Valyrie Gibbons v. Carl B. Gibbons

DURHAM, Justice: On appeal from the trial court's decree of divorce, the defendant advances two points of error. First, the defendant argues that the trial court erred in finding that the defendant had only purchased the position of the plaintiff's ex-husband when he discharged the former husband's lien on her home. In his second point, the defendant argues that the trial court abused its discretion by awarding the plaintiff attorney's fees of $1,000, and ordering payment thereof by cancellation of the $1,000 debt owed the defendant by the plaintiff. We affirm the actions of the trial court. The parties' marriage of approximately fourteen months began on August 31, 1979. Each of the parties had been previously married to other persons and have children by such marriages. During and after their prior marriages, each of the parties had acquired numerous assets and bank accounts. During the present marriage, the defendant earned an annual salary of approximately $36,000, plus an annual expense account of approximately $8,000, and the plaintiff earned an annual salary of approximately $12,000, plus $3,000 per year in child support.