Clifton v. Clifton

The sole issue in this case is whether or not the appellee, Catherine L. Clifton, may rely upon the 1987 amendment of 12 O.S. § 1289(F) to modify her 1983 divorce decree and receive a portion of the military retirement benefits awarded solely to the appellant, Homer R. Clifton. I would find that such a modification is permissible under the statute.

The parties were married on April 12, 1966, and a divorce was granted in 1983. The parties were married sixteen of the twenty years which the husband served in the military. After the wife had briefed the issue of the divisibility of military…