B.N.A. v. Ready, WD 83447

• Court: Missouri Court of Appeals
• Writing for the Court: Gary D. Witt, Judge
• Citation: 614 S.W.3d 14
• Parties: B.N.A. (Formerly B.N.R.), Respondent, v. Douglas B. READY, Appellant.
• Docket Number: WD 83447
• Decision Date: 15 September 2020

614 S.W.3d 14

B.N.A. (Formerly B.N.R.), Respondent,
v.
Douglas B. READY, Appellant.

WD 83447

Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District.

OPINION FILED: September 15, 2020
Motion for Rehearing and/or Transfer to Supreme Court Denied October 27, 2020
Application for Transfer Denied January 26, 2021

Kristen H. Dickinson, Columbia, MO, for respondent.

Douglas Ready, Appellant Pro Se.

Before Division Three: Gary D. Witt, Presiding Judge, Lisa White Hardwick, Judge, Thomas N. Chapman, Judge

Gary D. Witt, Judge

Douglas Ready ("Ready") appeals from the judgment of the Circuit Court of Callaway County dissolving Ready's marriage to B.A.¹ In this appeal he raises one point relied on alleging the Trial Court² committed eight separate claims of error. Ready's briefing does not comply with Rule 84.04, and his point relied on is multifarious. Furthermore, he has failed to provide a transcript of the dissolution proceedings. We therefore dismiss his appeal.

Factual and Procedural Background

Ready and B.A. were married on November 21, 1992. B.A. filed a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage on May 1, 2013, and Ready filed his Answer and Counter Petition for Dissolution of Marriage on June 4, 2013. The Trial Court conducted an extensive trial on October 14, 2016, November 22, 2016, May 17, 2017, June 13, 2017, June 21, 2017, July 25, 2017, August 9, 2017, August 29, 2017, and February 28, 2018. On December 5, 2016, the Trial Court entered an interlocutory judgment dissolving the parties' marriage effective December 31, 2016, but the interlocutory judgment incorrectly stated the marriage was registered in Maries County, Missouri. Subsequently, the interlocutory judgment was amended to accurately reflect that the marriage was registered in Cole County, Missouri. The Trial Court entered its final judgment on September 9, 2019, and in the

614 S.W.3d 16

final judgment, the Trial Court confirmed and made final its previous interlocutory judgment dissolving the marriage between Ready and B.A.

Ready was physically violent toward B.A. and berated B.A. in front of their child using foul and derisive language. Ready continuously harassed B.A. by sitting outside her residence, contacting her employer in an attempt to get her fired, and filing frivolous law enforcement complaints. B.A. obtained a full order of protection against Ready. The Trial Court found that "[Ready] intentionally delayed the litigation and refused to pay marital debts while benefitting from the increases in value due to [B.A.'s] actions in preserving the marital estate" and that "[Ready's] misconduct created a tremendous financial burden on the marriage." The judgment detailed overwhelming, extensive, and intentional financial mismanagement by Ready, which was specifically intended to financially harm B.A. even though it also caused him significant detriment. Ready also engaged in extensive collateral litigation causing years of delay in these proceedings and substantial and unnecessary attorney fees. Ready failed to pay child support during the pendency of these proceedings and refused to assist in paying the child's medical bills or extracurricular expenses.

The Trial Court distributed the marital property awarding B.A. property valued at $639,519.08 and awarding Ready property valued at $104,777.51. The Trial Court assigned $346,413.76 of marital debt to B.A. and $25,053.00 of marital debt to Ready. B.A. was further ordered to pay Ready the sum of $50,000.00 to provide for equitable distribution of the marital estate. B.A. received a net total $243,105.32 of the marital estate, and Ready received a net total of $129,724.51. Additionally, B.A. incurred $84,601.06 in attorneys' fees during the course of the litigation and took out three loans to pay them, and the Trial Court ordered Ready to pay $25,000.00 of B.A.'s attorneys' fees.

During the marriage, Ready and B.A. had one child, J.R., who was eighteen at the time the judgment was entered, but J.R. remained eligible for child support. The Trial Court ordered Ready to pay $593.00 per month to B.A. for child support and $506.00 per month in retroactive child support accruing from January 1, 2016.

This appeal followed.³ In his only point relied on, Ready raises eight separate claims of error alleging (1) the Commissioner improperly failed to recuse herself, (2) the Commissioner erred in quashing the subpoenas of current and former judges of the Thirteenth Circuit Court, (3) the Trial Court erred in

614 S.W.3d 17

amending its interlocutory judgment dissolving the marriage,...