In Re Means, Unpublished Decision (11-10-2005)
In Re Means, Unpublished Decision (11-10-2005)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Appellant was married to petitioner-appellee, Veronica Means, on October 17, 1992, in Niles, Ohio. At the time they were married, appellee was 46 and appellant was 53 years of age, respectively. Appellee is a homemaker and appellant is retired. No children were issue of the marriage.
{¶ 3} On March 24, 2003, both parties petitioned for dissolution of the marriage. Pursuant to the dissolution, the parties entered into a separation agreement. Appellant was not represented by an attorney, although he was advised to do so by counsel for appellee. Accordingly, the parties signed an "Acknowledgment of Legal Representation on Dissolution of Marriage," which was filed with the Domestic Relations Court on the same day. Attached to the petition for dissolution was the Separation Agreement, which was executed by both parties on March 17, 2003. The terms of the separation agreement contained the following two articles, which are central to the current dispute:
{¶ 4} "ARTICLE 3: DEBTS
{¶ 5} Petitioner/Husband shall pay to Petitioner/Wife the sum of Four Hundred Eight Dollars ($408.00) per month to be applied towards marital debt. The Payment shall be paid to Petitioner/Wife by the 25th of each month, beginning April 25, 2003. This payment shall terminate upon Petitioner/Wife's remarriage, her death, or Petitioner/Husband's death.
{¶ 6} "ARTICLE 6: ASBESTOS CLAIM
{¶ 7} Any asbestos settlement that Petitioner/Husband receives shall be divided one-half to each party. The attorney handling the asbestos settlement shall divide the asbestos settlement between the Petitioner/Husband and Petitioner/Wife. If this is not possible[,] then the Petitioner/Husband shall deliver to Petitioner/Wife her one-half proceeds from the asbestos settlement within twenty-four (24) hours of his receipt of the proceeds.
{¶ 8} "ARTICLE 8: COMPLETE SETTLEMENT
{¶ 9} This agreement shall be a full and complete settlement of all spousal support and property rights between the parties, each of whom does by the provision hereof, release, satisfy and discharge all claims and demands against the other including rights of dower, inheritance, descent and distribution, exemption from administration, all rights of surviving spouse, heir, legatee, and next of kin in the estate of the other, and in all property which each now owns or may hereafter acquire except as herein provided."
{¶ 10} On May 15, 2003, following a hearing, the domestic relations court granted a Decree of Dissolution, and incorporated the Separation Agreement as part of the decree. Appellant did not appeal the domestic relations court's judgment granting the dissolution.
{¶ 11} On May 3, 2004, appellant filed a Motion for Relief from Judgment, pursuant to Civ.R. 60(B). On October 28, 2004, the court denied appellant's motion without a hearing, finding that since the Separation Agreement contained no reservation of jurisdiction, the court was without authority to grant appellant's motion.
{¶ 12} Appellant timely appealed, asserting two assignments of error:
{¶ 13} "[1.] It was an error of law and abuse of the trial court's discretion to adopt a provision in a separation agreement which required husband to pay to wife $408.00 per month to be applied toward marital debt[,] which shall terminate only upon wife's remarriage or death and, when the amount of the debt is unspecified.
{¶ 14} "[2.] It was an error of law and an abuse of the trial court's discretion to adopt a provision of the separation agreement which awards wife one-half of husband's asbestos claim when there is not determination as to whether that claim is his separate property and further, whether a distributive award therefrom is appropriate."
{¶ 15} In his first assignment of error, appellant attacks the debt payment provision of Article 3 of the separation agreement. Appellant contends that the failure of the separation agreement to quantify the value of the "marital debt" forming the basis of the $408.00 monthly payment is a fatal flaw justifying relief from judgment. In the alternative, appellant argues that the $408.00 monthly payment, suggests a payment in the nature of spousal support, rather than a repayment of "marital debt," and, as such, the trial court erred by failing to consider the factors enunciated in R.C.
{¶ 16} Rule 60(B) provides, in relevant part, that "[o]n motion and upon such terms as are just, the court may relieve a party * * * from a final judgment * * * for the following reasons: (1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise or excusable neglect; (2) newly discovered evidence which by due diligence could not have been discovered in time to move for a new trial * * *; (3) fraud * * *, misrepresentation or other misconduct of an adverse party; (4) the judgment has been satisfied, released, or discharged, * * * or it is no longer equitable that the judgment should have prospective application; or (5) any other reason justifying relief from judgment."
{¶ 17} To succeed on a Rule 60(B) motion, the movant must demonstrate that: 1) he or she has a meritorious defense or claim if relief were granted; 2) the movant is entitled to relief under one of the grounds enumerated in Civ.R. 60(B)(1)-(5); and 3) the motion is made within a reasonable time, not to exceed one year where the grounds for relief are Rule 60(B)(1), (2) or (3). GTE Automatic Elec., Inc. v. ARC Indus., Inc.
(1976),
{¶ 18} In Ohio, an action for dissolution under R.C.
{¶ 19} Once the separation agreement is executed, both parties must appear before the court, verify that each entered into the agreement voluntarily and that both are satisfied with the terms of the agreement, and that they seek dissolution of the marriage. Adams,
{¶ 20} The separation agreement is subject to the rules of construction of other contracts, and will be interpreted "so as to carry out the intent of the parties," and unambiguous terms will be given their ordinary meaning. Forstner v. Forstner (1990),
{¶ 21} In our review of the record, we note that appellant has failed to offer any transcript of the dissolution proceeding pursuant to App.R. 9, and therefore, we must presume the regularity of the lower court's proceedings and the validity of its judgment. Lambert v. Lambert, 11th Dist. No. 2004-P-0057,
{¶ 22} Despite appellant's assertions, we find no evidence in the record which would establish a prima facie case for relief under 60(B)(5). "[T]he rarely used catch-all provision set forth in Civ.R. 60(B)(5) does not apply to grant relief * * * where no changed circumstances have taken place between the time of previous final judgment and the motion for relief from judgment." McCutcheon v.McCutcheon (May 27, 1976), 10th Dist. No. 76AP-39, 1976 Ohio App. LEXIS 6421, at *3. Furthermore, as is obvious from the language of Article 8, the agreement contained no provision for any subsequent modification to its terms. Under R.C.
{¶ 23} For the foregoing reasons, we are not persuaded that the court abused its discretion by denying appellant relief under Civ.R. 60(B)(5). Accordingly, appellant's first and second assignments of error are without merit and we affirm the judgment of the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division.
O'Toole, J., concurs, O'Neill, J., concurs in judgment only.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In the Matter Of: Veronica Means, and Larry C. Means, Sr.
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Unpublished