A Mississippi woman has secured sole ownership of her 432-acre property valued at $1.2 million after a state appeals court dismissed her former husband's claims to the asset, according to reporting by Times of India — Top Stories.
The Mississippi Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court's decision granting Ellen Harrison complete possession of Butler Road Farm following her divorce from Wiley Harrison. The judicial panel determined that the real estate constitutes non-marital property because she acquired the land prior to their marriage.
Pre-Marriage Purchase Affirmed
Ellen Harrison purchased the expansive 432-acre acreage in 1994, well before marrying Wiley Harrison. During the divorce proceedings, the trial court reviewed the timeline of the transaction and classified the land as separate property owned exclusively by Ellen Harrison.
Wiley Harrison contested that determination, seeking to classify the multimillion-dollar holding as a marital asset. He appealed the lower court's division of assets, arguing that the land should be subject to equitable distribution between the former spouses.
Rejection of Financial Contribution Claims
In his challenge before the appellate court, Wiley Harrison claimed that financial connections and alleged contributions made during the course of the relationship warranted reclassifying the farm as marital property. He asserted that these ties established an ownership interest in the acreage.
However, the Mississippi Court of Appeals scrutinized the submitted evidence and rejected his arguments. The judges ruled that the alleged financial contributions did not demonstrate ownership or alter the original character of the real estate. By upholding the previous decree, the court confirmed that the pre-marital acquisition shielded the land from being divided in the divorce settlement.
