Grandell v. Grandell

── Grandell v. Grandell ── Court: Court of Appeals of Arizona Date: May 13, 2026 Category: General NOTICE: NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. UNDER ARIZONA RULE OF THE SUPREME COURT 111(c), THIS DECISION IS NOT PRECEDENTIAL AND MAY BE CITED ONLY AS AUTHORIZED BY RULE. IN THE ARIZONA COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE In re the Matter of: JULIANE RENEE GRANDELL, Petitioner/Appellee, v. CHRISTIAN LEE GRANDELL, Respondent/Appellant. No. 1 CA-CV 25-0695 FC FILED 05-13-2026 Appeal from the Superior Court in Mohave County No. S8015DO202301190 The Honorable Kenneth Gregory, Judge Pro Tempore VACATED AND REMANDED COUNSEL Juliane Renee Grandell, Rock Hill, New York Petitioner/Appellee Reardon House Colton PLC, Scottsdale By Taylor S. House Counsel for Respondent/Appellant  GRANDELL v. GRANDELL Decision of the Court MEMORANDUM DECISION Judge James B. Morse Jr. delivered the decision of the Court, in which Presiding Judge Andrew M. Jacobs and Judge Brian Y. Furuya joined. M O R S E, Judge: ¶1 Christian Grandell ("Husband") appeals the superior court's decree of dissolution and its denial of his motion to alter or amend the decree. We vacate and remand for further proceedings consistent with this decision. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND ¶2 Husband and Juliane Grandell ("Wife") married in 2001. During the marriage, the parties acquired a 50% ownership interest in FPS Medical Center ("the business"). In November of 2023, Husband and his business partner sold the business for $300,000. In December of 2023, Wife filed for dissolution of marriage. The equitable distribution of the proceeds from the sale of the business became the main issue in the dissolution proceedings. ¶3 In December of 2024, the superior court held a bench trial over the equitable distribution of the community's assets and related issues. At trial, Wife's expert witness testified the business was worth $1,027,000 when it sold in November of 2023. Husband's expert testified that the business was worth its sale price, $300,000, in November of 2023. Husband's business partner also testified at trial regarding the reasons for the sale. Additionally, Husband's business partner explained that she and Husband remained entitled to any outstanding payments owed to the business at the time of sale. She further testified that these residual payments were at least $116,000. ¶4 After the trial, the superior court entered a decree of dissolution. Among other things, the decree found the value of the business to be $300,000 and specified that Husband did not commit waste or sell the business for too little. The decree also assigned "any tax liability or debt owed from this business" to Husband. The decree assigned Husband a 2014 Ford F-150 valued at $17,600 and assigned Wife a 2004 Nissan Frontier valued at $4,300. Additionally, the decree awarded Wife a $150,000 lump 2  GRANDELL v. GRANDELL Decision of the Court sum equalization payment for "the Bobrow claim, the differences in allocation of community property, and the need for Wife to be paid out from the sale of the business." ¶5 Husband moved to alter or amend the decree of dissolution, arguing that the superior court failed to divide the parties' community property equitably by assigning Husband responsibility for all the business's tax liabilities and debts, and incorrectly dividing the business sale proceeds. Wife responded and defended the decree of dissolution. The superior court denied Husband's motion to alter or amend. Husband timely a