In Re the Marriage of Blake

Opinion by

Chief Judge STERNBERG.

The principal issue in this appeal is whether a nonemployee-spouse’s interest in a vested pension plan may be ordered to be paid by the employee-spouse before that spouse actually retires and begins to receive his or her own retirement benefits. We affirm the trial court ruling that such payment may be ordered.

The decree here at issue dissolved a marriage of approximately 31 years duration. At the time of decree, Larry A. Blake (husband) was 51 years old and Karon M. Blake (wife) was 50 years old. Husband was employed as an assistant principal with the Denver…