Kulwinder Kaur v. Hardev S. Bal (mem. dec.) ( 2016 )

MEMORANDUM DECISION
Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D),
this Memorandum Decision shall not be Feb 04 2016, 6:30 am
regarded as precedent or cited before any
court except for the purpose of establishing
the defense of res judicata, collateral
estoppel, or the law of the case.
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE
Andrea L. Ciobanu Marcia E. Avery-Hanley
Alex Beeman Law Office of Marcia E. Avery-
Ciobanu Law, P.C. Hanley
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
Kulwinder Kaur, February 4, 2016
Appellant-Respondent, Court of Appeals Case No.
49A02-1409-DR-658
v. Appeal from the Marion Superior
Court
Hardev S. Bal, The Honorable Theodore M.
Appellee-Petitioner. Sosin, Judge
The Honorable Caryl F. Dill,
Magistrate
Trial Court Cause No.
49D02-1112-DR-46524
Bradford, Judge.
Case Summary
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[1] Appellant-Respondent Kulwinder Kaur (“Wife”) appeals the trial court’s
distribution of the marital estate in her divorce from Appellee-Petitioner Hardev
S. Bal (“Husband”). Specifically, Wife contends that the trial court abused its
discretion in valuing the marital residence, in including some property in the
marital estate, in excluding other property from the marital estate, and in
ordering an unequal distribution of the marital estate. Because we conclude
that the trial court acted within its discretion in some regards but abused its
discretion in others, we affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further
proceedings consistent with this memorandum decision.
Facts and Procedural History
[2] Husband and Wife were married on April 15, 1993. During the course of their
marriage, Husband and Wife moved to Indiana with their two children. Upon
moving to Indiana, the parties purchased a home in Indianapolis and Husband
purchased a Star Mart “gas station and mini-mart” business located in Wingate.
Appellant’s App. p. 8. Husband and Wife separated on January 2, 2010. At
the time of separation, Husband was employed at the Star Mart and Wife was
employed by the United States Postal Service.
[3] On December 7, 2011, Husband filed a petition seeking a dissolution of the
parties’ marriage. The trial court conducted an evidentiary hearing on June 17
and 18, 2014. On August 22, 2014, the trial court issued an order dissolving the
parties’ marriage and distributing the marital estate. The trial court’s order also
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included a determination relating to child custody, support, and visitation. 1
This appeal follows.
Discussion and Decision
[4] Wife contends that the trial court abused its discretion in dividing the marital
estate. Specifically, Wife asserts that the trial court abused its discretion in
valuing the marital residence, including the 2013 Nissan Altima in the marital
estate, and failing to include Husband’s $56,107 interest in corporate stock in
the marital estate. Wife further asserts that the trial court abused its discretion
in ordering an unequal distribution of the marital estate.
I. Standard of Review
[5] The division of marital assets lies within the sound discretion of the trial court,
and we will reverse only for an abuse of discretion. DeSalle v. Gentry, 818
N.E.2d 40, 44 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004); Elkins v. Elkins, 763 N.E.2d 482, 484 (Ind.
Ct. App. 2002). “‘An abuse of discretion occurs if the trial court’s decision is
clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances before the
court, or the reasonable, probable, and actual deductions to be drawn
therefrom.’” Dillard v. Dillard, 889 N.E.2d 28, 32 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008) (quoting
Poppe v. Jabaay, 804 N.E.2d 789, 793 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004), trans. denied).
1
The parties do not challenge the portions of the trial court’s dissolution order relating to child
custody, support, or visitation.
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When a party challenges the trial court’s division of marital
property, [s]he must overcome a strong presumption that the
court considered and complied with the applicable statute, and
that presumption is one of the strongest presumptions applicable
to our consideration on appeal. DeSalle, 818 N.E.2d at 44. We
may not reweigh the evidence or assess the credibility of the
witnesses, and we will consider only the evidence most favorable
to the trial court’s disposition of the marital property. Id.Although the facts and reasonable inferences might allow for a
different conclusion, we will not substitute our judgment for that
of the trial court. Id.Galloway v. Galloway, 855 N.E.2d 302, 304 (Ind. Ct. App. 2006).
II. Valuation of Marital Residence
[6] Wife asserts that the trial court abused its discretion in valuing the marital
residence at $155,000. “[T]he burden of producing evidence as to the value of
the marital property rests squarely on the shoulders of the parties and their
attorneys.” Galloway, 855 N.E.2d at 306 (internal case quotation and citation
omitted).
[7] In the instant matter, neither party provided any evidence relating to the current
market value of the marital residence. In fact, both parties explicitly testified
that they did not know the current value of the marital residence. Review of the
record reveals that the only evidence presented by the parties relating to the
value of the marital residence was Husband’s testimony that the parties
purchased the home in 2007 for $160,425 and that the remaining balance of the
mortgage loan was approximately $150,000. Father did testify that the parties
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had refinanced the marital residence on two occasions and modified their
mortgage on one occasion, but did not present any specific information relating
to the value of the marital residence at the time of these transactions.
[8] Given that neither party presented any evidence specifically relating to the
value of the marital residence, we cannot say that the trial court’s decision to
value the marital residence at $155,000, or approximately half the difference
between the purchase price of the marital residence and the remaining balance
on the mortgage loan, is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and
circumstances before the court, or the reasonable, probable, and actual
deductions to be drawn therefrom. We therefore conclude that the trial court
did not abuse its discretion in this regard.2
III. 2013 Nissan Altima
[9] Wife next asserts that the trial court abused its discretion in including a 2013
Nissan Altima into the marital estate because there was no evidence relating to
it in the record. In claiming that the trial court acted within its discretion in
including the 2013 Nissan Altima in the marital estate, Husband argues that it
was included in the Financial Declaration Form Wife submitted to the trial
2
In concluding that it was within the trial court’s discretion to value the home at half the
difference between the purchase price of the marital residence and the remaining balance on
the mortgage loan, we note the widely-known fact that the housing market took a dip in 2007
and has yet to completely recover.
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court in accordance with Marion County Local Rule 49-FR00-504 (“Local Rule
FR00-504”).
[10] Local Rule FR00-504(C) provides that “[s]ubject to specific evidentiary
challenges, the Financial Declaration shall be admissible into evidence upon
filing.” Despite Father’s claim to the contrary, the language of Local Rule
FR00-504(C) does not state that the Financial Declaration is self-executing or
automatically admitted into evidence, but only that the Financial Declaration is
admissible. Neither party points to any exhibit or testimony indicating that
Wife’s Financial Declaration Form was actually admitted into evidence. As
such, the trial court abused its discretion in including the 2013 Nissan Altima in
the marital estate.
[11] Furthermore, even if Wife’s Financial Declaration Form had been admitted
into evidence, the parties’ legal date of separation was December 11, 2011, i.e.,
the date that Husband filed his petition to dissolve the parties’ marriage. The
marital estate, i.e., the “marital pot,” incorporates “all of the property acquired
by the joint effort of the parties before the marriage and up to the date of final
separation.” Pitcavage v. Pitcavage, 11 N.E.3d 547, 565 (Ind. Ct. App. 2014)
(internal quotation omitted), reh’g denied. Thus, because Wife could not have
acquired the 2013 Nissan Altima, a model that was not available for purchase
until late 2012 or 2013, before the date that Husband filed his petition to
dissolve the parties’ marriage, the 2013 Nissan Altima should not have been
included in the parties’ marital estate. See generally, Moore v. Moore, 482 N.E.2d
1176, 1179 (Ind. Ct. App. 1985) (providing that a vehicle that was acquired by a
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party to a divorce action after the parties’ final separation was not subject to
distribution in the marital estate). For this additional reason, it was an abuse of
the trial court’s discretion to include the 2013 Nissan Altima in the marital
estate.
IV. Capital Stock
[12] Wife also asserts that the trial court abused its discretion by failing to include
$56,107 in capital stock owned by Husband in the marital estate. Again,
Husband owns and operates a Star Mart “gas station and mini-mart.”
Appellant’s App. p. 8. It is undisputed that Husband’s ownership interest in
this business was acquired during the course of the parties’ marriage and should
be included in the marital estate. Husband argues that the trial court considered
his interest in the capital stock in finding that Husband had no equity in the
business. We disagree.
[13] The trial court’s order indicates that in finding that Husband had no equity in
the business, the trial court considered an appraisal which valued the business
and subject property, with all improvements, at $205,000 together with $30,450
in inventory, as reported on the 2011 corporate tax return. The same corporate
tax return also indicated that Husband held $56,107 in capital stock. 3 The trial
court’s order, however, makes no mention of Husband’s interest in the capital
3
Review of the appraisal of the value of the business and subject property with all improvements
indicates that Husband’s interest in the capital stock was not included in the appraisal value.
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stock. Upon review, we conclude that the trial court’s failure to include
Husband’s interest in the corporate stock in the marital estate or to explain why
such interest was excluded from the marital estate amounts to an abuse of the
trial court’s discretion. As such, on remand, we instruct the trial court to
include Husband’s $56,107 interest in corporate stock in the marital estate or to
provide an explanation as to why the trial court excluded Husband’s interest in
the corporate stock from the marital estate.
V. Unequal Distribution of the Marital Estate
[14] With respect to the division of marital property, Indiana Code section 31-15-7-5
provides as follows:
The court shall presume that an equal division of the marital
property between the parties is just and reasonable. However,
this presumption may be rebutted by a party who presents
relevant evidence, including evidence concerning the following
factors, that an equal division would not be just and reasonable:
(1) The contribution of each spouse to the acquisition
of the property, regardless of whether the
contribution was income producing.
(2) The extent to which the property was acquired by
each spouse:
(A) before the marriage; or
(B) through inheritance or gift.
(3) The economic circumstances of each spouse at the
time the disposition of the property is to become
effective, including the desirability of awarding the
family residence or the right to dwell in the family
residence for such periods as the court considers just
to the spouse having custody of any children.
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(4) The conduct of the parties during the marriage as
related to the disposition or dissipation of their
property.
(5) The earnings or earning ability of the parties as
related to:
(A) a final division of property; and
(B) a final determination of the property
rights of the parties.
[15] In the instant matter, the trial court specifically found that “there should be an
equal distribution of the marital debts and assets pursuant to Indiana Code § 31-
15-7-5.” Appellant’s App. p. 12. The parties do not present any argument or
evidence on appeal that would convince us that an unequal distribution would
be warranted. Thus, on remand, we instruct the trial court to distribute the
marital debts and assets equally.
Conclusion
[16] In sum, we conclude that the trial court acted within its discretion in valuing
the marital residence. However, we conclude that the trial court abused its
discretion in including the 2013 Nissan Altima in the marital estate and in
excluding Husband’s interest in $56,107 in corporate stock from the marital
estate without providing an explanation as to why Husband’s interest in the
corporate stock was excluded. On remand, we instruct the trial court to re-
calculate the value of the marital estate in accordance with our above-stated
conclusions and to order an equal division of the marital estate.
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[17] The judgment of the trial court is affirmed in part, reversed in part, and the
matter is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this memorandum
decision.
Baker, J., and Pyle, J., concur.
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