Connection lost
Server error
Marriage of McReath v. McReath Case Brief
Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs
Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.
Adaptive Case Views
Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.
Exam-Ready IRAC Format
We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.
Complex Cases, Clarified
We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.
Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: A court included an orthodontist’s entire salable professional goodwill in the marital estate. It held that also basing a maintenance award on income from the practice was not impermissible “double counting,” affirming a substantial award to the non-professional spouse.
Legal Significance: Establishes that salable professional goodwill, including personal goodwill, is a divisible marital asset in Wisconsin. Clarifies that including an income-producing asset in a property division and also considering its income stream for maintenance does not constitute impermissible “double counting.”
Marriage of McReath v. McReath Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Timothy (Tim) and Tracy McReath divorced after a long-term marriage during which Tim became an orthodontist and acquired a practice, Orthodontic Specialists. Tracy, who had a high school education, was primarily a homemaker and supported Tim’s professional development. Tim purchased the practice for $930,000, with the majority of the price attributed to intangible assets like the seller’s name and a non-compete agreement, which are elements of professional goodwill. At the time of divorce, the practice was highly profitable, generating an average net cash flow for Tim of nearly $700,000 annually. The trial court valued the practice at $1,058,000, a figure that included its professional goodwill, and awarded it to Tim as part of an equal property division that required him to make a large equalization payment to Tracy. The court also awarded Tracy maintenance of $16,000 per month based on Tim’s earning capacity from the practice. Tim appealed, arguing that the personal component of the goodwill was not a divisible asset and that its value was impermissibly “double counted” in the property division and the maintenance award.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Did the circuit court err by including the entire value of a professional practice’s salable goodwill in the marital estate and then using the income generated from that same practice to calculate a maintenance award?
No, the circuit court did not err. The court affirmed the inclusion Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
IRAC Legal Analysis
Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Did the circuit court err by including the entire value of a professional practice’s salable goodwill in the marital estate and then using the income generated from that same practice to calculate a maintenance award?
Conclusion
This case solidifies the "salability" test for professional goodwill as a marital Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit es
Legal Rule
Under Wisconsin law, the entire value of salable professional goodwill is a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mol
Legal Analysis
The Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected the appellant's request to adopt a distinction Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolor
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- The entire value of salable professional goodwill, including personal goodwill, is