Shewbridge v. Shewbridge

Rule of Law:

Under Louisiana Civil Code article 121, a party in a divorce proceeding may be awarded a sum for financial contributions made during the marriage to the education or training of their spouse, to the extent that the contributions increased the spouse's earning power and the claimant did not benefit from that increased power during the marriage.

Facts:

• Beverly D. Nugent Shewbridge and Anthol William Shewbridge, Jr. married in December 1987.
• At the time of the marriage, Mr. Shewbridge was an unemployed student studying aviation science at Northwestern State University.
• During the marriage, Mrs. Shewbridge worked, at one point holding two jobs, and her income was used for the couple's living expenses.
• The parties agreed that Mrs. Shewbridge would work while Mr. Shewbridge attended school, and he would later support her while she completed her nursing degree.
• Mr. Shewbridge's father also provided substantial monthly financial support to his son before and during the marriage for education and living expenses.
• Mr. Shewbridge received his commercial pilot's license in August 1992, at which point his father's financial support ceased.
• The couple separated in 1993, before Mrs. Shewbridge could realize any shared benefit from Mr. Shewbridge's increased earning potential as a pilot.

Procedural Posture:

• During their divorce proceedings, Beverly D. Nugent Shewbridge filed a claim in a Louisiana trial court against Anthol William Shewbridge, Jr. seeking reimbursement for contributions to his education.
• The trial court found in favor of Mrs. Shewbridge and awarded her $15,314.30 plus legal interest from the date of judicial demand.
• Mr. Shewbridge, the defendant, appealed the trial court's judgment to the Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit, making him the appellant and Mrs. Shewbridge the appellee.