Indiana woman keeps home bought with $10,000 family loan after ex-partner’s brother seeks sale

Representative Image (AI-generated) A home bought with help from grandparents and maintained through decades of mortgage payments, repairs and household expenses became the centre of an unusual family property dispute in Indiana. More than two decades after purchasing the house, a woman found herself facing a demand to sell it from her former partner's brother, who had acquired a half-interest in the property. Despite having little financial involvement in the home, he sought to have it partitioned and sold. However, an appeals court has now upheld a decision allowing the woman to retain the entire property.In an October 29, 2026, opinion, available on Justia, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's ruling in Terry W Curella v. Gina A Behny. The court found no clear error in the decision to award the house to Gina Behny after considering her financial contributions over more than 25 years and the limited payments made by Terry Curella. The ruling also upheld a $4,307.95 monetary judgment against him, bringing the dispute over ownership and financial responsibility closer to resolution.A house bought with help from grandparentsThe dispute dates back to 1999, when Beh...