In re the Marriage of Bidwell

Husband appeals from a dissolution judgment awarding wife $17,817,297 as compensation for her share of his company. He argues that, rather than awarding wife a compensating judgment, the trial court should have ordered the sale of the company and a proportional distribution of the net proceeds to the parties. We affirm.

Before their marriage, the parties cohabitated for approximately six months. During that time, husband acquired and became the sole owner of a small discount brokerage house, which he later renamed Bidwell & Company. The parties married in 1985. In 1996, husband filed a…