Russell v. Russell

This appeal from a divorce judgment entered eighteen months after the hearing on the merits presents such a procedural morass that a remand is necessary to reach an outcome in a manner consistent with the civil rules.

Following a divorce hearing held May 2, 1988, the trial court filed, on August 18, 1988, a document entitled, “Findings of Fact, Conclusions, and Notice of Decision.” In it, the court di rected the husband’s counsel to prepare a judgment. The decision divided the parties’ net equity in marital property relatively equally and awarded the wife $300 a week in maintenance. For a…