Solomon v. Solomon, 307 A.D.2d 558 (N.Y. App. Div. 2003). · Go Syfert
Solomon v. Solomon, 307 A.D.2d 558 (N.Y. App. Div. 2003). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
28 citation events (28 in the last 25 years) across 2 distinct courts.
Treatment trajectory · 2003 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
2003 2014 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 18 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hughes v. Hughes
N.Y. App. Div. · 2021 · confidence medium
"Property acquired during marriage is presumed to be marital unless the presumption is rebutted by the party asserting the separate property claim" ( Solomon v Solomon , 307 AD2d 558, 559 [2003] [citations omitted], lv dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003]; accord Saia v Saia , 91 AD3d 1110, 1110 [2012]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Ramadan v. Ramadan
N.Y. App. Div. · 2021 · confidence medium
The husband, as the nontitled spouse, bore the burden of proving the value of his contributions to the separate asset ( see Arthur v Arthur , 148 AD3d 1254, 1255 [2017]; Solomon v Solomon , 307 AD2d 558, 559 [2003], lv dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Leva v. Leva
N.Y. App. Div. · 2017 · confidence medium
Further, the plaintiff failed to meet her burden of establishing that the defendant dissipated marital assets (see Raynor v Raynor, 68 AD3d 835, 838 [2009]; Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 561 [2003]; Strang v Strang, 222 AD2d 975, 978 [1995]; Reidy v Reidy, 136 AD2d 614, 615 [1988]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Saia v. Saia
N.Y. App. Div. · 2012 · confidence medium
“Property acquired during [the] marriage is presumed to be marital unless the presumption is rebutted by the party asserting the separate property claim” (Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 559 [2003], appeal dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003] [citation omitted]; accord Cease v Cease 72 AD3d 1450, 1451 [2010]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Stahl v. Stahl
N.Y. App. Div. · 2011 · confidence medium
However, it is well established that all property acquired by either party during a marriage is presumed to be marital property, and the burden of rebutting such presumption falls to the party asserting that the property is his or her separate property (see Domestic Relations Law § 236 [B] [1] [c]; Cease v Cease, 72 AD3d 1450, 1451 [2010]; Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 559 [2003], lv dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Epstein v. Messner
N.Y. App. Div. · 2010 · confidence medium
The party alleging that his or her spouse has engaged in wasteful dissipation of marital assets bears the burden of proving such waste by a preponderance of the evidence (see Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 561 [2003]; Strang v Strang, 222 AD2d 975, 978 [1995]; Reidy v Reidy, 136 AD2d 614, 615 [1988]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Cease v. Cease
N.Y. App. Div. · 2010 · confidence medium
Thus, “[pjroperty acquired during marriage is presumed to be marital unless the presumption is rebutted by the party asserting the separate property claim” (Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 559 [2003]; see Cassara v Cassara, 1 AD3d 817, 818-819 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Frey v. Frey
N.Y. App. Div. · 2009 · confidence medium
The defendant failed to overcome the presumption that property he contends constitutes separate property, which was acquired during the marriage, was marital property (see Embury v Embury, 49 AD3d 802, 804 [2008]; Palumbo v Palumbo, 10 AD3d 680, 681-682 [2004]; Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 559 [2003]; Heine v Heine, 176 AD2d 77, 83 [1992]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Raynor v. Raynor
N.Y. App. Div. · 2009 · confidence medium
With respect to the allegations of dissipation, a spouse who alleges that the other spouse engaged in waste and dissipation of marital assets bears the burden of establishing such conduct by a preponderance of the evidence (see Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 561 [2003]; Strang v Strang, 222 AD2d 975, 978 [1995]; Reidy v Reidy, 136 AD2d 614, 615 [1988]; cf. Waldmann v Waldmann, 231 AD2d 710 [1996]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Soles v. Soles
N.Y. App. Div. · 2007 · signal: cf. · confidence medium
Also significant is Supreme Court’s finding that plaintiff permitted her paramour and his two teenage children to live there part time—two to three weeks out of each month during this period—without financially contributing to household expenses (see Chambers v Chambers, 259 AD2d 807, 808 [1999]; cf. Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 561 [2003], lv dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Ruzicka v. Ruzicka
N.Y. App. Div. · 2006 · confidence medium
With respect to the settlement proceeds in particular, the court specifically found that they were commingled with marital funds and thereafter spent on marital debt and numerous marital assets, including a vacant lot where the parties built a new home (compare Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 560 [2003], lv denied 1 NY3d 546 [2003]; Richmond v Richmond, 144 AD2d 549 [1988]; DeMarco v DeMarco, 143 AD2d 328 [1988]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Solomon v. Solomon
N.Y. App. Div. · 2006 · confidence medium
When this matrimonial action was last before us, we modified that portion of the judgment of divorce regarding defendant’s purchase of a lot at 167 Hoyt Street in the Town of Esopus, Ulster County, concluding that since the property was purchased with marital funds, plaintiff was entitled to a 50% credit ( 307 AD2d 558, 561 [2003], lv denied 1 NY3d 546 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Nichols v. Nichols
N.Y. App. Div. · 2005 · confidence medium
While Supreme Court failed to specifically list the statutory factors which shaped its determination, our full review of the record supports the court’s conclusions, from which we decline to depart (see Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 560 [2003], lv denied 1 NY3d 546 [2003]; Harrington v Harrington, 300 AD2d 861, 862 [2002]; Butler v Butler, 256 AD2d 1041, 1044 [1998], lv denied 93 NY2d 805 [1999]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Redgrave v. Redgrave
N.Y. App. Div. · 2004 · confidence medium
We find that direction to be improvident because plaintiff continued to share equally in the payment of the mortgage and taxes through May 2002 and defendant “enjoyed the exclusive use and possession” of the marital residence during the pendency of the action (Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 561 [2003], lv dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Dashnaw v. Dashnaw
N.Y. App. Div. · 2004 · confidence medium
It is well established that “[t]he trial court has discretion and flexibility in selecting the proper date for valuing marital property” (Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 560 [2003], lv denied 1 NY3d 546 [2003], quoting Sagarin v Sagarin, 251 AD2d 396, 396 [1998]) and should make its determination “with due regard for all of the relevant facts and circumstances” (McSparron v McSparron, 87 NY2d 275, 287 [1995]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Spilman-Conklin v. Conklin
N.Y. App. Div. · 2004 · confidence medium
Plaintiff offered no proof of value, leaving Supreme Court free to credit defendant’s testimony and apply that amount in distributing the property (see Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 560 [2003], lv dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003]; Fuchs v Fuchs, 276 AD2d 868, 869 [2000]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Wapner v. Solomon
N.Y. App. Div. · 2004 · confidence medium
Respondent prevailed in proving that the property had been transmuted to marital property and received a substantial share of such property (see Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 558 [2003], appeal dismissed 1 NY3d 546 [2003]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Zanger v. Zanger (2×)
N.Y. App. Div. · 2003 · confidence medium
Where a party contributes separate property—i.e., “property acquired before marriage or property acquired by . . . gift from a party other than the spouse” (Domestic Relations Law § 236 [B] [1] [d] [1])—toward the purchase of the marital residence, that party is entitled to a return of his or her total contribution (see Solomon v Solomon, 307 AD2d 558, 558-559 [2003]; Judson v Judson, 255 AD2d 656, 657 [1998]; Maczek v Maczek, 248 AD2d 835, 836-837 [1998]).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Raphael A. Solomon, Appellant-Respondent
v.
Myrah A. Solomon
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Jul 17, 2003.
307 A.D.2d 558
Mugglin.
Cited by 23 opinions  |  Published
Mugglin, J.

Cross appeals from a judgment of the Supreme Court (Kavanagh, J.), ordering, inter alia, equitable distribution of the parties’ marital property, entered August 26, 2002 in Ulster County, upon decisions of the court.

Plaintiff and defendant, married in 1971, stipulated to a divorce by mutual consent. Equitable distribution issues were litigated in Supreme Court in 2001, resulting in two decisions, equitably distributing their property.

At the heart of these cross appeals is Supreme Court’s determination that three Virgin Island properties were marital assets and distributed as such. A parcel denominated 6B Cruz Bay was awarded to defendant. In 1986, she inherited a 44.64% interest in this property. Subsequently, an additional one-twenty-eighth share was purchased with marital funds. Supreme Court determined that this property was converted from separate to marital property as a result of substantial contributions (both physical and financial) made by plaintiff to improve the property. Defendant contends that although plaintiff did make substantial contributions, such contributions are relevant only to an award of the appreciated value of the property and did not transform the property from separate to marital property for purposes of equitable distribution.

It is well settled that separate property may be transformed into marital property (see Rosenkranse v Rosenkranse, 290 AD2d 685, 686 [2002]; Matwijczuk v Matwijczuk, 261 AD2d 784, 785-786 [1999] [contributions sufficient to transform separate real property into marital real property]; Judson v Judson, 255 AD2d 656, 657 [1998] [deposit of separate funds into a joint account]). On this record, we discern no reason to disturb Supreme Court’s finding that defendant’s original separate property interest was transmuted to marital property. Nevertheless, defendant is entitled to a credit for the original value of her separate property (see Lord v Lord, 124 AD2d 930,[*559] 931-932 [1986]). When defendant inherited her interest, the parcel had a value of $85,000. Thus, defendant’s 44.64% share was worth $37,946. At trial, the parcel was valued at $1,340,000. Supreme Court’s distribution to defendant of a 44% value of $589,600 fails to add the additional one-twenty-eighth interest purchased with marital funds ($56,414) or to subtract defendant’s separate property interest of $37,946. Thus, the adjusted value of this asset is $608,070, or a difference of $18,470.

Plaintiff contends that the parties own 83.07% of this parcel based on an alleged agreement with some of the co-owners. We concur with Supreme Court’s rejection of this contention since the co-owners never executed a contract, note or memorandum accepting the terms offered by plaintiff and, without acceptance, no agreement exists or is enforceable (see General Obligations Law § 5-703 [1], [3]; Urgo v Patel, 297 AD2d 376, 377 [2002]; Kodogiannis v Mumford, 145 AD2d 764, 765 [1988], lv denied 74 NY2d 611 [1989]). Likewise, Supreme Court correctly rejected plaintiffs contention that he is entitled to a credit for the improvements he made to this lot and for restaurant equipment (since he failed to prove its value) allegedly purchased with his separate property. Plaintiff further asserts that Virgin Island law permits defendant to maintain a partition action against her co-owners to recover their pro rata share of the costs of the improvements made by the parties on this property. On this record, we can determine neither that this is possible nor what the amount of any such recovery might be. However, it is beyond question that only the parties to this action financed the improvements made to this parcel, and since we have determined the parcel to be a marital asset, any recovery that defendant may attain in such an action would constitute an inequitable windfall to her. We are, therefore, persuaded that if defendant should bring such an action, or otherwise settle such claim, any recovery should be equitably distributed 55% to defendant and 45% to plaintiff with the costs and expenses of the action being borne in the same percentages.

Next, defendant contends that the 95 and 95B Cruz Bay parcels are her separate property since they were acquired by gift from her mother and not transformed into marital property (see Domestic Relations Law § 236 [B] [1] [d] [1]; Van Dyke v Van Dyke, 273 AD2d 589, 592 [2000]). Property acquired during marriage is presumed to be marital unless the presumption is rebutted by the party asserting the separate property claim (see Allen v Allen, 263 AD2d 691, 692 [1999]; Seidman v Seidman, 226 AD2d 1011, 1012 [1996]; Cerretani v Cerretani, [*560] 221 AD2d 814, 815 [1995]). Although these parcels were transferred only in defendant’s name, the record evidence supports the conclusion that defendant’s mother intended to make these parcels a joint transfer to the parties. Defendant freely admitted that these parcels were turned over to the parties so that a construction loan could be obtained by the parties to build a home for defendant’s mother. Thus, defendant failed to rebut the marital property presumption. Defendant’s additional contradictory and unpersuasive testimony failed to establish that she has any legitimate claim to a separate property interest in these parcels.

The balance of the parties’ contentions, with one exception, are unpersuasive. Since it is well settled that “[t] he trial court has discretion and flexibility in selecting the proper date for valuing marital property” (Sagarin v Sagarin, 251 AD2d 396, 396 [1998]), Supreme Court did not err in adopting defendant’s appraisal of the marital residence, even though it was dated several months prior to the commencement of trial and plaintiffs appraisal was dated a few days prior to trial. The record provides ample reason for Supreme Court’s decision to adopt defendant’s appraisal. Likewise, we find no error in Supreme Court’s unequal distribution of the marital assets. While the distribution of the parties’ marital assets must be equitable, there is no fixed rule that distribution be equal even in marriages of long duration (see O’Connell v O’Connell, 290 AD2d 774, 776 [2002], lv granted sub nom. O’Connell v Corcoran, 99 NY2d 503 [2002]; Goudreau v Goudreau, 283 AD2d 684, 686 [2001]). Although Supreme Court did not specifically address the relevant statutory factors as a precursor to equitable distribution, inasmuch as “the record supports [the court’s] full review, it was not specifically required to cite the factors it considered” (Harrington v Harrington, 300 AD2d 861, 862 [2002]; see Butler v Butler, 256 AD2d 1041, 1042 [1998], lv denied 93 NY2d 805 [1999]). After recalculating defendant’s interest in 6B Cruz Bay, defendant received approximately 55% of the parties’ property and plaintiff received approximately 45%. Since the primary assets were illiquid (see Domestic Relations Law § 236 [B] [5] [d] [7]), and the real property originally came from defendant’s family, Supreme Court achieved an equitable distribution.

We find no error in Supreme Court’s rejection of the parties’ wasteful dissipation claims or plaintiff’s claim that defendant breached her fiduciary duties to him arising out of the marriage partnership. Resolution of the conflicting evidence with respect to the dissipation claims is for Supreme Court and we[*561] find no abuse of discretion in this regard (see Strang v Strang, 222 AD2d 975, 977 [1995]; Reidy v Reidy, 136 AD2d 614, 615 [1988]). As to the asserted breach of fiduciary duty, it is not a statutory factor required to be considered (see Domestic Relations Law § 236 [B] [5] [d]). Further, we find no reason to disturb Supreme Court’s discretion in giving defendant a credit for the mortgage payments she made on the marital residence during the pendency of this litigation since plaintiff enjoyed the exclusive use and possession of this property during the action (see e.g. Codd v Codd, 270 AD2d 880 [2000]; Field v Kaliszewski, 250 AD2d 728, 729 [1998]). Likewise, we find no error in Supreme Court’s distribution of the parties’ personal property (see Stricos v Stricos, 263 AD2d 659, 660 [1999]).

Lastly, turning to defendant’s purchase of 167 Hoyt Street, plaintiff correctly asserts that he is entitled to a credit of $10,000, representing half of the down payment. Although these funds were from defendant’s personal account, it contained marital funds commingled with defendant’s separate funds, thus justifying their treatment as marital property (see Judson v Judson, 255 AD2d 656, 657 [1998], supra-, Walasek v Walasek, 243 AD2d 851, 854 [1997]; Carney v Carney, 202 AD2d 907, 908 [1994]).

Cardona, P.J., Spain, Carpinello and Kane, JJ., concur. Ordered that the judgment is modified, on the law, without costs, by awarding plaintiff a net 45% interest in any settlement or recovery defendant may obtain in an action brought by defendant to partition 6B Cruz Bay, Virgin Islands and by granting plaintiff a $10,000 credit, and, as so modified, affirmed.