Brown v. Brown, 1999-CA-01741-COA.

• Decision Date: 16 January 2001
• Docket Number: No. 1999-CA-01741-COA.,1999-CA-01741-COA.
• Citation: 797 So.2d 253
• Parties: Donna Ragland BROWN, Appellant v. Charles Wayne BROWN, Appellee.
• Court: Mississippi Court of Appeals

797 So.2d 253

Donna Ragland BROWN, Appellant v. Charles Wayne BROWN, Appellee.

No. 1999-CA-01741-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

January 16, 2001.

Sharon Patterson Thibodeaux, Attorney for Appellant.

Paul Kelly Loyacono, Attorney for Appellee.

Before SOUTHWICK, P.J., LEE, and THOMAS, JJ.

THOMAS, J., for the Court:

¶ 1. Donna and Wayne Brown were granted a divorce for irreconcilable differences. On appeal, Donna asserts a number of errors pertaining to the chancellor's classification of marital property and the distribution of that property. These errors can be condensed in the following manner:

I. THE LOWER COURT ERRED IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF MARITAL AND SEPARATE PROPERTY.

II. THE LOWER COURT ERRED IN THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MARITAL ESTATE.

Finding no error, we affirm.

FACTS

¶ 2. Donna and Wayne Brown were married on February 14, 1991. This was the second marriage for both parties. On August 30, 1999, the lower court granted the divorce on grounds of irreconcilable differences and divided the property based on equitable distribution. The chancellor offered a lengthy thirty page opinion which shows the careful consideration and effort to fairly and justly distribute the property. The chancellor distributed the property in the following manner:

NON-MARITAL ASSETS Mrs. Brown Stationary bike ........................$ 150.00 Emerson VCR ............................... 180.00 Refrigerator TV (purchased after separation) ............ 79.00 Oak table and six chairs .................. 260.00 Iron bed Computer desk Piano .................................... 200.00 __________ TOTAL .................................... 869.00 Mr. Brown Saddle (Billy Cook) ....................$ 600.00 Massey Ferguson 210 Tractor, tiller &amp clipper (disk missing) ................. 8,500.00 16 foot trailer ......................... 1,000.00 Guns ................................... 10,000.00 TV ........................................ 350.00 Stereo Speakers............................ 400.00 Filing Cabinet ............................ 100.00 African drum .............................. 150.00 Gun cabinet ............................... 500.00 Oriental Artwork and frame ................ 750.00 Antique engines ......................... 6,400.00 Other engines ........................... 2,900.00 Hunting & Camping equipment ............... 300.00 Air Compressor ............................ 800.00 Panasonic video camera .................. 1,000.00 Minolta 35mm camera ....................... 450.00 Box tools, hand tools & special tools .. 10,000.00 Drill press................................ 450.00 Valve grinder ........................... 3,000.00 Parts washer .............................. 250.00 Oxygen and acetylene system ............... 500.00 Airco welder and Heliarch attachment ..2,000.00 Craftsman radial arm saw .................. 650.00 Skill saw .................................. 50.00 Router and bits ........................... 350.00 Mogul metal spraying gun ................ 2,500.00 12 foot steel bed shop made single axle trailer ............................... 1,500.00 Horse (Snickers) ........................ 1,000.00 Smith-Corona typewriter ................... 400.00 Band Saw .................................. 300.00 4-wheeler ............................... 6,000.00 ___________ TOTAL .................................. 63,150.00

Below is a list of items that Mr. Brown contends were acquired before their marriage that he wants returned.

Tractor disk ..........................$ 450.00 Husky chain saw .......................... 500.00 Antique Anvil ............................ 450.00 Portable Coleman gas generator ........... 450.00 Craftsman paint air compressor ........... 250.00 Oat crimper .............................. 500.00 Knife cut corn chopper ................... 500.00 Wooden 9-foot shop-made trailer .......... 800.00 Assorted air craft parts .............. 15,000.00 Vise ..................................... 250.00 Battery charger .......................... 300.00 Bench grinders (2) ....................... 400.00 __________ TOTAL ................................. 19,400.00 MARITAL ASSETS Mrs. Brown Efforts in South Delta Aviation (Mr Brown's crop-dusting business)...... $10,000.00 1995 Saturn ........................... 5,140.00 1996 Saturn ............................2,330.00 Antique Bell .......................... 1,000.00 Treadmill ............................... 200.00 Kenmore stove with hood.................. 400.00 TV Hoover upright vacuum ................... 100.00 (1)Couch ................................ 500.00 (2)Computers ...........................2,500.00 Regina carpet cleaning system ........... 300.00 Jacuzzi................................ 1,700.00 (2)cell phones .......................... 250.00 (6)Antique Rockers ...................... 400.00 Oak hutch (3)Bed side tables ...................... 130.00 (4)Dressers.............................. 400.00 Desk ..................................... 25.00 (2)Beds ................................. 120.00 Diamond earrings ...................... 3,850.00 Opal earring (one is lost) .............. 300.00 (3)9-inch TVs and Atari ................. 650.00 Chest freezer ........................... 300.00 Color TV with VCR for teaching .......... 400.00 Courtyard fountain ...................... 200.00 Linens and towels ..................... 1,000.00 Lamps ................................... 300.00 Kitchen dishes, pans, utensils appliances ........................... 2,000.00 China and crystal ..................... 1,500.00 Sheet music, albums, tapes and books .... 700.00 Teaching supplies ....................... 600.00 Portable chain link fence ............... 200.00 Diamond Pendant ......................... 400.00 Dulcimer ................................ 450.00 Antique Furniture (3) dressers .......... 500.00 (3) bedroom suites .................... 2,500.00 IBM Selectric typewriter ................ 500.00 Iron bed Washer/Dryer Antique Saddle........................... 100.00 Den couch ............................... 200.00 Horse (Heather) ....................... 1,000.00 Saddle (Billy Cook barrel ladies) ....... 700.00 50% ownership in Ring Road property 50% ownership in Ag Cat 50% ownership in GPS 50% ownership in Louisiana airstrip Female Dalmation (Belle) ................ 400.00 Interest in Computer & Printer ........ 1,027.50 Retirement __________ TOTAL ................................ 73,772.50 Mr. Brown Efforts in Wright Road House (construction of)................... $10,000.00 TV ...................................... 350.00 Couch ................................... 500.00 Cell phone............................... 150.00 Tables made by Mr. Brown .............. 1,000.00 Magnavox TV Den Couch ............................... 200.00 Sofa table .............................. 150.00 Interest in Computer & printer .......... 472.50 9.8 Carat Diamond ring ................ 7,000.00 50% ownership in Ring Road property 50% ownership in Ag Cat 50% ownership in GPS 50% ownership in Louisiana Airstrip Thrush airplane ...................... 22,850.00 Social Security 30 gallon Trailer Tank Sprayer .......... 500.00 South Delta Aviation (business) South Delta equipment.................. 2,100.00 __________ TOTAL ................................ 73,772.50

The Court finds that Mr. Brown shall be awarded all other property of South Delta Aviation not otherwise described herein.

The Court finds that Mr. Brown and Mrs. Brown shall each pay the Tensas State Bank Loan executed by them. That Mr. Brown shall pay any other Tensas State Bank loans executed by him. That Mr. Brown shall pay the loan to Merchants Bank on the Thrush airplane engine and the loan to Trustmark Bank on the Ag Cat airplane engine.

The Court finds that the whereabouts of the following items are in dispute:

Mr. Brown Tractor disk Huskey chain saw Antique Anvil Portable Coleman gas generator Craftsman paint air compressor Oat crimper Knife cut corn chopper Wooden 9-foot shop-made trailer Assorted air craft parts Vise Battery charger (2) Bench grinders

The Court finds that said items are non-marital and when they are located, they shall be returned to Mr. Brown as his exclusive property.

The Court finds that the 2.10 carat diamond ring is missing. The Court hereby awards each party a fifty percent interest in same or fifty percent of any insurance proceeds that may be obtained from said ring.

¶ 3. Donna now appeals, asserting that the classification of marital and separate property, as well as the distribution of marital property was improper.

ANALYSIS

¶ 4. An appellate court will not reverse a chancellor's classification and equitable division of marital property absent a determination that the chancellor's decision was manifestly wrong, clearly erroneous, unsupported by substantial, credible evidence, or a showing that the chancellor applied an erroneous legal standard. Burnham-Steptoe v. Steptoe, 755 So.2d 1225 (¶ 15) (Miss.Ct.App.1999). See also Singley v. Singley, No. 1999-CA-00754-COA, ___ So.2d ___, 2000 WL 1387961 (Miss.Ct.App. Sept. 26, 2000); Franks v. Franks, 759 So.2d 1164 (Miss.1999); McEwen v. McEwen, 631 So.2d 821, 823 (Miss.1994); Parker v. Parker, 641 So.2d 1133, 1137 (Miss.1994); Bell v. Parker, 563 So.2d 594, 596-97 (Miss.1990); Newsom v. Newsom, 557 So.2d 511, 514 (Miss.1990).

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