Palmer v. Palmer

This case involves the property provisions of an interlocutory decree of dissolution. 1 The marriage herein involved, lasting over 12 years, has had a history of disagreements, separations and reconciliations, resulting ultimately in the present separation in June 1980. The wife had filed the first petition for dissolution on August 23, 1977. 2 A decree of final judgment of dissolution was entered on January 23, 1981. The proceedings on the reserved issues dragged on until the decree herein involved was entered on August 15, 1983. The husband has appealed.

The parties are mature and each has, at all times during the marriage been gainfully employed—the wife as a school teacher and the husband as a chiropractor. There are no children.

I

A major issue on this appeal involves the family residence. It was purchased three months after the marriage with a down payment, using money loaned by the wife’s mother. After the mother’s death, payments were made on the house using funds inherited by the wife toward the purchase and other expenses, a total of approximately $34,000. The trial court awarded her a credit of that amount in the final adjustment. The property and its…