Fugere v. Fugere

865 N.W.2d 407 (2015)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

H has been married twice before. W has been married three times before. In January 2009, they were engaged to be married. H had a large farm and ranch operation and W served as postmaster in Belfield, making $60,000 per year. W filed for bankruptcy in early 2009. As their May wedding date approached, H presented W with several proposed prenuptial agreements. On May 6, 2009, after one of the prenuptial agreements was presented to her, W attempted suicide. The wedding was postponed, and no prenuptial agreement was signed. The parties were married in August 2009 when H was 51 years old and W was 46 years old, and they lived on the ranch. H's net worth at the time of the marriage exceeded $3 million, consisting mainly of the ranch which he had operated since 1981. W had her Post Office Thrift Savings Account worth approximately $100,000 and some personal property. w eventually quit her job as postmaster, assisted with the ranch work, and did most of the household chores. She had emotional problems and drank excessively during the marriage. She attempted suicide on two more occasions and spent time at a treatment facility. Following a quarrel with H after Christmas 2012, W left the ranch in early January 2013. H sued for divorce in January 2013. No children were born of the marriage. The district court found the net value of the marital estate was nearly $5,850,000. Mainly on the basis of the short duration of the marriage, the court awarded H property having a net value of $5,688,215. The court awarded W property having a net value of $161,662, and a cash award of $105,000 to compensate her for 'taking care of the house as well [as] her helping to the extent that she could in the farm/ranch operation.' The court reduced the cash award by $24,000, which had been paid to her by H through earlier interim orders. The court also ordered H to pay $1,550 per month for five years for rehabilitative spousal support. W appealed.