In Re the Marriage of Maricle

Opinion

GILBERT, J.

Parties represented by counsel in a marital dissolution action entered into an oral agreement to divide certain community property. The parties did not inform their attorneys. Here we hold that the trial court should not enforce such an agreement merely because it was made. We reverse.

Facts

The parties were married in June of 1963. Husband filed a petition to dissolve the marriage in November of 1983, and the court acquired jurisdiction over wife on January 9, 1984. The action was tried in February of 1988.

Both parties worked for the federal government, and each had a civil…