Husband solves a community property puzzle

The Wheel of Fortune spun and a divorced husband and wife are going to share the prize. Scott Dole will need to share the $51,600 jackpot he won on the popular game show with his ex-wife Carrie Dole.

The question before family court Judge James Rulli involved whether or not Scott’s Wheel of Fortune winnings constituted community property that needed to be shared equally between husband and wife or if the money belonged solely to Scott. Like Wisconsin, the law of the Doles’ home state provides for an equal distribution of assets in a divorce.

Carrie Dole had filed for divorce long before the game show appearance by her husband, but the couple had reconciled their differences at the time the show was filmed. Carrie Dole was living with her husband as a married couple and even traveled with him, staying in the same hotel room during the Wheel of Fortune taping.

Judge Rulli found that the prize money was community property subject to the 50-50 community property law and ordered the winnings to be split equally between the two, saying that it appeared the couple really wanted to be together before and after the prize was won.

At the trial, Scott Dole insisted that he should be allowed to keep the entire jackpot because his wife owed him for her share of an inheritance left to Scott by his late father. The money eventually went toward the purchase of a home.

A film segment showed the couple hugging enthusiastically on camera after the winning appearance. At the time, Carrie Dole testified that she had requested her attorney withdraw the divorce petition.

The $46,988 after-tax final amount was placed in an escrow account pending the outcome of the judge’s decision.

Source: The Seattle Times, “‘Wheel of Fortune’ jackpot split 50-50 in divorce,” Laura McVicker, 5/26/2011