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AP Photo/Marilyn Newton, The Gazette-Journal
Nevada First Lady Dawn Gibbons confers with her attorney, Cal Dunlap, before a court hearing in Reno on Monday, Dec. 28, 2009, on the settlement of her divorce from Gov. Jim Gibbons. The divorce trial was due to start Monday morning just as the settlement was made.
Published Monday, Dec. 28, 2009 | 5:43 a.m.
Updated Monday, Dec. 28, 2009 | 11:53 a.m.
Gov. Jim Gibbons gets a smile on his face just before answering whether he thought the settlement in his divorce case was equitable during a court hearing in Reno on Monday Dec. 28, 2009, regarding his divorce from Dawn Gibbons. After the smile he told the judge he did think it was fair.
Sun Archives
- Dawn Gibbons' story: First lady talks about divorce, humiliation, fears (12-6-2009)
- Gov. Jim Gibbons says divorce is on (12-18-2009)
- Gibbons not living at the Mansion (4-26-2008)
- Gibbons: No decision on personal life (3-10-2008)
- Fallout feared in Gibbonses split (2-29-2007)
- More questions raised about Gibbons (3-31-2007)
Sun Coverage
Gov. Jim Gibbons and first lady Dawn Gibbons reached a settlement in their divorce Monday as they were preparing to begin a four-day public trial.
Lawyers and the first couple met with a judge in a Reno courtroom before announcing an agreement had been reached after months of legal wrangling and marathon negotiations.
"This matter is settled," Gary Silverman, the governor's lawyer, told Washoe District Family Court Judge Frances Doherty. If the judge approves the agreement, Gibbons will be the first Nevada governor to get a divorce while in office.
The couple agreed to split their Reno home and 40 acres in scenic Lamoille in Elko County, lawyers said. Each has a net value of about $575,000.
The property was a contentious issue in the negotiations, according to court documents. Gibbons had wanted to give his wife their Reno home, and keep the Elko property.
Under the agreement, the governor will get to keep a 1914 Model T car. The first lady will get a 1915 Model T.
Silverman said other details, like divvying up furniture, will be discussed at another settlement conference Monday afternoon.
During Monday's court hearing, Gibbons joked with a longtime newspaper photographer, saying, "Get my best side, would you?"
The 65-year-old governor filed for divorce in May 2008. He cited incompatibility with his wife of 23 years, and in one court document his attorney compared her to an "enraged ferret."
Under terms of the divorce laid out in court, Dawn Gibbons would get a lump $275,000 payment within 60 days, representing half of the value of the 40 acres the couple own in Lamoille, outside Elko. Once she gets that payment, she'll leave the apartment on the grounds of the governor's residence where she has been staying.
She would also get $1,454 from Gibbons' various pensions (he was an airline pilot and receives a federal pension from his time in Congress.) On top of that, for the next five years she would get 25 percent of his gross monthly income. Recent court documents filed in the divorce put his monthly pre-tax income at $16,700.
Interspersed with those details were how other possessions accumlated over 23 years of marriage. The issue of how to divide furniture was still unresolved, but lawyers for both parties said it would be resolved. Other issues were simpler.
"He would get the guns, she would get the art," said her lawyer, Cal Dunlap.
"The guns to the husband," confirmed Gibbons' lawyer, Silverman.
"The guns to the husband," reconfirmed Dunlap.
Gibbons' lawyer called on the governor to state if he understood all of the terms of the divorce, if he had any questions, if it was "fair and equitable." Gibbons paused. He chuckled. "Yes," he said finally.
Dawn Gibbons hugged a group of women who had shown up at the Reno courtroom to support her. Dawn Gibbons, who will keep her ex-husband's last name, said she will be a private citizen, though still active with causes she's close to.
"I wish him the very best, and I was honored to be first lady for three years," she said after the hearing. "I did not want to dishonor the state, and I think settling this avoids that."
Governor Gibbons walked out of the courtroom holding a banker's box of legal documents and declined to stop to answer questions.
"I have no comment to make," he said. "This is over and finished, and I'm happy to have it over and finished."
Dawn Gibbons, 55, accused her husband of infidelity and of using her to foster his political ambitions. She accused her husband of having affairs with a Playboy model and the estranged wife of a Reno doctor.
The women denied being romantically involved with the governor and described their relationships as "good friends," but one relationship caused Gibbons political embarrassment after it was revealed he used his state-issued cell phone to send more than 860 personal text messages over several weeks in 2007. When word of the texting emerged, Gibbons apologized and said he reimbursed the state $130.
He also denied the messages were "love notes" to the doctor's wife and sent his lawyers to court to prevent them from being made public.
... and we care because...?
This should liven up a slow news week.
The big news story of 2010, after Harry Reid's re-election;
"The Ensign Affair: How a U.S. Senator from Nevada came to be charged with multiple felonies and face censure from the Senate."
It's just a divorce, it happens.
"The Ensign Affair: How a U.S. Senator from Nevada came to be charged with multiple felonies and face censure from the Senate."
If neither happens does that mean you run into the streets with underwear on your head shouting...."I am a crazed lib koolaid drinker" ...."I am a crazed lib koolaid drinker" ...."I am a crazed lib koolaid drinker"
The little monkey Gibbons has to give up some of his Bananas Boo Hoo...
Gosh, they had property values at a little over a Million - it aint like it was Tiger's property and money.....and for that they couldnt agree how to split everything? I did my divorce on a cocktail knapkin, saved the lawyer fees and it was done in an hour..not a year like this one...no wonder the courts are backed up...
Mama always said you're bound to mistakes -- just don't repeat them.
: p
Gibbons' sanctity of marriage pronouncements exempt his multiple probable adulteries. Despite reference to G-d, he ignores direct references to same. After all, if you believe the bible, it does state that G-d wrote the tablets of the ten commandments himself, one of which is
THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
But then according to Gibbons' behavior, these rules are only for others. He is too important to be impeded by them. Or, is he a crypto-atheist?
is that little gibbons monkey sleeping with anybody these days???
is the guest list at the governor's mansion public information???
anybody check his text messages lately???
hey jimmy boy...
did you read the police report???
did you read the police report???
did you read the police report???
This is GREAT news! Now, Jim can focus more attention to putting more Nevadans out of a job.
Only 155 days until the Republican primary for Governor!
I would feel safer if she would have gotten the guns.
Idiots should never be allowed to own guns.
Art, yes, but not firearms.
Hey Sarge....did 'ya happen to catch a drunk Max Baucus on the Sinate floor? http://www.politico.com/click/stories/09...
'Ya just gotta see it to believe it. 'Ya know - the one who Gried develop our new healthcare program...
Well the Story of the Great State of Nevada Continues. May GOD shed is grace on thee.
Another republican hypocrit. How come we don't hear Sean Insannity or Rush Limpbough (3x married and divorced) mention Gibbons? Like the do Clinton.
Gibbons is the greatest embarassment Nevada has seen in recent history.
He is far from a great gov, but this isn't my business, and if you like him or hate him, his relationship with his wife had no impact on how he has performed as the leader of our state.
@travislv86
I disagree with you. How a man treats a woman, whatever the relationship is to him, whether it's his mother, his wife, his girlfriend, his daughter--speaks volumes as to what kind of man he is.
The fact that this guy is our governor, at least in northern Nevada, is just embarrassing for all Nevadans.
Desertfox I agree with; you? Not at all. And he hasn't "performed" as a governor. Or a husband.
And the cabaret goes on GOD what a joke this state is!!! What is wrong with us why do we elect these idiots? It must be a reflection of the idiots that WE are!!!
"How a man treats a woman, whatever the relationship is to him, whether it's his mother, his wife, his girlfriend, his daughter--speaks volumes as to what kind of man he is."
I guess you have a very very very low regard for Clinton.
JohnnyTwoFingaz I suggest you do a little research and find out who Dawn Gibbons was before she married Jim. She was a very successful business woman and gave it up to support Jims' ambitions and career. I am also glad you think the child that Dawn and Jim have together is "nothing", Dawn thinks otherwise and loves her son very much, ask Jim the last time he has spoken to or seen his son.
However, I am glad to see that you think Jim isn't a very bright man since he wasn't able to see that Dawn was a "golddigger" before he married her <saracasm insterted>
I will also add that Dawn should be retained as First Lady of Nevada. She has raised millions of dollars for local charities. Who will help Nevada charities now? The whores that Jim is running around with? I doubt it. They are only interested in having their famlies at the Mansion for Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner on our dime!
So save your "golddigger" comments for the real golddiggers.
She didn't get much to be a gold digger. After 23 years and all of a sudden they don't like each other? Think something else was the issue.
On another note: I think the straight population has a lot more to worry about than gay people ruining that so called "sanctity of marriage". You heterosexuals are destroying that beloved institution and sullying that cause all on your own. With a 50% divorce rate what's left for gay people to ruin?
Thank goodness Dawn is done with the Victim act.Nice to see a graceful quote from her for a change. She acted like she was poor, and deprived, having to sleep in the guest house and having security cancelled for her private workout sessions at the gym.
Dawn, what did you do with that 29k dress you bought while most Nevadans were losing their jobs ?
Enough already with her belief of Entitlement...which seemed to appear everyday... even in their better days. Any man would be sick of it.I would have lost respect for her and sought my needs elsewhere too. Afterall, the man is human.
JohnnyTwoFingaz,
Learn to use Google. Took all of 10 seconds to find the businesses she owned when they got married. He was just a pilot for Delta when they got married, he was not rich. He brought nothing but a pilots salary to the marriage and she brought her businesses.
I know, don't let facts get in the way of a good rant.
desertfox, he is the second biggest embarassment, Reid takes the cake on that one. His ads stating (lieing) about saving City Center and creating 41k jobs in Nevada and cramming this healthcare bs down our throat. That is a true embarassment for our state. No one cares about nasty divorces, just about our dirty politicians screwing us in the backside!
What is it with these elected officals can't they keep their hands off other women. This people run are government?
I was wondering ,,HMMM,, If Dawn was so successful and Gov. Jim was just a Delta pilot,, And some say or I take it that his job was "oh hes just a pilot" and she the one that makes the real money kinda attitude",, then why is she getting a portion of his pension from being just some pilot...That goofy whackjob is like most women,, looking to get whats not even thiers and then some..And of course we got to have the gay divorce rate at 0% since the gays cant get married ,,,DUH!!!..By all means who gives a rats ass anyways.. If it was anybody that was nobody then this wouldnt be anything newsworthy...Not that it is...At least he got the firearms.....
Oh great. Now, instead of the little monkey not doing anything for Nevada, he is now going to still do nothing for Nevada and start trolling with his "friends".
sincitygal,, thats why he got to retain the firearms... Hes got to use something to get the hoes up to the mansion...