Marriage of Bentley CA6
Diana Bentley appeals from a judgment dissolving her marriage to Alexander Bentley following a trial held in her absence. She challenges the denial of a motion to reconsider issues decided at trial, the denial of permanent spousal support, and the imposition of sanctions under Family Code section 271. For the reasons stated here, we find no error in the trial court conducting the trial in appellant’s absence. But we conclude that the trial court abused its discretion when it set permanent support at zero without considering all factors enumerated in Family Code section 4320. We also conclude the trial court abused its discretion by imposing sanctions under Family Code section 271 for discovery violations already sanctioned and for not appearing with counsel at scheduling conferences. We will therefore reverse the judgment with directions to reconsider spousal support and sanctions applying the proper legal standards.
Comments on Marriage of Bentley CA6