In Re the Marriage of Summerfelt

This case comes on appeal from a decree of the District Court of the First Judicial District, Lewis and Clark County, distributing the parties’ marital assets. We reverse.

The parties to this action were married on May 11,1963, at Townsend, Montana. At the time of the marriage, the wife owned a ranch near Townsend (hereinafter referred to as the Townsend ranch) consisting of 3,880 acres which the parties have stipulated was worth $185,000. In addition, the wife had purchased 120 acres of additional ranchland known as the Cooney property, for $8,000. Also, at the time of the marriage, the wife…