Applegate v. Applegate

In Applegate v. Applegate, 219 Neb. 532, 365 N.W.2d 394 (1985) the wife contended that she had made substantial contributions to nonmarital property and that as a result, such property should have been included in the marital estate. The Applegate court said: "Vera's contributions to the operation of the property were typical of a wife of a farmer-cattle raiser. Occasionally, she would help Robert with branding, dehorning, calving, sorting out, feeding, weed burning, irrigation, fencing, putting up hay, and resetting irrigation pipe. Her efforts, though not to be minimized, did not contribute directly to any preservation of or increase in value of the property." (Id. at 536, 365 N.W.2d at 397.) In that case, the record contained no showing of the time or effort expended, other than court appearances, and the court affirmed a $ 1,000 attorney fee as adequate in view of the trial court's discretion.