Current through 2024 Regular Session legislation effective June 6, 2024
Section 107.452 - Reopening case if assets discovered after entry of judgment(1) A court that entered a judgment of marital annulment, dissolution or separation shall reopen the case upon the motion of either party if the moving party alleges that significant assets belonging to either or both of the parties: (a) Existed at the time of the entry of the judgment; and(b) Were not discovered until after the entry of the judgment.(2) If the court finds that the assets were inadvertently omitted from the distribution of the marital estate, the court shall make such distribution of the omitted assets as is just and proper in all the circumstances.(3) If the court finds that the assets were intentionally concealed and thereby not included in the distribution of the marital estate, the court may order: (a) The division of the appreciated value of the omitted assets;(b) The forfeiture of the omitted assets to the injured party;(c) A compensatory judgment in favor of the injured party;(d) A judgment in favor of the injured party as punitive damages; or(e) Any other distribution as may be just and proper in all the circumstances.(4) The court may award attorney fees on any motion filed pursuant to this section. The court shall award attorney fees to the moving party if the court finds that assets were intentionally concealed and thereby not included in the distribution of the marital estate.(5)(a) A motion alleging inadvertent omission of assets must be filed within two years after the date of discovery of the omission but no later than three years after the entry of the judgment.(b) A motion alleging intentional concealment of assets must be filed within two years after the date of discovery of the omission but no later than 10 years after the entry of the judgment.(6) A motion under this section may be filed with and decided by the trial court during the time an appeal from a judgment is pending before an appellate court. The moving party shall serve a copy of the motion on the appellate court. The moving party shall file a copy of the trial court's order in the appellate court within seven days after the date of the trial court order. Any necessary modification of the appeal required by the trial court order shall be pursuant to rule of the appellate court.