Ponzelino v. Ponzelino

Plaintiff and defendant were married in 1921. In October 1944 defendant (wife) was granted a divorce. The decree awarded her four lots near the city of^Des Moines, title to which plaintiff now seeks to have quieted in himself as trustee. Prior to September 5, 1939, plaintiff owned the four lots and ten others. On that date he executed a purported trust deed of the fourteen lots to himself as trustee, at least nominally, for the benefit of his wife (defendant) and their four children. Defendant signed the instrument apparently to release her dower right in the property.

In this action plaintiff…