ÿWPCð 3# ÚUNå %3 0c9U<œw@Ø4,; 0§C AQê 0D; 0J 0TÉ 0^ 0h{ 0rã 0|U 0†Ñ 0W 1uç 0d\ BÀ ÆÝ 0D£ 0@ç 0D' D/k Bš D3· U>ê B)( DCQ AM” U*á ^ U6iv~ŸvÓ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX(;cW$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€XaBXXXÔ-šBu Z‹$Arrus BT Roman ()E*+I,-U.î/Ó€;>n~<$#3|x>(W(3Ñp$¤¤Ý ƒcW!ÝÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€X„_XXXÔÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó !" %Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ dƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó'''÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d++++7Border 1dd ",Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial TÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€*ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ!"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌò òJulyÏ16,Ï1998ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€.ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier NewPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€*ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€ŒéXXdðdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌà àà à€€€€______________________________________________ÌÌÙ€ Ùò òßR€-/,A1-j|€h` à. `€€@ÿRßSARAH€ANN€WILKERSON,€ó óÌÌà àPlaintiff„Appellee,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àShelby€Circuit€No.€154340€R.D.ÌVs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àC.A.€NO.€02A01„9709„CV„00231ÌÌò òROBERT€WILKERSON,€ó óÌÌà àDefendant„Appellant.Ì____________________________________________________________________________ÌÌà@ àFROM€THE€SHELBY€COUNTY€CIRCUIT€COURTÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€JAMES€E.€SWEARENGEN,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌà@ àKim€G.€Sims€of€MemphisÌà@ àFor€Defendant„AppellantÌÌà@ àJerry€Stokes€of€Memphis€for€DefendantÌà@ àFor€Plaintiff„AppelleeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌó óà@ àóóOpinion€filed:ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óÌÌÓÓ›à àThis€is€a€divorce€case€involving€a€dispute€over€the€distribution€of€maritalÏproperty.€€Robert€Wilkerson€(Husband)€appeals€the€judgment€of€the€trial€courtÏawarding€him€$25,000.00,€representing€38.5€%€of€the€value€of€the€marital€home,Ïwhile€awarding€the€remainder€of€the€marital€property€to€Wife€as€alimony€òòinÏsolidoóó.€€Ìà àRobert€Wilkerson€and€Sarah€Ann€Wilkerson€(Wife)€were€married€onÏAugust€31,€1974€and€divorced€by€decree€entered€August€21,€1997.€€€The€partiesÏhave€one€adult€child€who€was€twenty€years€old€at€the€time€of€the€divorce.€€WifeÏfiled€for€divorce€on€January€16,€1997€alleging€that€the€parties€had€irreconcilableÏdifferences€and€that€Husband€was€œguilty›€of€inappropriate€marital€conduct.€ÍHusband€counter„claimed€for€divorce€on€the€same€grounds.€€Each€party€accusedÏthe€other€of€physical€and€emotional€abuse,€and€Husband€later€admitted€to€atÏleast€two€adulterous€affairs.€€Ìà àWife€is€a€college€graduate€and€has€been€employed€with€the€TennesseeÏDepartment€of€Human€Services€for€over€twenty„four€years.€€She€makes€overÏ$29,000.00€per€year€and€has€a€retirement€account€that€was€valued€at€overÏ$33,000.00€at€the€time€of€trial.€€Husband€is€a€high€school€graduate€who€heldÏvarious€jobs€during€the€marriage.€€Husband€worked€for€International€HarvesterÏmanufacturing€iron€parts€for€farm€equipment€for€over€seven€years.€€After€theÏInternational€Harvester€plant€closed,€Husband€went€to€work€for€Kelloggððs€whereÏhe€remained€for€approximately€eight€years€until€suffering€an€injury€on€the€job.€ÏAs€a€result€of€the€injury,€Husband€received€a€workerððs€compensation€settlementÏof€approximately€$15,000.00€which€he€used€to€start€a€clothing€business€whichÏsubsequently€failed.€€Husband€could€have€returned€to€his€job€with€Kelloggððs,Ïearning€$11.25€per€hour,€but€he€claims€that€it€was€not€a€safe€workingÏenvironment€and€that€he€was€continually€harassed€by€management€and€co„workers.€€At€age€60,€Husband€will€be€entitled€to€receive€a€pension€of€$22.00€perÏmonth€from€Kelloggððs.€€If€Husband€waits€until€age€65€to€begin€receiving€hisÏpension,€the€amount€will€be€$54.00€per€Ñ7€ŒéXXdðXXdð7Ñmonth.€€Husband€currently€earns€$6.00Íper€hour€as€a€security€guard,€Ñ7€yXXdXXd7Ñfor€a€gross€income,€including€overtime,€ofÏapproximately€$1,000.00€per€month.€Ìà àAt€trial,€Wifeððs€counsel€argued€that€Husbandððs€fault€should€be€consideredÏin€the€division€of€marital€property.€€The€trial€court€apparently€agreed,€stating€atÏone€point:€ð ð[I]f€I€have€to€make€a€division€[of€property],€Iððm€going€to€have€toÏhear€some€proof€and€find€out€who€did€what€in€this€matter€in€order€toÏdetermine€what€would€be€a€reasonable€division€of€the€property.ðð€€AlthoughÏHusband€stipulated€that€Wife€was€entitled€to€a€divorce€on€the€ground€ofÏinappropriate€marital€conduct,€the€trial€court€heard€Wifeððs€testimony€regardingÏthe€fault€of€Husband.€€Wife€testified€to€physical€abuse€she€suffered€and€evenÏtestified€that€she€contracted€genital€herpes€as€a€result€of€Husbandððs€relationshipÏwith€a€prostitute.€€Ìà àThe€trial€court€granted€Wife€an€absolute€divorce€on€the€ground€ofÏinappropriate€marital€conduct.€€The€court€found€that€the€marital€estateÏconsisted€only€of€the€marital€residence,€valued€at€$65,000.00,€and€WifeððsÏretirement€account€valued€at€$33,000.00.€€In€addition,€the€court€found€that€aÏ1993€Toyota€automobile,€titled€in€the€names€of€Husband€and€Wife,€was€notÏmarital€property,€because€the€court€credited€Wifeððs€testimony€whichÏcharacterized€the€car€as€a€gift€to€the€partiesðð€daughter.€€The€court€awardedÍHusband€$25,000.00€of€the€equity€in€the€marital€home,€and€awarded€theÏremainder€of€the€equity€to€Wife€as€alimony€òòin€solidoóó.€€The€court€also€decreedÏthat€Wife€shall€retain€the€full€value€of€her€retirement€account€as€alimony€òòinÏsolidoóó.€€Ìà àHusband€appeals€the€trial€courtððs€division€of€marital€property€and€theÏcharacterization€of€the€Toyota€as€a€gift€to€daughter€rather€than€maritalÏproperty.€€Husband€asserts€that€the€trial€court€erred€when€it€considered€fault€inÏthe€division€of€marital€property€and€that€the€factors€to€be€considered€weigh€inÏthe€favor€of€Husband.€€We€have€taken€the€liberty€of€consolidating€andÏparaphrasing€appellantððs€issues€as€follows:Ì1.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€classifying€the€1993€Toyota€automobile€as€aÏgift€to€daughter€rather€than€marital€property.Ì2.€€Whether€the€division€of€marital€property€was€equitable.Ìà àSince€this€case€was€tried€by€the€court€sitting€without€a€jury,€we€reviewÏthe€caseòò€de€novoóó€upon€the€record€with€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€theÏfindings€of€fact€by€the€trial€court.€€Unless€the€evidence€preponderates€againstÏthese€findings,€we€must€affirm,€absent€error€of€law.€€T.R.A.P.€13(d).€€InÏreviewing€the€record,€we€are€mindful€that€trial€courts€have€broad€discretion€inÏdividing€the€marital€estate€upon€divorce.€€òòò òLoyd€v.€Loydó óóó,€860€S.W.2d€409,€411Í(Tenn.€App.€1993);€òòò òLancaster€v.€Lancasteró óóó,€671€S.W.2d€501,€502€(Tenn.€App.Ï1984).€Ìà àDivision€of€marital€property€necessarily€begins€with€classification€of€theÏproperty€as€either€separate€or€marital€property.€€T.C.A.€ðð€36„4„121(b)€(1996).ÏAs€for€the€characterization€of€the€1993€Toyota,€Wife€testified€that€it€wasÏintended€to€be€a€gift€to€the€partiesðð€daughter.€€Husband€testified€that€theÏparties€intended€to€allow€their€daughter€to€use€the€car€while€she€was€living€inÏtheir€household,€but€that€upon€her€departure€the€car€was€to€revert€back€to€theÏparties.€€The€trial€court€apparently€was€more€impressed€with€Wifeððs€testimonyÏand€we€hold€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€trial€courtððsÏfinding€that€the€car€was€a€gift€to€daughter€and€therefore€not€part€of€the€maritalÏestate.€€The€trial€court€awarded€each€party€their€respective€automobiles€andÏfound€that€the€marital€estate€consisted€only€of€the€marital€residence,€valued€atÏ$65,000.00,€and€Wifeððs€retirement€account,€valued€at€$33,000.00.€€Other€thanÏthe€dispute€over€the€characterization€of€the€Toyota,€neither€party€raises€issueÏwith€the€trial€courtððs€determination€of€the€content€or€value€of€the€maritalÏestate.€Nevertheless,€we€feel€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€failing€to€include€theÏvalue€of€each€partyððs€automobile€in€the€marital€estate.€€In€addition,€the€value€ofÏHusbandððs€pension€from€Kelloggððs,€though€admittedly€small€and€difficult€toÍvalue,€is€marital€property€and€should€be€included€in€the€total.€€òòSeeóó€òòò òCohen€v.ÏCohenó óóó,€937€S.W.2d€823€(Tenn.€1996).€€Ìà àIt€is€well€settled€that€a€trial€court€may€not€consider€fault€in€the€divisionÏof€marital€property.€€T.C.A.€ðð€36„4„121(a)(1)€(1996);€òòò òFisher€v.€Fisheró óóó,€648ÏS.W.2d€244€(Tenn.€1983).€€However,€it€is€likely€that€a€trial€court€sitting€as€theÏtrier€of€fact€in€a€contested€divorce€case€will€be€required€to€hear€evidence€ofÏfault€as€a€factor€to€consider€in€determining€whether€or€not€an€award€of€alimonyÏis€justified.€€Perhaps€in€recognition€of€the€danger€that€the€concept€of€faultÏmight€creep€into€the€subconscious€mind€of€the€trial€judge,€our€legislature€hasÏmandated€that€marital€property€be€equitably€divided€ð ðprior€to€anyÏdetermination€as€to€whether€it€is€appropriate€to€order€the€support€andÏmaintenance€of€one€(1)€party€by€the€other.ðð€€T.C.A.€ðð€36„4„121(a)(1)€(1996).€ÏThe€factors€to€be€considered€in€making€an€equitable€distribution€of€maritalÏproperty€include:ÌÓÓà8 à(1)€The€duration€of€the€marriage;Ìà8 à(2)€The€age,€physical€and€mental€health,€vocational€skills,Ïemployability,€earning€capacity,€estate,€financial€liabilities€andÏfinancial€needs€of€each€of€the€parties;Ìà8 à(3)€The€tangible€or€intangible€contribution€by€one€(1)€party€to€theÏeducation,€training€or€increased€earning€power€of€the€other€party;Ìà8 à(4)€The€relative€ability€of€each€party€for€future€acquisitions€ofÏcapital€assets€and€income;Ìà8 à(5)€The€contribution€of€each€party€to€the€acquisition,€preservation,Ïappreciation€or€dissipation€of€the€marital€or€separate€property,Íincluding€the€contribution€of€a€party€to€the€marriage€asÏhomemaker,€wage€earner€or€parent,€with€the€contribution€of€aÏparty€as€homemaker€or€wage€earner€to€be€given€the€same€weight€ifÏeach€party€has€fulfilled€its€role;Ìà8 à(6)€The€value€of€the€separate€property€of€each€party;Ìà8 à(7)€The€estate€of€each€party€at€the€time€of€the€marriage;Ìà8 à(8)€The€economic€circumstances€of€each€party€at€the€time€theÏdivision€of€property€is€to€become€effective;Ìà8 à(9)€The€tax€consequences€to€each€party;€andÌà8 à(10)€Such€other€factors€as€are€necessary€to€consider€the€equitiesÏbetween€the€parties.ÌÌT.C.A.€ðð€36„4„121(c)€(1996).ÌÌÓÓà àIn€addition,€this€Court€has€stated€that€the€ownership€of€marital€propertyÏshould€be€presumed€to€be€equal€unless€analysis€of€the€relevant€factors€militatesÏotherwise.€€òòò òDellinger€v.€Dellingeró óóó,€958€S.W.2d€778,€781€(Tenn.€App.€1997);Ïòòò òHarrington€v.€Harringtonó óóó,€798€S.W.2d€244,€245€(Tenn.€App.€1990).€€Ìà àUpon€review€of€the€entire€transcript€and€record€in€this€case,€it€appearsÏthat€the€division€of€property€could€have€been€influenced€by€evidence€ofÏHusbandððs€fault.€€The€trial€court€did€not€specify€that€the€distribution€was€aÏdivision€of€marital€property,€but€instead€awarded€almost€75%€of€the€maritalÏestate€to€Wife€as€alimony€òòin€solido.€óó€Although€it€is€permissible€to€award€propertyÏas€alimony€òòin€solidoóó,€it€is€impermissible€to€characterize€the€inequitable€divisionÏof€property€as€alimony€when€the€statutory€factors€concerning€alimonyÏenumerated€in€T.C.A.€ðð€36„5„101(d)(1)€weigh€against€any€award€of€alimony.€òòSeeóóÍòòò òHazard€v.€Hazardó óóó,€833€S.W.2d€911€(Tenn.€App.€1991)€(stating€that€theÏdominant€factors€to€consider€in€making€an€award€of€alimony€are€the€need€of€theÏinnocent€spouse€and€the€ability€of€the€obligor€spouse€to€pay).€€The€recordÏindicates€that€both€parties€worked€to€purchase€and€pay€off€the€marital€home.€ÏWife€testified€that€during€the€early€years€of€the€marriage,€Husband€earnedÏconsiderably€more€than€œshe›€and€that€over€the€years€the€balance€has€shifted.€ÏWife€is€a€college€graduate€and€currently€earns€nearly€three€times€as€much€asÏHusband.€€She€testified€that€she€can€meet€her€monthly€needs€with€her€ownÏincome.€€Husband,€on€the€other€hand,€is€a€high€school€graduate€and€has€a€sevenÏpercent€disability€rating€as€a€result€of€the€back€injury€he€suffered€whileÏemployed€at€Kelloggððs.€€Wife€alleges€that€Husband€is€underemployed,€andÏalthough€that€is€a€factor€for€the€trial€court€to€consider,€it€is€doubtful,€given€hisÏcurrent€education€and€training,€that€Husband€would€ever€be€able€to€earn€asÏmuch€as€Wife€is€currently.€€Furthermore,€although€neither€party€has€much€inÏthe€way€of€separate€property,€it€appears€that€Wife€is€in€a€much€better€positionÏto€acquire€assets€in€the€future.€€Ìà àAfter€application€of€the€statutory€factors€to€the€facts€of€this€case,€we€findÏthat€the€presumption€favoring€an€equal€distribution€of€marital€property€has€notÏbeen€overcome.€€This€case€is€remanded€with€instructions€for€the€trial€court€toÍmake€an€equal,€50/50,€division€of€the€marital€property.€€In€making€thisÏallocation,€the€court€should€consider€how€our€ruling€affects€Wifeððs€ability€andÏdesire€to€purchase€Husbandððs€equity€in€the€marital€residence€and€whether€itÏwould€be€preferable€to€invade€the€principal€balance€in€Wifeððs€retirementÏaccount.€€€After€making€the€division€of€marital€property,€the€court€can€thenÏaddress€the€issue€of€alimony,€considering€all€pertinent€factors,€including€thoseÏset€out€in€T.C.A.€ðð€36„5„101(d)€(1).Ìà àIn€summary,€the€partiesðð€marital€estate€consists€of€the€marital€residence,Ïvalued€at€$65,000.00,€Wifeððs€retirement€account,€with€a€present€value€ofÏ$33,045.86,€the€parties€automobiles,€valued€at€$7,700.00€total,€and€the€value€ofÏHusbandððs€pension€which€is€yet€to€be€determined€by€the€trial€court.Ìà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed€and€the€case€is€remanded€forÏfurther€proceedings€in€accordance€with€this€opinion.€€Costs€of€the€appeal€areÏassessed€equally€between€the€parties.€ÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ó óÌÌò òCONCUR:ÌÌ____________________________________ÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEó óÌÌ____________________________________Ìò òDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óœÔ€0ÔÔ€0Ô