Michael B. Reis, Jr. v. Mandy Pohlmann Reis

Headline: Appellate Court Affirms $1.2 Million Valuation of Husband's Business Interest in Community Property Partition

Citation:

Court: Louisiana Supreme Court · Filed: 2026-03-06 · Docket: 2025-C-00539
Published
Outcome: Defendant Win
Impact Score: 40/100 — Low-moderate impact: This case addresses specific legal issues with limited broader application.
Legal Topics: community-propertydivorceproperty-valuationexpert-testimonyappellate-reviewmotion-for-new-trial

Case Summary

This case involves a dispute between Michael B. Reis, Jr. and Mandy Pohlmann Reis regarding the partition of community property following their divorce. The primary issue was the valuation of Michael's interest in a company called 'The Reis Group, L.L.C.' (TRG). The trial court accepted the valuation provided by Mandy's expert, Mr. Robert Barnett, which valued Michael's interest at $1,200,000. Michael appealed, arguing that the trial court erred in accepting this valuation and in denying his motion for a new trial. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment. It found no manifest error in the trial court's decision to accept Mr. Barnett's valuation, noting that the trial court has broad discretion in weighing expert testimony. The court also found no abuse of discretion in the denial of Michael's motion for a new trial, as the evidence presented did not meet the criteria for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence or a miscarriage of justice. Therefore, the original judgment partitioning the community property based on the $1,200,000 valuation of TRG was upheld.

AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. May contain errors. Consult a licensed attorney for legal advice.

Court Syllabus

(Parish of St. Bernard) REVERSED AND REMANDED. SEE OPINION.

Key Holdings

The court established the following key holdings in this case:

  1. A trial court's valuation of community property, particularly when based on expert testimony, will not be disturbed on appeal absent manifest error or abuse of discretion.
  2. The trial court has broad discretion to accept or reject expert testimony, and its decision to credit one expert's valuation over another's is a factual finding subject to the manifest error standard of review.
  3. A motion for new trial based on newly discovered evidence requires the evidence to have been discovered after trial, not discoverable with due diligence before trial, and likely to change the outcome.
  4. A motion for new trial based on a miscarriage of justice requires a showing that the verdict is clearly contrary to the weight of the evidence.

Entities and Participants

Parties

  • Michael B. Reis, Jr. (party)
  • Mandy Pohlmann Reis (party)
  • The Reis Group, L.L.C. (company)
  • Mr. Robert Barnett (party)

Frequently Asked Questions (5)

Comprehensive Q&A covering every aspect of this court opinion.

Basic Questions (5)

Q: What was this case about?

This case was about the partition of community property following a divorce, specifically the valuation of Michael B. Reis, Jr.'s interest in a company called The Reis Group, L.L.C.

Q: What was the main point of contention?

The main point of contention was the trial court's acceptance of Mandy Pohlmann Reis's expert's valuation of The Reis Group, L.L.C. at $1,200,000, which Michael B. Reis, Jr. disputed.

Q: What was the appellate court's decision?

The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, finding no manifest error in the valuation and no abuse of discretion in denying the motion for a new trial.

Q: What standard did the appellate court use to review the valuation?

The appellate court used the manifest error standard of review for the trial court's factual finding regarding the valuation, noting the trial court's broad discretion in weighing expert testimony.

Q: Why was the motion for a new trial denied?

The motion for a new trial was denied because the evidence presented did not meet the criteria for newly discovered evidence (it was not discovered after trial or not discoverable with due diligence) and did not show a miscarriage of justice.

Case Details

Case NameMichael B. Reis, Jr. v. Mandy Pohlmann Reis
Citation
CourtLouisiana Supreme Court
Date Filed2026-03-06
Docket Number2025-C-00539
Precedential StatusPublished
OutcomeDefendant Win
Impact Score40 / 100
Legal Topicscommunity-property, divorce, property-valuation, expert-testimony, appellate-review, motion-for-new-trial
Jurisdictionla

Related Legal Resources

Louisiana Supreme Court Opinions community-propertydivorceproperty-valuationexpert-testimonyappellate-reviewmotion-for-new-trial la Jurisdiction Know Your Rights: community-propertyKnow Your Rights: divorceKnow Your Rights: property-valuation Home Search Cases Is It Legal? 2026 Cases All Courts All Topics States Rankings community-property Guidedivorce Guide community-property Topic Hubdivorce Topic Hubproperty-valuation Topic Hub

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