Sickler v. Sickler

Citation878 N.W.2d 549,293 Neb. 521
Decision Date13 May 2016
Docket NumberNo. S–15–594.,S–15–594.
Parties Madeline Loretta Sickler, now known as Madeline Loretta Schmitz, appellee, v. Steven Dale Sickler, appellant.
CourtSupreme Court of Nebraska

293 Neb. 521
878 N.W.2d 549

Madeline Loretta Sickler, now known as Madeline Loretta Schmitz, appellee,
v.
Steven Dale Sickler, appellant.

No. S–15–594.

Supreme Court of Nebraska.

Filed May 13, 2016.


Kent A. Schroeder, of Ross, Schroeder & George, L.L.C., Kearney, for appellant.

Marsha E. Fangmeyer, of Knapp, Fangmeyer, Aschwege, Besse & Marsh, P.C., Kearney, for appellee.

Heavican, C.J., Wright, Connolly, Miller–Lerman, Cassel, Stacy, and Kelch, JJ.

Wright, J.

293 Neb. 524

I. NATURE OF CASE

Steven Dale Sickler appeals from an order of contempt sanctioning him with a determinate period of 90 days' incarceration if, within 17 days, he did not pay $37,234.84 to his ex-wife, Madeline Loretta Sickler, now known as Madeline Loretta Schmitz. The sum in question stems from the property division awarding a percentage of Steven's individual retirement account (IRA) to Madeline. Madeline's percentage had not been transferred to her in the 14 years since the decree. Due to withdrawals by Steven, of which Madeline was unaware, the account no longer contains sufficient funds to satisfy the award.

Steven argues that the order of contempt is an imprisonment for debt in violation of article I, § 20, of the Nebraska Constitution. He also argues that the period of 17 days to purge the contempt was unreasonable. The contempt and sanctions order was stayed on condition that Steven file an appearance bond, and Steven argues the requirement of an appearance bond also violates article I, § 20, of the Nebraska Constitution.

II. BACKGROUND

1. DISSOLUTION DECREE

Madeline and Steven were divorced in April 2001. As part of the property division, the court awarded to Madeline 18.6 percent of an IRA held under Steven's name. The dissolution decree listed the amount of the award to Madeline as $45,786. The court denied the "request to reduce retirement benefits for either party by anticipated but nevertheless speculative tax consequences."

The total balance for the IRA account in April 2001 was $305,587.44. The court's order made no reference to the need for a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) with respect to the IRA.

Steven moved for a new trial. As a result of the motion, the court adjusted the award of the IRA by decreasing Madeline's

293 Neb. 525

award by $3,100 and increasing Steven's award by $3,100. Steven appealed the order but later dismissed his appeal.

2. OCTOBER 2004 NEGOTIATIONS

Nothing occurred until October 2004, when Madeline called Steven about the fact that her percentage of the IRA still needed to be transferred to her. Madeline had apparently been confused about how

878 N.W.2d 556

to proceed with the transfer. Steven sent a letter to Madeline stating that the reason she had not received her share of the retirement account is that her attorney failed to file a QDRO. Steven recognized Madeline's share of the retirement account was $45,786 and offered several options for payment that were amenable to him. He wished to avoid attorney fees. He mentioned opening and reassessing all life insurance and retirement plans listed on the property statement attached to the dissolution decree. He wanted credit for student loans he had incurred on behalf of their children since the decree.

3. OCTOBER 2005 QDRO

Madeline did not accept any of Steven's proposals for payment. A QDRO was filed in October 2005. It stated that the dollar amount of benefits to be paid to Madeline was 18.6 percent of Steven's share of the IRA as of April 25, 2001, the date of the decree of dissolution.

4. MOTION TO SET ASIDE QDRO

Steven moved to set aside the QDRO on the ground that the amount stated in the QDRO was inconsistent with the dissolution decree as revised after the motion for new trial. At the hearing on the motion, Steven's counsel complained that the QDRO should have been sought sooner.

5. APRIL 2006 ORDER REGARDING NEED FOR NEW QDRO

On April 18, 2006, the court vacated the QDRO filed in October 2005. It explained that the matter was before the

293 Neb. 526

court "because of the failure of one or both parties to submit a [QDRO] at the time the Court entered its amended decree" of dissolution. The court found that a new QDRO should be drafted and submitted by Madeline's counsel, subject to Steven's approval as to form and content.

The court then made the following findings:

First the final decree entered by the Court awarding a percentage of an IRA to each party means exactly what is set forth in the Court's order. Each party being awarded a percentage of a particular asset then shares in the potential for gain or loss associated with that asset from the date of division. The Court's quantifying the value of the percentage of the asset is solely for the purpose of insuring that an equitable division of the property occurred and is not intended to be an award of a dollar value to a particular party.

As such, the Court finds that [Madeline's] current share of the IRA, upon division, is the original market value of the asset plus or minus the performance of that portion of the asset since the order of division, the final journal entry.

6. MOTION FOR ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

On June 6, 2006, Madeline moved for an order to show cause why Steven should not be held in contempt for violating the terms of the September 2001 dissolution decree by withdrawing a total of $209,980 from the IRA.

7. JUNE 2006 HEARING

A hearing was held on June 28, 2006, for the purposes of conducting an evidentiary hearing with regard to the proposed revised QDRO and the current value of the IRA, and to determine facts relevant to Madeline's motion to show cause.

At the hearing, it was discovered that Steven had made the following withdrawals from the IRA since the dissolution decree, leaving the IRA with inadequate funds to cover the property division award: $30,000 in August 2001, $10,000 in

293 Neb. 527

March 2002, $40,000 in April 2002, $20,000 in July 2002, $30,000 in August 2002, and $79,980 in January 2005. After the January 2005 withdrawal, the IRA account

878 N.W.2d 557

was left with a balance of $13,115.25. By September 2005, the balance was $4,748.18. Steven testified that that was the approximate balance as of the date of the hearing. The difference between the balance after the withdrawal in January and the balance in September is apparently due to fluctuations within the investments making up the IRA. The IRA had depreciated due to market fluctuations by about $90,000 since the time of the dissolution decree.

Steven admitted that he made these withdrawals with the knowledge that Madeline was awarded a percentage of the IRA. Steven testified that he made no attempts to discern whether Madeline had transferred her portion of the IRA out of his accounts prior to making the withdrawals.

Madeline testified that she did not attempt to obtain her share of the IRA directly from the bank, noting that the account was in Steven's name. She did not know that Steven was making withdrawals from the IRA account.

8. JULY 2006 CONTEMPT ORDER

The court found that Steven knew in October 2004, before withdrawing approximately $80,000 from the IRA account, that Madeline had not received her moneys from the account, as required by the dissolution decree. The court reasoned that such knowledge was clearly indicated in Steven's letter to Madeline in October 2004.

In an order dated July 10, 2006, the court found that "depletion of the account by [Steven] with knowledge of the nonpayment to [Madeline] clearly places [Steven] in contempt of court for willfully violating the court's order requiring that [Madeline] receive her proceeds from the account." Steven was ordered to pay Madeline $37,234.84. The court explained that this amount represented 17.34 percent of all moneys taken by Steven from the account and 17.34 percent of the account balance.

293 Neb. 528

9. AUGUST 2006 MOTION FOR FURTHER SANCTIONS

On August 24, 2006, Madeline filed a motion for an order imposing further contempt sanctions for the reason that Steven had failed to comply with the July 2006 order to pay Madeline $37,234.84.

10. MAY 2007 ASSIGNMENT OF EXPECTED LAWSUIT PROCEEDS

On May 15, 2007, Steven assigned to Madeline a pro rata share, not to exceed $37,234.84, of whatever proceeds Steven received as a result of litigation he had filed. In exchange, Madeline agreed to forbear from pursuing her motion for further sanctions against Steven. Steven's litigation involved claims of malpractice against a law firm and an attorney from another law firm, arising out of alleged negligence in performing the "legal background for the franchises" Steven owned. As a result of the alleged negligence, 15 lawsuits had been filed against Steven for 15 out of the 21 franchises he had sold.

11. LAWSUITS END WITH...

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