Armstrong v. Sparks

• Decision Date: 12 July 1978
• Citation: 360 So.2d 1012
• Parties: Shirley Sparks ARMSTRONG v. Wallace Ray SPARKS. Civ. 1386.
• Court: Alabama Court of Civil Appeals

Page 1012

360 So.2d 1012

Shirley Sparks ARMSTRONG v. Wallace Ray SPARKS.

Civ. 1386.

Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama.

July 12, 1978.

A. Eric Johnston, Birmingham, for appellant.

BRADLEY, Judge.

This appeal is the result of an order by the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Birmingham Division, rejecting appellant's (Shirley Sparks Armstrong) request for child support. We reverse and remand.

Shirley Sparks Armstrong and Wallace Ray Sparks (appellee) were divorced in 1971. Pursuant to this divorce, Mr. Sparks received custody of the couple's minor son. Subsequently, the divorce decree was modified by agreement of the parties and Mrs. Armstrong obtained custody of the child. No agreement was made between the parties which obligated Mr. Sparks to furnish child support for the boy. Nor did the trial court include in its order modifying its original decree any provision for child support.

In late summer of 1977 Mrs. Armstrong filed a petition seeking child support. Her petition was denominated a "petition to modify" and alleged that a substantial change in circumstances had occurred which warranted the payment of child support by her former husband.

After a hearing ore tenus the trial court concluded that Shirley Sparks (Armstrong) had failed to show the material change in circumstances necessary to substantiate a modification of the original divorce decree (and subsequent modification thereof). Accordingly, the court dismissed Mrs. Armstrong's petition for modification. Mrs. Armstrong now seeks to have the lower court's order dismissing her petition reversed. Mr. Sparks has filed no brief in response to the arguments presented by his ex-wife on appeal.

At the outset we are compelled to note that there has never been a provision included in any of the prior modifications of the original divorce decree nor the original decree itself which required the husband to furnish support for his minor child. And although the parties apparently agreed between themselves that the husband was not obligated to provide support, this agreement was never adopted by any of the decrees regarding the domestic difficulties of the parties. Consequently, we do not feel that this action involves a petition to modify a prior award (or an absence of such award) of support. There has been no decree dealing with child support nor has there ever been a court sanctioned agreement which pertained to child support. Thus, there was nothing for the court to modify. The wife's action should have been treated as a supplementary petition to the agreement and court order by which she obtained custody of the child and as such the trial court had an obligation to order the husband to maintain and educate his child in a manner commensurate with his means. Scott v. Scott, 247 Ala. 598, 25 So.2d 673 (1946).

It is well-settled in this jurisdiction that when a divorce decree embraces the subject of a child's maintenance and custody a court, without reservation of power, may upon any subsequent change of circumstances modify its original decree to reflect the changed conditions. Tucker v. Tucker, 280 Ala. 608, 196 So.2d 724 (1967).

However, the doctrine of changed circumstances is relevant in child support cases only where the complaining party seeks a modification of an earlier award of support or requests that a decree incorporating a prior agreement dispensing with the obligation to provide support (or establishing the amount of support payable) be altered.

In instances where the divorce petition requests child support or where the decree of divorce (and subsequent modifications thereof) make no reference to an agreement between the parties concerning support and a supplemental petition is thereafter filed seeking support, a different standard applies. In this type of situation the rule is that the primary responsibility of support for the minor child rests with the father provided he is financially capable of providing such support. See Womble v. Womble, 56 Ala.App. 318, 321 So.2d 660 (1975).

71 A.L.R.2d 1370 § 14 states:

"Where a divorce decree provides for the custody or support of a minor child of the parties, it is generally held that the original order is res judicata on the existing state of facts, so that there must be a substantial change of circumstances before the court will amend the order for custody or support. . . .

"If, however, the original decree makes no provision for the custody or support of a child of the marriage and the court did not adjudicate rights concerning the child, the doctrine of res judicata does not apply, and there is no need to show that the circumstances have changed since the divorce was granted in order to justify an amendment which provides for the custody or support of a child. West v. West (1928) 241 Mich. 679, 217...