NO. COA12-399-2
NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS
Filed: 18 February 2014
BARBARA R. DUNCAN
Plaintiff,
v. Macon County
No. 05 CVD 338
JOHN H. DUNCAN,
Defendant.
Appeal by Defendant from the following orders and judgment
entered in the District Court, Macon County: order entered 15
October 2007 by Judge Monica Leslie; orders entered 31 March and
4 September 2008 by Judge Richard K. Walker; order entered 18
September 2009 and judgment entered 2 September 2010 by Judge
Steven J. Bryant; and orders entered 14 April 2011 and 18 January
2012 by Judge Richard K. Walker. Originally heard in the Court of
Appeals 11 September 2012, with opinion filed 2 October 2012.
Reconsidered pursuant to an opinion of the North Carolina Supreme
Court, entered 13 June 2013.
Siemens Family Law Group, by Jim Siemens, and Ruley Law
Offices, by Douglas A. Ruley, for Plaintiff.
Hyler & Lopez, PA, by Stephen P. Agan and George B. Hyler,
Jr., for Defendant.
DILLON, Judge.
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I. Factual & Procedural Background
Barbara R. Duncan (Plaintiff) and John H. Duncan (Defendant)
exchanged vows in two separate marriage ceremonies in North
Carolina occurring twelve years apart. The first ceremony occurred
on 15 October 1989 (the 1989 ceremony) and was presided over by
Hawk Littlejohn, who held himself out to be a Cherokee medicine
man1 and who was ordained as a minister by the Universal Life
Church. In 2001, the parties’ estate planning attorney expressed
his concern that the 1989 ceremony was not valid; and, accordingly,
on 14 October 2001, Plaintiff and Defendant participated in a
second ceremony at the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin, North
Carolina (the 2001 ceremony).
In 2005, Plaintiff commenced this action seeking, inter alia,
divorce, equitable distribution, alimony, and child support,
alleging that the parties’ date of marriage was 15 October 1989,
the date of the 1989 ceremony. Defendant filed responsive
pleadings alleging, inter alia, that Hawk Littlejohn was not
authorized under North Carolina law to perform a valid marriage
ceremony; and, therefore, the parties’ date of marriage was 14
October 2001, the date of the 2001 ceremony. Accordingly,
1 In Defendant’s verified complaint, he alleged that Hawk
Littlejohn was not, in fact, a Native American but had changed his
name from his given name, Larry Snyder.
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Defendant prayed the trial court to declare the 1989 ceremony
invalid under North Carolina law.
Following a hearing, the trial court entered an order on 15
October 2007 (the 2007 order), concluding that the 1989 ceremony
resulted in a valid marriage, that 15 October 1989 was “the date
of marriage for all matters related to this Chapter 50 action” and
that Defendant was estopped from contesting the validity of the
1989 ceremony.2
The trial court subsequently entered a number of additional
orders and an equitable distribution judgment. Defendant appeals
from the 2007 order and from a number of subsequently entered
orders that he contends were affected by the 2007 order. Defendant
also appeals from an order in which the trial court concluded that
Plaintiff was “actually substantially dependent on [] Defendant
for her support as of the date of separation” and a separate order
in which the trial court held open the issue of whether to award
attorney’s fees. Because the trial court left open the award of
attorney’s fees, this Court, relying on our Supreme Court’s
decision in Bumpers v. Cmty. Bank of N. Va., 364 N.C. 195, 695
2 In late 2007, Defendant appealed from the 2007 order. However,
this Court dismissed the interlocutory appeal for lack of
jurisdiction. Duncan v. Duncan, 193 N.C. App. 752, 761 S.E.2d 71,
2008 WL 4911807 (2008) (unpublished).
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S.E.2d 442 (2010), reasoned that Defendant’s appeal was
interlocutory and dismissed it as untimely. Duncan v. Duncan, ___
N.C. App. ___, ___, 732 S.E.2d 390, 392 (2012).
Following discretionary review, our Supreme Court reversed,
holding that an open request for attorney’s fees does not prevent
a judgment on the merits from being final. Duncan v. Duncan, 366
N.C. 514, 742 S.E.2d 799 (2013). On remand from our Supreme Court,
we now consider the merits of Defendant’s appeal.
II. Analysis
Defendant’s arguments on appeal are essentially that (1) the
trial court erred in its 2007 order by determining that 15 October
1989 was the date of marriage for all matters related to this
action; and (2) the trial court erred in its order in which it
determined that Plaintiff was actually substantially dependent on
Defendant for her support as of the date of separation. For the
reasons stated below, we affirm the orders of the trial court.
A. Date of Marriage
Defendant argues that the 1989 ceremony was invalid; and,
therefore, that the trial court erred in establishing the date of
marriage based on the 1989 ceremony. As an initial matter, we
hold that the issue regarding the validity of the 1989 ceremony
was properly before the trial court. A marriage based on a
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ceremony in North Carolina not properly solemnized pursuant to the
requirements of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1 is voidable. See Fulton
v. Vickery, 73 N.C. App. 382, 387, 326 S.E.2d 354, 358 (1985)
(stating that a marriage performed by a minister of the Universal
Life Church, not otherwise cured by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1.1, was
voidable). A party may apply to the court for a declaration that
a voidable marriage “be declared void from the beginning[.]” N.C.
Gen. Stat. § 50-4 (2013). However, a voidable marriage remains
valid “for all civil purposes, until annulled by a competent
tribunal in a direct proceeding.” Geitner v. Townsend, 67 N.C.
App. 159, 161, 312 S.E.2d 236, 238 (1984) (emphasis added).
Here, in his counterclaim, Defendant prays the court for an
order “to declare [the 1989 ceremony] invalid[,]” which we believe
is an application under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50-4 for an order to
“declare [a voidable] marriage void[,]” to the extent that the
parties’ marriage is based on the 1989 ceremony. In other words,
we believe that N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50-4 applies in this case even
though Defendant does not seek to annul his marriage in toto -
indeed, he admits that he and Plaintiff were lawfully married by
virtue of their 2001 ceremony - but merely requests that the court
declare the marriage invalid insomuch as it is based on the 1989
ceremony. Further, where one party sues for divorce, we believe
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that a counterclaim by the opposing party seeking an order to
declare the marriage invalid constitutes a “direct proceeding.”
See Sprinkle v. N.C. Wildlife, 165 N.C. App. 721, 735, 600 S.E.2d
473, 482 (2004) (holding that “a counterclaim is in the nature of
an independent proceeding[, and] the filing of a counterclaim is
to initiate a ‘civil action’”).
In this case, Defendant argues that the trial court erred by
concluding that the 1989 ceremony was properly solemnized and by
concluding that he “was judicially and equitably estopped from
arguing” otherwise. For the reasons below, we believe that the
trial court erred by concluding that the 1989 ceremony was properly
solemnized and that Defendant was judicially estopped from
contesting the validity of the 1989 ceremony; however, we do not
believe that the trial court erred by concluding that Defendant
was equitably estopped from contesting the validity of the 1989
ceremony. Therefore, we affirm the 2007 order to the extent that
it concludes that Defendant is equitably estopped from challenging
the validity of the 1989 ceremony and the date of marriage, for
purposes of this action, to be 15 October 1989.
1. The 1989 Ceremony Was Voidable
Regarding the validity of the 1989 ceremony, Defendant does
not argue that the ceremony did not take place. Rather, he
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contends that Hawk Littlejohn, who officiated the ceremony, was
not authorized under the North Carolina law in effect at that time
to solemnize a marriage.
Our Supreme Court has held that “[a] common law marriage or
marriage by consent is not recognized by this State.” State v.
Lynch, 301 N.C. 479, 487, 272 S.E.2d 349, 354 (1980). Rather,
“[t]o constitute a valid marriage in this State, the requirements
of G.S. 51-1 must be met.” Id. at 486, 272 S.E.2d at 353. The
version of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1 in effect in 1989 required, in
pertinent part, that the parties “‘express their solemn intent to
marry in the presence of (1) an ordained minister of any religious
denomination; or (2) a minister authorized by his church; or (3)
a magistrate.’” Pickard v. Pickard, 176 N.C. App. 193, 196, 625
S.E.2d 869, 872 (2006) (quoting Lynch, 301 N.C. at 487, 272 S.E.2d
at 354).3 However, when it is established that a marriage ceremony
has occurred – as is the case here – “the burden of showing that
it was an invalid marriage rests on the party asserting its
invalidity.” Overton v. Overton, 260 N.C. 139, 143, 132 S.E.2d
349, 352 (1963); see also Kearney v. Thomas, 225 N.C. 156, 163, 33
3 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1 was amended in 2001 to add a provision
which authorizes a ceremony to be valid as long as it is held “[i]n
accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any
religious denomination, or federally or State recognized Indian
Nation or Tribe.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1(2) (2013).
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S.E.2d 871, 876 (1945) (stating that where there is “proof that a
marriage ceremony took place, it will be presumed that it was
legally performed and resulted in a valid marriage”). Accordingly,
Defendant bore the burden of demonstrating that Hawk Littlejohn
was not authorized under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1 to solemnize the
1989 marriage ceremony. Based on the evidence that was before the
trial court, we believe that Defendant met this high burden.
The record on appeal contains a statement of the evidence
that was presented to the trial court, pursuant to Rule 9(c) of
our Appellate Rules.4 With regard to the evidence presented before
the trial court concerning Hawk Littlejohn’s authority to
solemnize the 1989 ceremony, the Rule 9(c) statement sets forth
that the parties made the court aware of the Supreme Court’s 1980
opinion in Lynch, supra; and, further, that the parties stipulated
that Hawk Littlejohn had performed the 1989 ceremony, that he was
a minister ordained by the Universal Life Church, and that the
relevant facts regarding the Universal Life Church as it applies
in this case were essentially the same as described by the Supreme
Court in Lynch.
4 The record states that the audio recording of the hearing has
been lost.
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In Lynch, our Supreme Court reversed a bigamy conviction of
a defendant where one of his two marriages was solemnized before
a Universal Life Church minister. Lynch, supra. The Court
described the Universal Life Church as a church, headquartered in
Modesto, California, with “no traditional doctrine” who “will
ordain anyone, without question to his/her faith,” and that their
ministers, which number over 7 million, have the authority to
officiate at marriages but otherwise are “not require[d] to give
up [their] membership with any other church to be a minister of
the ULC, Inc.” Id. at 483, 272 S.E.2d at 351. The Court further
described that the process of receiving certification as an
ordained minister in the Universal Life Church involved simply
mailing one’s name, address and ten dollars to the Church’s
California headquarters, and that the Church did not require any
further proceedings or training as a requirement for ordination.
Id. In reversing the bigamy conviction, the Court stated as
follows:
A ceremony solemnized by a [layman] who bought
for $10.00 a mail order certificate giving him
‘credentials of minister’ in the Universal
Life Church, Inc. – whatever that is – is not
a ceremony of marriage to be recognized for
purposes of a bigamy prosecution in the State
of North Carolina. The evidence does not
establish – rather, it negates the fact – that
[the “minister”] was authorized under the laws
of this State to perform a marriage ceremony.
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Id. at 488, 272 S.E.2d at 355 (emphasis added).
Since the record shows that Plaintiff stipulated that the
“relevant facts” concerning the Universal Life Church and Hawk
Littlejohn’s ordination as a minister therein were essentially the
same as described by our Supreme Court in Lynch, and since our
Supreme Court in Lynch stated that evidence that an individual was
ordained by the Universal Life Church – as the Church is described
in that case - “negates the fact that [the individual] was
authorized under the laws of this State to perform a marriage
ceremony,” we are compelled in the present case to conclude that
Defendant met his high burden of demonstrating that Hawk Littlejohn
was not authorized under the applicable version of N.C. Gen. Stat.
§ 51-1 to solemnize the 1989 ceremony.
We do not agree with the trial court’s conclusion that N.C.
Gen. Stat. § 51-1.1 passed by our Legislature in 1981, the year
after Lynch was decided, renders the 1989 ceremony valid.
Specifically, the trial court correctly found that “the
Legislature passed N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 51-1.1 in 1981, prior to
the parties [sic] marriage, which expressly validated all
marriages performed by ministers of the Universal Life Church prior
to July 3, 1981[,]” but then erroneously concluded that “the effect
of [N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1.1] is to give legislative approval to
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marriages performed by ministers of the Universal Life Church[.]”
In other words, we believe the trial court erred by concluding
that our Legislature intended to give its approval to marriage
ceremonies performed by ministers of the Universal Life Church,
even if they were performed after 3 July 1981, because we believe
the express terms of the statute validated only those otherwise
voidable marriages solemnized by a minister of the Universal Life
Church before 3 July 1981. See Meza v. Div. of Soc. Servs., 364
N.C. 61, 66, 692 S.E.2d 96, 100 (2010) (stating that “[w]hen the
language of a statute is clear and without ambiguity, it is the
duty of this Court to give effect to the plain meaning of the
statute, and judicial construction of legislative intent is not
required”).
Indeed, in Fulton v. Vickery, this Court described N.C. Gen.
Stat. § 51-1.1 as a “curative statute.” 73 N.C. App. at 385, 326
S.E.2d at 357. In other words, by limiting the scope of the
statute only to those marriages performed prior to 3 July 1981,
the Legislature intended to provide relief to any “innocent” couple
whose marital status was suddenly put in doubt by the Lynch
decision. However, had the Legislature intended to validate
otherwise voidable marriages solemnized by the Universal Life
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Church for all time, it could have easily done so.5
In this case, since the trial court found that the parties
were married by Hawk Littlejohn on a date after 3 July 1981, the
curative effect of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1.1 would not apply.
Accordingly, the parties’ marriage – as based on the 1989 ceremony
– was voidable, and subject to attack in a direct proceeding
pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50-4.
2. Judicial Estoppel
Defendant argues that the trial court erred by concluding
that, even if the 1989 ceremony was voidable, Defendant was
judicially estopped from contesting its validity. We agree.
Our Supreme Court has stated that three factors are to be
considered in applying the doctrine of judicial estoppel: (1)
whether a party’s position in a legal proceeding is clearly
inconsistent with an earlier position taken in a legal proceeding;
(2) whether the party succeeded in persuading a court to accept
the party’s earlier position; and (3) whether the party seeking to
assert the inconsistent position would derive some unfair
5 There is no evidence in the record regarding the current criteria
for ordination in the Universal Life Church; and, accordingly, we
express no opinion about marriages that might have been solemnized
by other Universal Life Church ministers since Lynch. Further, we
express no opinion regarding the voidability of marriages
solemnized by a Universal Life Church minister under the current
version of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1.
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advantage or impose an unfair detriment on the opposing party.
Whitacre v. BioSignia, Inc., 358 N.C. 1, 29, 591 S.E.2d 870, 888-
89 (2004).
In this case, the trial court’s order does not contain any
finding that Defendant took the position in this or any other
judicial proceeding that the 1989 ceremony was valid. Rather, the
record reflects that Defendant denied in his initial pleading in
this action Plaintiff’s allegation that they were married in 1989.
Accordingly, we hold that the trial court erred by concluding that
Defendant was judicially estopped from contesting the validity of
the 1989 ceremony.
3. Equitable Estoppel
Defendant argues that the trial court erred by concluding
that he is equitably estopped from challenging the validity of the
1989 ceremony. Specifically, he argues that Plaintiff is barred
from asserting equitable estoppel because she has “unclean hands”
by having participated in the 1989 ceremony. Plaintiff, on the
other hand, argues that estoppel6 does apply in this case. In
6The trial court concluded that Defendant was “equitably estopped”
from challenging the validity of the 1989 ceremony. In the cases
cited by the parties, the reviewing courts employ both the
doctrines of “equitable estoppel” and “quasi-estoppel.” Our
Supreme Court has described “quasi-estoppel” as a “branch of
equitable estoppel” with the key distinction being that the former
“may operate without detrimental reliance on the part of the party
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support of their respective positions, each party has cited
opinions from this Court and our Supreme Court which address the
propriety of estopping a party from challenging the validity of a
void or voidable marriage. We have carefully reviewed these cases
and believe that the trial court correctly concluded that Defendant
was equitably estopped from challenging the validity of the 1989
ceremony.
Whether principles of estoppel apply “turn[s] on the
particular facts of each case.” Mayer, 66 N.C. App. at 535, 311
S.E.2d at 668. The application of estoppel in divorce actions in
North Carolina can be illustrated in three cases decided by this
Court, Hurston v. Hurston, 179 N.C. App. 809, 635 S.E.2d 451
(2006); Redfern v. Redfern, 49 N.C. App. 94, 270 S.E.2d 606 (1980);
and Mayer, supra, each of which involved (1) a wife seeking post-
marriage support from her husband; (2) the husband seeking to avoid
such obligation by asserting that the marriage was void based on
the fact that either he or his putative wife had failed to obtain
a valid divorce from a prior marriage; and (3) the wife contending
invoking the estoppel.” Whitacre, 358 N.C. at 18, 591 S.E.2d at
882. We believe that the distinction is insignificant in the
present case and believe that the cases considering either doctrine
are helpful in our resolution of this issue. See Mayer v. Mayer,
66 N.C. App. 522, 532-36, 311 S.E.2d 659, 666-69 (1984) (relying
on analyses in cases applying “equitable estoppel” though applying
“quasi-estoppel” principles).
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that her putative husband was estopped from contesting the validity
of their marriage. We compare each of these decisions below.
Hurston, a case relied upon by Defendant, involved facts at
one extreme of the spectrum. There, it was the wife who had been
previously married and who had obtained an invalid Dominican
Republic divorce. Therefore, we held in Hurston that the wife
could not assert estoppel because she had “unclean hands,”
reasoning that though her putative husband “might have been
negligent” by not ever questioning during the marriage the validity
of the wife’s first divorce, “it was the [wife] who did not obtain
the valid divorce decree before attempting to enter into another
marriage[,]” describing her as being “culpably negligent.”
Hurston, 179 N.C. App. at 815, 635 S.E.2d at 454. Accordingly, we
held that the husband was not equitably estopped from contesting
the validity of the marriage.
Redfern involved facts on the other extreme of the spectrum.
Specifically, in Redfern, it was the husband – and not the wife -
who had been previously married and had entered the second marriage
before, unbeknownst to his putative wife, the divorce decree from
his first marriage had been signed. This Court determined that
the husband was culpably negligent in failing to obtain a signed
divorce decree; and, therefore, he was estopped from contesting
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the validity of the second marriage as his defense to avoid paying
support to his putative wife. Redfern, 49 N.C. App. at 97, 270
S.E.2d 608-09.
The facts in Mayer fall between the extremes of Hurston and
Redfern. Like the wife in Hurston, the wife in Mayer had obtained
an invalid Dominican Republic divorce in an attempt to end her
first marriage. However, unlike the putative second husband in
Hurston, the putative second husband in Mayer was involved in
helping his wife obtain the invalid Dominican divorce from her
first husband. Specifically, the putative second husband had
insisted that his wife obtain the Dominican divorce and had
accompanied her there to help her obtain the divorce. The putative
second husband, nonetheless, argued that his wife should not be
able to assert estoppel since “the equities in this case weigh no
more heavily for [the wife] than for him since [inter alia] she
and he are in pari delicto [in that she participated equally with
him to obtain the Dominican divorce].” Mayer, 66 N.C. App. at
531, 311 S.E.2d at 666. This Court concluded that even though no
children had been born to the marriage and though the parties had
not been married for that long, the scales of equity still tipped
towards allowing the wife to assert estoppel to bar her putative
second husband’s defense to her claim for spousal support. Id. at
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66 N.C. App. at 535, 311 S.E.2d at 668. Specifically, this Court
stated that to allow a party to a marriage to challenge the
validity of that marriage where he was actively involved in
obtaining an invalid divorce for his putative spouse and which was
relied upon by his putative spouse would cause “matrimonial
uncertainty.” Id. We note that in Taylor v. Taylor, our Supreme
Court cited our analysis in Mayer with approval, quoting our
reasoning that “‘in spite of the criticism that the application of
a quasi-estoppel doctrine circumvents a state’s divorce law, it
would be even more inimical to our law and to our public policy to
permit [the husband] to avoid his marital obligations by acting
inconsistently with his prior conduct.” 321 N.C. 244, 250-51, 362
S.E.2d 542, 546-47 (1987) (citation omitted) (alteration in
original).
We believe that the facts in the present case – as found by
the trial court in the 2007 order - are most similar to the facts
in Mayer. Specifically, the findings suggest that both Plaintiff
and Defendant were equally negligent in relying on Hawk
Littlejohn’s credentials. Accordingly, we believe that the trial
court correctly applied the law in concluding that Defendant was
equitably estopped from challenging the validity of the 1989
ceremony.
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The scales of equity might have tipped towards Defendant had
the evidence shown that Plaintiff had actually known at the time
of the 1989 ceremony that Hawk Littlejohn was not authorized to
solemnize a North Carolina marriage or that she had misrepresented
to Defendant prior to the 1989 ceremony that she had engaged in
some due diligence to determine the validity of Hawk Littlejohn’s
credentials where she, in fact, had not done so. Further, had
Plaintiff not agreed to participate in the 2001 ceremony, the
scales of equity would have swayed against her, at least with
respect to any benefit she seeks in this action that relates to
the period of the marriage occurring after she had learned in 2001
that her marriage was voidable. However, there is no evidence in
the record indicating that Plaintiff was any more culpable than
the wife in Mayer. We note that Defendant has pled allegations
that might enhance Plaintiff’s culpability, including allegations
about her expertise in Native American culture and her desire and
insistence that she and Defendant participate in the traditional
Cherokee ceremony officiated by Hawk Littlejohn. However, there
is nothing in the Rule 9(c) statement indicating that any testimony
or other evidence was presented to the trial court regarding these
allegations. Rather, the Rule 9(c) statement simply recites that
the parties both testified and that the testimonial evidence
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supported many of the trial court’s findings in the 2007 order.
Accordingly, we affirm the trial court’s determination that
the date of marriage for purposes of this action is 15 October
1989. Further, because we hold that the trial court did not err
in concluding that 15 October 1989 was the date of marriage for
all matters related to this action, we necessarily hold that the
trial court did not err in basing all subsequent orders on that
date of marriage.
III. Dependent Spouse Determination
In his final argument, Defendant contends that, in its 31
March 2008 order, the trial court erred in making its conclusion
of law 2, which states as follows:
Taking into account the income and expenses of
the parties living as [a] family unit for the
several months prior [to] the separation of
the parties, . . . Plaintiff is without
sufficient means to maintain her accustomed
standard of living and . . . Plaintiff is,
therefore, a dependent spouse in that she is
actually substantially dependent
on . . . Defendant for her support as of the
date of separation. Further, given
that . . . Plaintiff’s income is not
sufficient to meet her monthly
expenses, . . . Plaintiff is substantially in
need of maintenance and support.
Defendant, however, makes no argument in his brief that any
specific findings in the order are not supported by competent
evidence. Defendant only nonspecifically argues that “the trial
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court erred in its legal conclusion #2 that . . . [P]laintiff is
‘actually substantially dependent on . . . Defendant for her
support as of the date of separation,’ . . . as that conclusion
was based on a finding that is not supported by the evidence.”
“Findings of fact to which no error is assigned ‘are presumed to
be supported by competent evidence and are binding on appeal.’”
Pascoe v. Pascoe, 183 N.C. App. 648, 650, 645 S.E.2d 156, 157
(2007) (citation omitted). This Court has held that when an
appellant, as here, fails to argue specifically in his brief that
contested findings of fact were unsupported by the evidence, any
such argument is abandoned. Peters v. Pennington, 210 N.C. App.
1, 16, 707 S.E.2d 724, 735 (2011) (citation omitted). Since
Defendant made no argument as to which, if any, of the findings of
fact in the trial court’s 31 March 2008 order were unsupported,
“this Court is therefore bound to accept as true the information
therein.” Pascoe, 183 N.C. App. at 651, 645 S.E.2d at 158
(citation omitted). We have nevertheless reviewed the relevant
findings of fact and conclude that they are supported by competent
record evidence and are binding on appeal. Therefore, we hold
that the trial court did not err in finding Plaintiff to be
actually substantially dependent on Defendant, and Defendant’s
argument to the contrary is without merit.
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AFFIRMED.
Judge DAVIS concurs.
Judge McGEE concurs in result with separate opinion.
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NO. COA12-399-2
NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS
Filed: 18 February 2014
BARBARA R. DUNCAN
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v. Macon County
No. 05 CVD 338
JOHN H. DUNCAN,
Defendant-Appellant.
McGEE, Judge, concurring in result with separate opinion.
I concur in Section II A. 3., Equitable Estoppel, and in
Section III, Dependent Spouse Determination, of the majority’s
opinion. I agree that the trial court did not err in ruling that
Defendant was equitably estopped from denying 15 October 1989 as
the date of marriage. I write separately because I believe the
remainder of Section II of the majority opinion is dicta, which
unnecessarily, and perhaps erroneously, addresses issues better
left to future panels of this Court, should these issues again
arise.
I.
Though I do not believe we need to, or should, address any
issues beyond equitable estoppel in Section II, I am concerned
with the statement of the majority that “Defendant met his high
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burden [of] show[ing] that Hawk Littlejohn was not authorized under
the applicable version of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1 to solemnize the
1989 ceremony.” I am not at all certain Defendant met his burden
in this regard, and would much prefer we not address this issue in
dicta.
Initially, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1, a marriage
ceremony results in a valid marriage if, inter alia, it is
conducted “[i]n the presence of a minister authorized by a
church[.]” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1 (2013). Though I tend to agree
with the majority opinion that Hawk Littlejohn’s association with
the Universal Life Church does not satisfy the requirements of
N.C.G.S. § 51-1 in light of precedent of this Court and our Supreme
Court, the majority fails to consider Hawk Littlejohn’s
uncontested status as a Cherokee Medicine Man.
The trial court made the following relevant findings of fact
in its 15 October 2007 order:
10. That, on . . . October 15th, 1989, . . .
Plaintiff and Defendant participated in a
marriage ceremony performed by Hawk
Littlejohn, a Cherokee Medicine Man;
. . . .
12. That the ceremony was attended by friends
and family, had several sweat lodges, there
was an exchange of corn and blankets, bagpipes
were played and the exchanging of gold wedding
bands took place. Further, . . . Defendant
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wore a kilt for the ceremony;
. . . .
27. That the parties in this case expressed
their solemn intent to marry at a traditional
Cherokee ceremony attended by family and
friends[.]
. . . .
29. That . . . Defendant failed to produce any
evidence or offer controlling law that Hawk
Littlejohn was not . . . "authorized by his
church" to perform weddings in accordance with
the traditions of the Cherokee Indian Nation
or in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 51-
1.
Defendant does not challenge the portion of finding of fact
twenty-nine that states: “Defendant failed to produce any evidence
or offer controlling law that Hawk Littlejohn was not
. . . ‘authorized by his church’ to perform weddings in accordance
with the traditions of the Cherokee Indian Nation or in accordance
with N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 51-1.” Because Defendant does not
challenge this portion of finding of fact twenty-nine, it is
binding on appeal. Bethea v. Bethea, 43 N.C. App. 372, 374, 258
S.E.2d 796, 798 (1979). Further, Defendant does not argue on
appeal that Hawk Littlejohn, as a Cherokee Medicine Man, was not
authorized to perform weddings. Having failed to challenge this
finding, or the conclusions based upon it, Defendant has abandoned
any such challenge. N.C.R. App. P. 28(b)(6) (“Assignments of error
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not set out in the appellant's brief, or in support of which no
reason or argument is stated or authority cited, will be taken as
abandoned.”); Dogwood Dev. & Mgmt. Co., LLC v. White Oak Transp.
Co., 362 N.C. 191, 200, 657 S.E.2d 361, 367 (2008).
Because Defendant has failed to challenge the validity of the
1989 marriage based on one of the grounds found by the trial court
in support of its ruling, Defendant has abandoned that challenge.
I therefore disagree with the majority opinion’s statement that
“Defendant met his high burden [of] show[ing] that Hawk Littlejohn
was not authorized under the applicable version of N.C. Gen. Stat.
§ 51-1 to solemnize the 1989 ceremony” on this ground as well.
I would also note that the issue of whether Hawk Littlejohn,
or another Native American religious figure, could validly perform
marriages pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 51-1 before it’s amendment on 1
October 2001 has never been answered by our appellate courts. In
dissenting from the majority opinion in Pickard, supra, that a
marriage performed by Hawk Littlejohn in 1991 was valid through
the application of judicial estoppel, the dissenting judge made
the argument that the marriage was valid as performed, due in part
to Hawk Littlejohn’s status as a Cherokee Medicine Man. Pickard,
176 N.C. App. at 203-04, 625 S.E.2d at 876. Though the dissent in
Pickard does not constitute controlling law, the argument included
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therein has never been directly addressed in North Carolina, and
the majority does not address it here, though the trial court in
this matter ruled the 1989 marriage valid, in part, for similar
reasons.
II.
Finally, though not an issue argued on this appeal, I disagree
with the definitive statement of the majority declaring the 1989
ceremony invalid, and thus the resulting marriage “voidable,”
because I recognize a possibility, as of yet undecided by any
appellate court of this state, that the 1989 ceremony resulted in
a valid marriage by action of statute.
Our General Assembly, on 10 May 2001, approved legislation to
amend N.C.G.S. § 51-1 and other statutes (“the Act”). The Act was
titled, in part: “MARRIAGE—LICENSING—SOLEMNIZATION[:] AN ACT TO
AMEND THE MARRIAGE STATUTES TO BROADEN THE LIST OF PERSONS
AUTHORIZED TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGES; TO VALIDATE A MARRIAGE LICENSED
AND SOLEMNIZED BY A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBE OR NATION[.]”
2001 North Carolina Laws S.L. 2001-62 (H.B. 142) (emphasis added).
By Section 1 of H.B. 142, N.C.G.S. § 51-1 was amended in part to
read:
A valid and sufficient marriage is created by
the consent of a male and female person who
may lawfully marry, presently to take each
other as husband and wife, freely, seriously
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and plainly expressed by each in the presence
of the other, either:
(1) a. In the presence of an ordained
minister of any religious denomination,
a minister authorized by a church, or a
magistrate; and
b. With the consequent declaration by the
minister or magistrate that the persons
are husband and wife; or
(2) In accordance with any mode of
solemnization recognized by any
religious denomination, or federally or
State recognized Indian Nation or Tribe.
N.C.G.S. § 51-1 (emphasis added).
The relevant enacting language of H.B. 142 is as follows:
“[Section 1] of this act becomes effective October 1, 2001.” 2001
North Carolina Laws S.L. 2001-62 (H.B. 142), Section 18. Because
the Act was enacted in part to validate marriages performed in
accordance with recognized Native American nations or tribes, and
because there is no temporal restriction in the enacting language7,
I would not declare the 1989 marriage in this matter invalid and
voidable, and would not imply that other marriage ceremonies
performed in a similar manner before 1 October 2001, are invalid
and therefore voidable.
7 For example, the General Assembly could have used language
similar to “The remainder of this act applies to marriage
ceremonies performed on or after October 1, 2001,” but did not.
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I therefore limit my concurrence in Section II to the
following: Assuming, arguendo, the 1989 marriage ceremony was
invalid, and the resulting marriage was voidable, Defendant is
equitably estopped from denying the validity of that marriage.