Marriage of Dreflak, In re, 2-478A134

Citation402 N.E.2d 1284,181 Ind.App. 651
Decision Date07 April 1980
Docket NumberNo. 2-478A134,2-478A134
PartiesIn re the Marriage of Joyce A. DREFLAK and William F. Dreflak.
CourtIndiana Appellate Court

Louis H. Borgmann, Indianapolis, for appellee.

BUCHANAN, Chief Judge.

ON PETITION FOR REHEARING

On Petition for Rehearing appellant Wife claims the trial judge erred in excluding the liquor store business which the Husband inherited prior to their separation as part of the marital property subject to division, and therefore this case should be returned to the trial court for retrial.

In our decision, handed down August 8, 1979, we recited in the Facts that "the court determined that the liquor store interest was not subject to distribution between the parties but remained his sole and separate property." We could also have stated that in her judgment the trial court recited that "(t)he court has considered the Husband's liquor store interest." (emphasis supplied). This language is followed by a finding in the judgment that "this property is not marital property subject to disposition", all of which creates an ambiguity.

It is true the inherited property should be part of "one pot" subject to division as required by Ind.Code 31-1-11.5-11(a). It is not certain, however, whether the trial court did or did not take the Husband's business interest acquired prior to separation into account in dividing the marital property. By the computation of both parties the Husband got considerably less of the other assets than the Wife, which supports the position that the trial judge did consider the inheritance as required by the statute.

We will not presume the trial court erred, but rather will engage in any reasonable presumption in favor of the trial court's judgment. Atkinson v. Whipple (1972), 154 Ind.App. 449, 290 N.E.2d 131; Kuykendall v. County Commissioners of Marion County (1968), 142 Ind.App. 363, 234 N.E.2d 860.

Further, because of the ambiguity within the judgment we can find no abuse of discretion as found in City of Elkhart v. Middleton (1976), 265 Ind. 514, 356 N.E.2d 207.

Therefore, the Petition for Rehearing is denied.

SULLIVAN and STATON (sitting by designation), JJ., concur.

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7 cases
  • D. R. S. v. R. S. H.
    • United States
    • Indiana Appellate Court
    • December 2, 1980
    ... ... a change of surname and birth record for an illegitimate child following its parents' marriage. 4 These statutes, she says, taken together, amount to a legislative directive that an ... 403, 265 N.E.2d 16; Van Bibber v. Norris (1980), Ind.App., 404 N.E.2d 1365; In re Dreflak (1980), Ind.App., 402 N.E.2d 1284 ...         Judgment affirmed ... ...
  • State ex rel. Stream Pollution Control Bd. v. Town of Wolcott
    • United States
    • Indiana Appellate Court
    • March 30, 1982
    ... ... Thornton v. Pender, (1978) Ind., 377 N.E.2d 613, 620; In Re Marriage of Dreflak, (1980) Ind.App., 402 N.E.2d 1284, 1285. Our judgment is not substituted for the trial ... ...
  • Cunningham v. Hiles
    • United States
    • Indiana Appellate Court
    • May 18, 1982
    ... ... Thornton v. Pender, (1978) Ind., 377 N.E.2d 613, 620; In Re Marriage of Dreflak, (1980) Ind.App., 402 N.E.2d 1284, 1285. Our judgment is not substituted for the trial ... ...
  • Murphy v. Murphy
    • United States
    • Indiana Appellate Court
    • July 23, 1987
    ... ... appeals the trial court's order distributing marital property upon the dissolution of her marriage to James Murphy. We affirm ...         On August 15, 1986, the trial court dissolved the ... Whaley v. Whaley (1982), Ind.App., 436 N.E.2d 816, 820; In re Marriage of ... Dreflak (1979), 181 Ind.App. 651, 656, 393 N.E.2d 773, 776 (" 'one pot' theory"), aff'd on rehearing, 181 ... ...
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