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No. 13711 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA 1977

CARLEY R. CROMWELL, Petitioner and Appellant,

GARDNER CROMWELL, Respondent and Respondent.

Appeal from:

District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, Honorable E. Gardner Brownlee, Judge presiding.

Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Garlington, Lohn and Robinson, Missoula, Montana Larry Riley argued, Missoula, Montana For Respondent: Mulroney, Delaney, Dalby and Mudd, Missoula, Montana Dexter L. Delaney argued, Missoula, Montana

Submitted: September 22, 1977

Filed :

M r . J u s t i c e Gene B. Daly d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e Court. Appellant Carley R. Cromwell brought t h i s a c t i o n t o d i s s o l v e h e r marriage t o Gardner Cromwell, The cause was t r i e d

before t h e Hon. E. Gardner Brownlee, d i s t r i c t judge, Missoula County, who on November 30, 1976, handed down a f i n a l decree, Appellant claimed t h e r i g h t t o receive a p o r t i o n of t h e j o i n t l y acquired property of t h e p a r t i e s , t o g e t h e r w i t h a t t o r n e y f e e s and support. The c o u r t , having heard t h e evidence, decreed t h e

marriage be dissolved and a s s e t s of t h e p a r t i e s be divided i n t h i s manner:

1. To t h e p e t i t i o n e r , Carley Cromwell:
a. The family home, together with a l l items of

personal property contained t h e r e i n . b. Hawaii. 2. To t h e respondent, Gardner Cromwell: a. The retirement and o t h e r pension b e n e f i t s which The p a r t i e s ' i n t e r e s t i n property located i n

he had b u i l t up during h i s years a s a law p r o f e s s o r a t t h e University of Montana. From t h i s property settlement Carley Cromwell appeals. The

only i s s u e on appeal i s whether t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e r r e d i n i t s property d i v i s i o n and maintenance (alimony) award,
A d i s t r i c t c o u r t has f a r reaching d i s c r e t i o n i n r e s o l v i n g

property d i v i s i o n s , and i t s judgment w i l l n o t be a l t e r e d u n l e s s t h e r e i s a c l e a r abuse of t h a t d i s c r e t i o n . Mont Eschenburg v. Eschenburg, 1198 (1976).

.

, 557

P.2d 1014, 33 St.Rep.

I n Roe v. Roe,

Mon t

.

, 556

P.2d 1246, 33 St.Rep.

863, 866 (1976), quoting from P o r t e r v. P o r t e r , 155 Mont. 451, 457, 473 P.2d 538 (1970), t h i s Court s t a t e d : I n determinirg whether t h e t r i a l c o u r t abused i t s d i s c r e t i o n , t h e question i s n o t whether t h e reviewing c o u r t agrees with t h e t r i a l c o u r t , but, rather, did the t r i a l court i n the exercise of i t s d i s c r e t i o n a c t a r b i t r a r i l y without t h e employment.~

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Montana Law