Chapter 15 - The Two Divorces
My divorce and Dad’s moved in parallel.
Mine:
Northstar was mostly separate property, created before marriage.
A valuation expert determined community estate had claims to certain distributions and compensation but not ownership of the underlying premarital company beyond any proven community interest.
Our house, purchased after marriage:
Community property.
Equity about $310,000.
I wanted to keep it because Ariel knew it as home.
Glen agreed if I refinanced and paid his adjusted share.
But company restitution claims and marital dissipation mattered.
Some money Glen benefited from through fraudulent Crescent House scheme had flowed into apartment and trips, not community benefit.
Family court accounted for proven waste/dissipation when dividing estate.
I refinanced.
Paid him an equalization amount after offsets.
No “I took everything.”
Dad and Clara:
Most ranch and business-sale wealth separate property.
Their primary residence partly community.
Retirement/community investments divided.
Clara’s fraud-related financial misconduct and dissipation considered in just-and-right division where applicable.
She still received lawful share of community assets.
She did not leave penniless.
Richard kept ranch.
He sold marital house two years later because he no longer wanted memories.
May you like
Neither divorce became revenge vehicle.
That was harder and cleaner.
