Marriage of Bradley and Lind
This action involves the interpretation of language in paragraph 7.4.1 of a premarital agreement between appellant Beatriz Laurentine Lind (Laura) and respondent William Robert Bradley (Robert)[1] that detailed the parties' rights regarding certain real property owned by Robert.
The premarital agreement also provided that Laura would receive $3 million from Robert shortly after the marriage. Approximately six months after the parties married it was decided that a house would not be built on the property described in paragraph 7.4.1.
Robert filed an action for martial dissolution in December 2003.
Thereafter, Robert brought a motion for summary adjudication seeking to have the property located on Camino Sierra del Sur in Rancho Santa Fe (the Rancho Santa Fe property) declared to not be the joint residence and for a finding that Laura was not entitled to any money or damages from the sale of property located on Tierra Del Sur in San Diego (the Tierra Del Sur property). The motion for summary adjudication was denied and the case was thereafter set for trial.
Prior to the commencement of trial, both parties filed motions in limine regarding the admissibility of parol evidence to interpret paragraph 7.4.1. Robert sought to prohibit the use of parol evidence in construing that paragraph. Laura's motion in limine argued that (1) the disputed provision of the premarital agreement was unclear and ambiguous, and (2) therefore parol evidence should be admitted.
Comments on Marriage of Bradley and Lind