equalizing the division of community property…