Baker v. Baker

Decision Date11 August 1975
Citation538 P.2d 1277,22 Or.App. 285
PartiesLinda K. BAKER, Appellant, v. Jesse J. BAKER, Respondent.
CourtOregon Court of Appeals

Richard A. Sly, Portland, argued the cause and filed the brief for appellant.

John E. Johansen, Jr., Portland, argued the cause for respondent. With him on the brief were McCormick & Reynolds, Portland.

Before SCHWAB, C.J., and LANGTRY and FOLEY, JJ.

LANGTRY, Judge.

Plaintiff appeals from dismissal after her refusal to plead further following a sustained demurrer to her complaint which sought $27,873.01 for alleged support. The complaint (amended) is by a daughter, after majority age, against her father for support he allegedly did not pay on her behalf during minority. It alleges that plaintiff was born in 1951, was poor and unable to work; that defendant deserted plaintiff's mother and did not pay support for plaintiff until 1966; that he paid therefor after 1966 until 1972; that plaintiff's mother provided plaintiff the support she was financially able to at all times and that plaintiff's standard of living was reduced to the extent of defendant father's failure.

This exact question has not been decided in Oregon. ORS 109.100 provides statutory authority for a child to enforce support against a parent, but it contemplates a hearing and a setting of an amount to be paid in the future by the parent. ORS 109.010 places upon 'parents' the duty to support children. In referring to these statutes as they were then codified, the Oregon Supreme Court in In re Northcutt, 81 Or. 646, 648, 148 P. 1133,160 P. 801 (1916), said:

'From these statutes it will be seen that a method of procedure is pointed out, which method is logically exclusive of any other * * *.'

In other states where similar causes as that here asserted were litigated, the courts have held that the right of action lies with the person who supplied the support, not the child, Hooten v. Hooten, 15 S.W.2d 141 (Tex.Civ.App.1929). See also, for a similar result, Fower v. Fower Estate, 448 S.W.2d 585 (Mo.1970). We agree with the conclusions of those courts.

The demurrer was properly sustained as no cause of action was stated.

Affirmed.

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4 cases
  • Miller v. Miller
    • United States
    • Oregon Court of Appeals
    • June 6, 1977
    ...has accrued, that judgment would, it appears, accrue not to the child but to the supporting parent. Plaintiff in Baker v. Baker, 22 Or.App. 285, 538 P.2d 1277 (1975), attempted to sue her father for support he had allegedly failed to pay during some 14 years of her minority; conceding that ......
  • Hartman v. Smith
    • United States
    • Washington Supreme Court
    • January 12, 1984
    ...parent--not with the child. Stapel v. Stapel, 4 Kan.App.2d 19, 601 P.2d 1176 (1979); Miller v. Miller, supra; Baker v. Baker, 22 Or.App. 285, 538 P.2d 1277 (1975). Retrospective support payments generally are not subject to modification because each installment vests when due. Koon v. Koon,......
  • Stapel v. Stapel
    • United States
    • Kansas Court of Appeals
    • November 2, 1979
    ...has been the one solely responsible for the support of Allen Stapel for the last thirteen years." The plaintiff in Baker v. Baker, 22 Or.App. 285, 538 P.2d 1277 (1975), attempted to sue her father for support he had allegedly failed to pay during some 14 years of her minority. Conceding tha......
  • Jacot v. Jacot, 295-931
    • United States
    • Oregon Court of Appeals
    • December 26, 1978
    ...to the second son. Child support from the noncustodial parent belongs to the custodial parent and not the child. See Baker v. Baker, 22 Or.App. 285, 538 P.2d 1277 (1975); Miller v. Miller, 29 Or.App. 723, 565 P.2d 382 (1977). To clear up any ambiguity in the order, clause "3" is modified to......

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