Steven Palin v. Joanne Palin

Summary

The Rhode Island Supreme Court affirmed the Family Court’s decision that the student loans taken out by JoAnne Palin for the children’s education are not marital debt, and held that JoAnne’s appeal of the amended decision pending entry of final judgment was timely. The Court applied de novo review to the procedural appeal issue and gave deference to the trial justice’s factual findings on the debt issue.