Wife Lost Bonus and Fees Dispute.
In Schnopp v. Schnopp, Case No. B236111 (2d Dist., Div. 6 Sept. 5, 2012) (unpublished), wife lost the merits of her claim that stock options based on performance constituted a bonus for which additional child support compensation was due, The trial court found that marital settlement agreement to be vague and considered extrinsic evidence to construe the applicable provisions, crediting some percipient witnesses about the performance-based nature of the options. The lower court also denied wife’s fee request based on hardship, reciting that husband had been unemployed for a while.
The appellate court affirmed the lower court’s contractual interpretation of the MSA as well as the fee denial order