Tschilin, M. v. Barzilayev, J. ( 2022 )


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  • J-A27025-21
    NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
    MICHAEL TSCHILIN A/K/A MICHAEL            :   IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    CHILIN                                    :        PENNSYLVANIA
    :
    :
    v.                          :
    :
    :
    JULIETT BARZILAYEV APPEAL OF              :
    OTAR KOSASHVILI                           :   No. 737 EDA 2021
    Appeal from the Order Entered March 10, 2021
    In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Domestic Relations
    at No(s): February Term 2015 No. 8451
    BEFORE: PANELLA, P.J., LAZARUS, J., and McCAFFERY, J.
    MEMORANDUM BY McCAFFERY, J.:                       FILED JANUARY 20, 2022
    Otar Kosashvili (Appellant) appeals from the March 10, 2021, order
    entered in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, denying his petition to
    intervene in the divorce between Michael Tschilin (“Husband”) and Juliett
    Barzilayev (“Wife”).    The matter concerns the ability of a third party to
    intervene in a divorce action with respect to litigating marital estate interests.
    Appellant contends the trial court abused its discretion in determining
    Husband and Wife had not engaged in inequitable or fraudulent behavior by
    failing to sign an agreement resolving Appellant’s claims for intervening and
    the court erred in failing to hold a hearing on the averments set forth in his
    petition. After careful review, we conclude that the order from which Appellant
    appeals is interlocutory and not otherwise appealable. Accordingly, we quash
    this appeal.
    J-A27025-21
    Husband initiated the underlying divorce and equitable distribution
    action in 2015. See Trial Ct. Op., 7/1/2021, at 1. In June of 2015, Wife was
    “enjoined and restrained from encumbering, dissipating, selling or otherwise
    alienating any and all marital assets of the parties[.]” Id. At issue in this
    case is a parcel of real property (“the Property”) located at 1804 Bainbridge
    Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Wife purchased the Property in 2007 with
    a third party, Yevgeniy Tsvik.1        See id. at 1-2.     “Wife did not oppose the
    divorce, but sought economic relief.”          Id. at 1.   On November 28, 2016,
    grounds for divorce under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3301(D) were approved. See id.
    The matter proceeded to a hearing before a permanent arbitrator in
    divorce on December 21, 2017. See id. at 2. Husband filed a motion for
    special relief requesting compulsory joinder of Tsvik and Brighton.2 See id.
    A master was appointed to assist in the disposition of the three marital
    properties, include the Property. See id. By order dated August 28, 2018,
    the Property “was to be listed for sale with a licensed realtor and the net
    proceeds were to be placed in an escrow account.” Id.
    In July 2019, four years after the divorce action began, Appellant filed
    the instant petition to intervene. In his petition, Appellant averred that “he
    ____________________________________________
    1The lender was Brighton Beach and Sun Production, Inc (“Brighton”). See
    Purchase Money Mortgage, 4/28/2015.
    2 The court issued an order, joining Tsvik and Brighton as additional parties.
    See Order, 8/24/2017.
    -2-
    J-A27025-21
    had obtained a restitution order dated June 13, 2012 from Montgomery
    County that had been converted into a formal judgment against Wife alone on
    May 6, 2019 in the amount of $154,876.03[.]” Id. at 3 (some capitalization
    omitted).   Based on the judgment, Appellant states “he had an equitable
    interest in marital property owned by Husband and Wife.” Id. Appellant noted
    Wife owns the Property, which was under agreement of sale, and the closing
    was scheduled for July 11, 2019. See id. Appellant “sought to intervene in
    Husband and Wife’s divorce action to protect his alleged equitable interest” in
    the Property, and requested all proceeds from the sale be placed into escrow
    pending distribution to him. See id.
    By order dated July 10, 2019, the net proceeds from the Property, after
    satisfaction of the first mortgage, were to be placed in escrow. Moreover, “the
    2015 purchase money mortgage and the May 6, 2019, judgment against Wife
    were set aside until further hearing.” Id. at 2. Subsequently, a hold was
    placed on Wife’s proceeds from the Property until Appellant’s petition to
    intervene could be heard.
    The court held a hearing on the petition on October 21, 2020.         No
    evidence or testimony was submitted on behalf of Appellant.          Id. at 3.
    “Attorneys stated on the record that there was no transfer/sale of [the]
    Property, and that Husband’s name was not on the deed for” the Property.
    Id. at 3. It was also noted that Tsvik paid Husband $36,000 for his equitable
    portion of the Property. See id.
    -3-
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    Furthermore, at the hearing, Appellant asserted that he initially sought
    to prevent Wife from distributing the proceeds of the sale of the Property
    without paying the judgment, but that he now took issue with two agreements
    Wife previously entered into as part of the divorce: (1) a Property Settlement
    Agreement (“PSA”), dated February 27, 2020, in which Husband agreed to
    relinquish his rights, title, and interest, if any, to the Property in exchange for
    the buyout of his interest in the Property as part of the equitable distribution
    of the marital real property; and (2) a Settlement Agreement and Mutual
    Release for Real Estate Property (“SAMR”), also dated February 27th, stating
    that Tsvik owned 50% of the Property and Husband and Wife each owned
    25%, and that Tsvik would purchase Husband’s 25% ownership for $36,000.3
    Appellant argued that the SAMR should only reflect a transfer of
    Husband’s equitable interest in the Property, as Husband was never a record
    owner. See N.T., 10/21/2020, at 12. As will be discussed below, Appellant
    misunderstood the distinction between when an individual possesses equitable
    interest in martial property versus when that individual possesses title to real
    estate.   After an off-the-record negotiation, Appellant stated in open court
    that the parties agreed to amend the SAMR to reflect that Husband sold only
    his equitable interest. See id. at 25. The court understood the agreed upon
    change to be “that the $36,000 would pay for [Husband’s] equitable
    ____________________________________________
    3In other words, Tsvik would now own 75% of the Property, Wife would own
    25%, and Husband would own 0%.
    -4-
    J-A27025-21
    distribution” and that the portion of the SAMR stating Tsvik owns 75% of the
    Property “would apparently be changed to indicate that there was an equitable
    distribution interest that was transferred from [Husband] to Mr. Tsvik.” Id.
    at 28. The court stated it would allow the parties 30 days to amend the SAMR,
    and the parties agreed. Id. at 17, 27, 29-31.       “After the hearing, and by
    agreement of all the parties including [Appellant], a continuance was granted
    for submission of a global settlement.” Trial Ct. Op. at 2. “The trial court
    further stated on the record and in the trial court order that if no resolution to
    the matter was received within thirty (30), days the underlying petition to
    intervene shall be dismissed.” Id. (some capitalization omitted). No party
    objected at trial or to the court’s October 21, 2020, order.
    Appellant thereafter drafted an addendum to the SAMR which Wife and
    Tsvik refused to sign. Appellant filed a petition for sanctions, and the court
    held a hearing on March 10, 2021. At the hearing, Appellant stated that in
    addition to clarifying that Tsvik had paid Appellant $36,000 for his equitable
    interest in the property, Appellant had included a line in the addendum stating
    that Husband “never had any legal interest in the property.” N.T., 3/10/2021,
    at 32. Tsvik, through his counsel, refused to sign the addendum because it
    no longer reflected his purchase an additional 25% ownership interest in the
    property and ownership 75% of the Property. See id. at 36. Wife’s counsel
    stated she would not sign the Addendum unless Tsvik agreed to it. See id.
    -5-
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    The court found that the conveyance of a 25% interest reflected in the
    SAMR was not fraudulent on its face, and that there had been no inequitable
    behavior by the parties in refusing to sign Appellant’s addendum. Id. at 59-
    61. The court then dismissed both petitions. This timely appeal followed.
    The issues Appellant asks us to consider are as follows:
    1. Is the instant appeal appealable as a Collateral Order, pursuant
    to Pennsylvania Rule of Appellate Procedure 313, when Appellant’s
    Petition to Intervene is separable from the underlying divorce
    decree, this appeal concerns determination of ownership of
    property, and when Appellant’s rights will be irreparably lost if
    review is postponed until the Trial Court enters a final divorce
    decree?
    [2.] Did the Trial Court manifestly abuse its discretion by denying
    Appellant’s Petition where: (1) Appellant has a legally enforceable
    interest in the Property; (2) Appellant filed his Petition in
    compliance with Pa.R.C.P. 2328; (3) Appellant’s Petition satisfied
    the requirements of Pa. R.C.P. 2327(4), while under that Rule the
    Trial Court was required to allow Appellant to intervene in the
    Underlying Action unless an exception applied; and where (4)
    Appellant’s petition did not fall within any of the exceptions to
    Pa.R.C.P. 2327?
    [3.] Did the Trial Court abuse its discretion by: (1) determining
    there was no presentation of inequitable or fraudulent behavior on
    the part of [Husband], [Wife], or Tsvik where the SAMR
    Agreement fraudulently used the conveyance of [Husband]’s
    equitable interest to illegally convey half of [Wife]’s legal interest
    in the Property to Tsvik; and by (2) entering its Order of March
    10, 2021 without holding a hearing on the averments of
    Appellant’s Petition?
    [4.] Did the Trial Court [abuse] its discretion where it [p]ermitted
    [Husband] to [t]ransfer legal ownership of the Property to Tsvik,
    despite the fact that [Husband] has only ever had an equitable
    interest in the Property?
    Appellant’s Brief at 3-5. No other parties have submitted briefs.
    -6-
    J-A27025-21
    As a preliminary matter, we address Appellant’s first issue — the
    appealability of the order denying Appellant’s petition to intervene.4
    In order for this Court to have jurisdiction, an appeal must be from
    an appealable order. The Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate
    Procedure (Pa.R.A.P.) delineate appealable orders as final orders
    (Pa.R.A.P. 341); interlocutory orders as of right (Pa.R.A.P. 311);
    interlocutory orders by permission (Pa.R.A.P. 312); and collateral
    orders (Pa.R.A.P. 313).
    Bogdan v. Am. Legion Post 153 Home Ass'n, 
    257 A.3d 751
    , 755 (Pa.
    Super. 2021) (citations and quotations marks omitted).
    Here, Appellant acknowledges that a final order has not been entered in
    the parties’ divorce and the March 10, 2021, order is not otherwise final or
    appealable as of right.       See Appellant’s Brief at 29-30.   Nevertheless, he
    argues the order is a collateral order under Rule 313, and therefore,
    appealable. See 
    id.
    "Whether an order is appealable as a collateral order is a question of
    law; as such, our standard of review is de novo and our scope of review is
    plenary.” Ashdale v. Guidi Homes, Inc., 
    248 A.3d 521
    , 524 (Pa. Super.
    2021) (citation and quotation marks omitted). “A collateral order is an order
    separable from and collateral to the main cause of action where the right
    involved is too important to be denied review and the question presented is
    ____________________________________________
    4 On May 6, 2021, this Court issued a rule to show cause as to how the order
    met the elements of the collateral order doctrine. Appellant filed a timely
    response on May 13, 2021. This Court subsequently issued an order
    discharging the rule to show cause and referred the matter to this panel. See
    Order, 5/14/2021.
    -7-
    J-A27025-21
    such that if review is postponed until final judgment in the case, the claim will
    be irreparably lost.” Pa.R.A.P. 313(b).
    In this case, the order at issue (denying petition to intervene because
    the conveyance of a 25% interest, reflected in the SAMR, was not fraudulent
    on its face, and that the other parties did not engage in inequitable behavior
    by refusing to sign Appellant’s addendum) is separate from and collateral to
    Husband and Wife’s divorce action and equitable distribution dispute.
    Moreover, we agree Appellant’s right to enforce the restitution judgment
    against Wife is too important to be denied review.
    Nevertheless, we disagree with Appellant that the claim would be
    irreparably lost if review is postponed until final judgment. As the trial court
    noted, “there is only one person who owes this $154,000 debt, and that’s
    [Wife].” N.T., 3/10/2021, at 41. The court further explained the limitations
    of third parties intervening in a divorce:
    If husband [owns] the property is in his name alone, but
    wife has an equitable interest in the property, which happens all
    the time, and husband tries to sell the property, wife can
    intervene. That’s fine.
    Can a third party intervene? Well, if it’s a mortgage on the
    property, yes, it can. Can someone who owns a moving company?
    No. Can they put a lien against it? No. Can they interfere with
    that sale? No. They can put a lien on the amount. They can
    make sure they execute on the judgment.
    They can do all kinds of stuff, but they [cannot]
    intervene in the divorce.
    Id. at 50 (emphasis added).
    -8-
    J-A27025-21
    Contrary to Appellant’s argument, the central issue is not the actual sale
    of the Property but the percentage distribution of the net proceeds from the
    sale received by Wife and Tsvik. Following the sale, Wife will still receive a
    portion of those proceeds. Moreover, it merits mention that the proceeds were
    ordered to be held in escrow as opposed to being distributed immediately to
    Wife and Tsvik. Appellant could then seek to set aside Wife’s portion of the
    proceeds to enforce the judgment against her, albeit for a smaller amount.
    As such, his right to collect on the restitution judgment would not be
    irreparably lost if review is postponed until final judgment in the divorce
    action. Accordingly, the March 10, 2021, order is not an appealable collateral
    order, and therefore, we are compelled to quash this appeal.
    In any event, even if the March 10th order was properly before us, we
    would find that Appellant’s claims have no merit. In his brief, Appellant argues
    his claim for intervention satisfied the requirements of Pa.R.C.P. 2327(4). 5
    See Appellant’s Brief at 37.        Appellant claims he has a legally enforceable
    interest in the Property, as his judgment against Wife constituted a lien on the
    real property under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 4303.6           See Appellant’s Brief at 39.
    Appellant also asserts the court may not refuse intervention for any of the
    ____________________________________________
    5See Acorn Development Corp. v. Zoning Hearing Bd. Of Upper Merion
    Township, 
    523 A.2d 436
     (Pa. Commw. 1987).
    6   See In Re Upset Sale, 
    479 A.2d 940
    , 943 (Pa. 1984).
    -9-
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    three exceptions listed in Pa.R.C.P. 2329.    See Appellant’s Brief at 40-45.
    Appellant specifically states his petition “did not fall within Rule 2329(1)
    because the claims averred by Appellant in his petition were in subordination
    to and in recognition of the propriety of the underlying action.”     Id. at 43
    (quotation marks and some capitalization omitted). He also avers his petition
    “did not fall within Rule 2329(2) because his interest was not … represented
    [by] any of the parties and that by entering into the SAMR, the parties sought
    to diminish his interest in the Property by reducing Wife’s interest. Id. at 44.
    As for the third exception, he states his petition “did not fall within Rule
    2329(3) because [he] filed his petition timely.” Id. at 45 (some capitalization
    omitted).
    Appellant also claims the SAMR was fraudulent. See id. at 47. Because
    Husband had never been a real owner of the Property and his name on neither
    the deed nor the mortgage, Appellant contends Husband was not able to
    legally convey 25% of the property to Tsvik. See id. at 49-50. According to
    Appellant, he provided the court with evidence that the other parties acted
    inequitably in refusing to sign the Addendum to the SAMR, including e-mails
    between the parties reflecting Appellant’s attempt to resolve issues, and the
    other parties’ refusal to cooperate. Id. at 52-56. Appellant concludes that
    pursuant to Rule 2329 and applicable case law, the court erred in failing to
    hold a hearing on his petition before entering its March 10, 2021, order.
    Appellant’s Brief at 56.
    - 10 -
    J-A27025-21
    Turning to the merits of the appeals, it is well established
    that a question of intervention is a matter within the sound
    discretion of the trial court and unless there is a manifest abuse
    of such discretion, its exercise will not be interfered with on
    review. In ruling on a petition to intervene, the trial court is
    required to determine whether the allegations of the petition have
    been established and, assuming that they have, whether they
    demonstrate an interest sufficient to justify intervention. The
    determination of who may intervene in an action and when that
    intervention may be prohibited is determined by Pa.R.C.P. 2327
    and 2329.
    Nemirovsky v. Nemirovsky, 
    776 A.2d 988
    , 991-92 (Pa. Super. 2001)
    (citations and quotations marks omitted). See also Bogdan v. Am. Legion
    Post 153 Home Ass’n, 
    257 A.3d 751
    , 757 (Pa. Super. 2021).
    Rule 2327 provides, in relevant part:
    At any time during the pendency of an action, a person not a party
    thereto shall be permitted to intervene therein, subject to these
    rules if
    …
    (4) the determination of such action may affect any legally
    enforceable interest of such person whether or not he may
    be bound by a judgment in the action.
    Pa.R.C.P. 2327.
    Under Rule 2329, intervention is not allowed when: (1) the claim is in
    subordination to the propriety of the action, (2) the petitioner’s interest is
    already adequately represented, or (3) the petitioner has unduly delayed in
    making the application or will cause prejudice. See Pa.R.C.P. 2329.
    In its Rule 1925(a) opinion, the trial court explained its rationale for
    denying Appellant any relief as follows:
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    [Appellant] was given an opportunity to demonstrate that
    he had a right to intervene in Husband and Wife's divorce action.
    [Appellant]’s petition to intervene was scheduled for a full day
    protracted trial.    Shortly after the protracted trial started,
    [Appellant]’s attorney stated to the trial court that he believed the
    parties had a resolution to the entire issue. [Appellant]’s attorney
    stated that at the time the petition to intervene was filed, [the]
    Property was for sale and [Appellant] sought to have [W]ife’s
    proceeds from the sale put in escrow. However, the property
    never actually sold, Husband’s equitable interest was purchased
    by Mr. Tsvik alone, and [W]ife received no money from the
    transaction. At that point, [Appellant] lacked a legal remedy to
    collect its judgment against Wife through the divorce action.
    Therefore, [Appellant] attempted to focus on the wording of
    Husband and Wife’s [PSA and SAMR], which was never before the
    trial court. There was some discussion concerning the specific
    wording of the agreement between the parties on the record, but
    since the only matter before the trial court was [Appellant]’s
    petition to intervene, and not Husband and Wife’s divorce action,
    the trial judge excused herself from the negotiation between the
    parties and the record was paused. Parties were told by the trial
    court that if there was no agreement then the trial court would
    move forward with [Appellant]’s petition to intervene to see if
    there was sufficient reason to justify intervention. Instead, all of
    the parties chose to negotiate off the record.
    When the court reconvened, the parties stated they had
    reached an agreement regarding the wording of Husband and
    Wife[’s] property settlement agreement and mutual release,
    which was not before the trial court. Specifically, [counsel] for
    [Appellant] stated: “... that the agreement between the parties
    after the divorce, the property settlement agreement, and the
    mutual release has to indicate that the $36,000 would pay for
    [Husband]’s equitable interest. As long as the term “equitable
    interest” exists across the plane of the agreement, we have no
    issue.” The trial court reiterated that Husband and Wife’s divorce
    action was not before the trial court, and that if parties had not
    reached an agreement, the trial court would move forward on the
    petition to intervene, which was the only matter scheduled before
    the trial court. By agreement of all parties the matter was
    continued for a maximum of thirty (30) days for submission of a
    global settlement. The trial court further stated on the record and
    in the trial court order that if there was no resolution to the matter
    received by the court within thirty (30) days, the underlying
    - 12 -
    J-A27025-21
    petition to intervene shall be dismissed. No party objected, but
    to address [Appellant]’s concern that the opposing parties would
    withhold their signature to defeat [Appellant]’s petition to
    intervene, the trial court put in the order that the petition to
    intervene would not be dismissed if inequitable behavior could be
    proved on the part of any opposing party. The only matter before
    the trial court on October 21, 2020[,] was [Appellant]’s petition to
    intervene, and there was no discussion of [Appellant]’s right to
    intervene in Husband and Wife’s divorce action during the October
    21, 2020 trial. [Appellant] therefore failed to establish the
    allegations in the petition and waived the resolution of the original
    petition to intervene unless there was inequitable behavior on the
    part of the other parties in failing to sign the global agreement.
    [Appellant] filed a petition for sanctions on December 7,
    2020 stating that two of the opposing parties refused to sign the
    agreement reached on October 21, 2020 that had been
    memorialized in writing by [Appellant]’s counsel. The petition for
    sanctions and the petition to intervene were scheduled for a
    hearing on March 10, 2021[,] to determine if inequitable behavior
    from opposing parties prevented the submission of a timely global
    settlement that resulted in the dismissal of [Appellant]’s petition
    to intervene.
    The negotiations between the parties from October 21, 2020
    were not on the record, but [Appellant]’s attorney did state on the
    record, “Specifically, that the agreement between the parties after
    the divorce, the [PSA], and the [SAMR] has to indicate that the
    $36,000 would pay for [Husband]’s equitable interest. As long as
    the term “equitable interest” exists across the plane of the
    agreement, we have no issue.” Counsel for Mr. Tsvik argued that
    the Addendum … drawn up to memorialize the parties[’]
    agreement went too far and required Mr. Tsvik to relinquish
    certain rights to resolve a judgment that [Appellant] had against
    Wife alone. Mr. Tsvik’s attorney asked [Appellant]’s attorney to
    remove certain language that Mr. Tsvik did not agree to during
    the negotiations on October 21, 2020, but [Appellant]’s attorney
    refused to change the [Addendum]. Specifically, Mr. Tsvik’s
    attorney demanded that the language: “It is further recognized
    that [Husband] has never had any legal interest in the Property”
    be removed from the [Addendum]. Mr. Tsvik’s attorney also
    demanded the exclusion of “... reference(s) include but are not
    limited to all references stated in the parties’ respective [PSA and
    SAMR].” What [Appellant]’s attorney stated on the record at the
    - 13 -
    J-A27025-21
    October 21, 2020 hearing and what the written [Addendum]
    stated differed enough to give the trial court pause. The trial court
    found that Mr. Tsvik did not withhold his signature to defeat
    [Appellant]’s petition to intervene, but refused to sign the
    document because it contained language that the parties had not
    previously agreed to on October 21, 2020. The trial court found
    that the opposing parties did not demonstrate inequitable
    behavior. In accordance with the Order dated October 21, 2020
    [Appellant]’s petition to intervene was dismissed. Based on the
    same reasoning, [Appellant]’s petition for sanctions was also
    dismissed.
    Trial Ct. Op. at 5-8 (record citations, italics, and some capitalization omitted).
    The court further opined that the “record is devoid of any testimony or
    evidence that [Appellant] had an interest sufficient to justify intervening in
    Husband and Wife’s divorce action, that [Appellant] had any interest in the
    [Property], or that any interest, if established, had been materially affected
    by the party’s divorce action.” Id. at 8.
    Additionally, the court noted that “[r]eaching a global settlement was
    not made an element to establish intervention” because “[v]oluntary
    settlement of claims is highly favored by the judiciary.” Id. at 9 (citation and
    quotation marks omitted). The court stated that during the hearing on the
    petition to intervene, the parties decided to negotiate an alternative resolution
    that was not before the court and the negotiations were completed off the
    record.   Id.   The court pointed out that the parties had indicated that an
    agreement had been reached, but the parties subsequently failed to
    consummate any global settlement.        Further, the opposing parties stated
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    Appellant was the one who “refused to negotiate, change or modify the words
    in the proposed settlement agreement that [he] created.” Id. at 10.
    The court also opined there was “no testimony or evidence to establish
    any allegation that Wife was attempting to evade creditors or had previously
    intentionally misrepresented her ownership interest” in the Property “to a
    Montgomery County prosecutor.” Id. at 10. The court stated, “While all the
    parties argued on their understanding of Husband[’]s ownership interest in
    [the] Property, no party produced any evidence that Wife’s interest in [the]
    Property had been diminished.” Id. at 11-12.
    Based on the court’s thorough and well-reasoned analysis, we would
    discern no abuse of discretion in its decision to dismiss the petition. Appellant
    failed to prove that Wife or Tsvik acted inequitably or fraudulently in failing to
    sign the Addendum, which demanded that they agree that Husband never had
    a “legal” interest in the property, when Appellant previously requested only
    that the language reflect a transfer of Husband’s equitable interest rather than
    a percentage of ownership.
    Moreover, it merits highlighting the crux of Appellant’s argument as
    discussed at the March 10, 2021, hearing. Wife and Tsvik originally had a
    50/50 relationship with respect to ownership of the Property.          See N.T.,
    3/10/2021, at 17. Husband, as Wife’s spouse, was entitled to an equitable
    interest in her marital estate, and that portion would be determined by
    equitable distribution. Id. As part of the divorce proceedings and to address
    - 15 -
    J-A27025-21
    the distribution of the marital property, Wife, Husband, and Tsvik all agreed
    that Husband owned 25% equitably and that Tsvik would purchase Husband’s
    interest for a cash payment. Id. at 38. The court stated that percentage
    could have been two percent, ten percent, or even 50%, but that 25% was
    the agreement as set forth in the PSA. Id. at 19. The court further noted
    that with respect to selling his interest, Husband “saw an opportunity[,] and
    he took it” in order to progress with the divorce proceedings. Id. at 23.
    As the trial court pointed out, counsel for Appellant repeatedly refused
    to acknowledge that Husband’s “equitable” interest equaled “legal” interest
    under family law. Id. at 32, 39, 48. Moreover, the court noted that Appellant
    was not able to dictate “what the parties consider to be an equitable interest
    in their property and what they agree to.” Id. at 39; see also id. at 47 (THE
    COURT: “But this percentage value is set by someone else other than you,
    and you don’t like that. They set it in an equitable division of their property.”).
    This was based on his status as having a judgment against only Wife, not the
    other parties or the Property.
    Finally, as the court found, there was no evidence of a fraudulent
    conveyance where the payment for Husband’s interest was not an
    “unreasonable” amount of money in light of the property appraisal and the
    outstanding mortgage. Id. at 42-43, 59-60.
    As such, we are in agreement with the court that it had no basis on
    which to grant the petition to intervene. Appellant was presented with ample
    - 16 -
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    opportunity to present evidence that he had a legally enforceable interest in
    the Property or that Rule 2327(4) was applicable. He failed to do so. His
    arguments on appeal do not persuade us otherwise. Accordingly, if this matter
    was properly before us, we would affirm the court’s March 10, 2021, order
    dismissing Appellant’s petition to intervene.
    Appeal quashed.
    Judgment Entered.
    Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
    Prothonotary
    Date: 1/20/2022
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Document Info

Docket Number: 737 EDA 2021

Judges: McCaffery, J.

Filed Date: 1/20/2022

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 12/13/2024