The Olar Case (Colorado 1987) Olor (Colorado 1987) = 0 FACTS = Husband obtained doctorate degree in physiology during marriage with the financial support from his wife. Marriage dissolved shortly after his graduation and wife wanted to recoup her investment in husband's degree. Husband acquired a Ph.D. in a physical science during a marriage. They divorced right at the point when he was completing his dissertation. This couple had not yet accumulated any marital property. However, the wife wanted a share of the value of his degree and, in a sense, she wanted a return on her investment. She had been supporting him during the marriage. He had contributed some money during the marriage through an inheritance. The wife, however, is saying that she paid in thinking she was going to get the benefits of the degree and now the marriage is over, so the wife believes she should get some kind of payback. 0 PROCEDURAL HISTORY = Professional degree is not property capable of division. The court looks to a precedent and affirms this case. The court states this degree isn't property they can divide and isn't viewed as marital property itself. Problems with other possible remedies are as follows: Very little accumulated property. Alimony is traditionally not available if petitioning spouse is capable of self-support. The wife demonstrates she was quite capable of self-support in the case. The wife argues there is no other property and she can't get a lopsided portion of other property that we've accumulated because they haven't accumulated much property- Then what is the resolution? The court states they think the alimony statute is Colorado is flexible enough, capable of appropriate support under the circumstances, and remands so the trial court can reconsider the availability of spousal support alimony for this woman in light of the contribution she made to the husband's success