Barbara v. Charles, s. 12336

Decision Date31 March 1982
Docket Number12363,Nos. 12336,s. 12336
Citation632 S.W.2d 92
PartiesBARBARA, Respondent-Appellant, v. CHARLES, Appellant-Respondent.
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals

John Wm. Ringer, Powell & Ringer, Dexter, for respondent-appellant.

Donald Rhodes, Bloomfield, for appellant-respondent.

TITUS, Judge.

Charles and Barbara filed their separate motions to modify an October 27, 1980, dissolution of marriage decree. Barbara also had a general execution issued against Charles for alleged non-payment of child support. After Charles filed his "Motion to Quash Writ of Attachment and Execution And Garnishment" and issues had been joined on the dissolution motions, the trial court, with the consent of the parties, conducted a trial of all matters in dispute on May 28, 1981, and entered its "Decree of Modification" on June 4, 1981. Both Charles and Barbara appealed and the appeals have been consolidated for consideration by this court.

The second marriage of Charles and Barbara was dissolved October 27, 1980. These marriages produced four boys. The decree of dissolution, inter alia, gave Barbara principal custody of the boys and ordered Charles to pay her child support in the sum of $125 per month per child. On the 30th day after the decree was entered, Barbara married Tom. Because Barbara shortly thereafter experienced mental problems, Charles had actual custody of the four boys, with the exception of about a week, from the latter part of December 1980 to the latter part of January 1981 when Barbara resumed custody of the two younger boys. No child support payment was made to Barbara for January 1981 when Charles had actual custody of the four boys. Charles said he gave Barbara a $500 check therefor on January 5, 1981, but Barbara tore it up because they had agreed to a reconciliation albeit Barbara was then married to Tom. At trial, presumably because of her mental plight in January 1981, Barbara disavowed all recollection of such a happening. From February through April 1981, Charles' monthly child support payments were $250 each month for the two boys in Barbara's custody. In May 1981, after the oldest boy returned to live with Barbara, Charles' monthly child support payments were increased to $375.

On March 31, 1981, when he had actual custody of the two older boys, Charles filed a motion to modify the October 1980 decree so as to give him legal custody of the two boys then in his care and to specify his visitation rights with the other boys. In April 1981 Barbara got out the aforementioned execution for unpaid child support payments and filed, on May 1, 1981, a cross-motion for modification of the dissolution decree as to visitation, increased child support payments, etc. The issues were first set for trial on May 22, 1981, and on the eve thereof, Charles married Kathy.

Among other things, the modification decree overruled Charles' motion to quash the execution and garnishment, gave Barbara custody of the three boys then in her care and awarded custody of the fourth boy to Charles. The decree also increased child support payments to be made by Charles to $150 per month per child and detailed the visitation rights of the parents with the children. Charles complains on appeal that the court erred in holding him liable for child support payments during periods when the children were in his actual custody and by increasing child support payments. On appeal Barbara contends the court erred in awarding custody of the one boy to Charles and in granting him custody of all four children from July 13 through August 24 of each year.

Past due payments owing by the divorced father to the divorced wife pursuant...

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4 cases
  • Martin v. Supreme Court of State of NY
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Northern District of New York
    • October 7, 1986
    ...encompassed in a divorce decree become judgments. Mackey v. Mackey and Associates, Inc., 677 S.W.2d 349 (Mo. App.1984); Barbara v. Charles, 632 S.W.2d 92 (Mo.App.1982). By statute, court decrees respecting maintenance or support are modifiable only as to future installments. Mo.Ann.Stat. § ......
  • Sagos v. Sagos
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • May 12, 1987
    ...divorce decree constitute a debt so that accrued and unpaid installments become judgments in favor of the former wife. Barbara v. Charles, 632 S.W.2d 92, 93 (Mo.App.1982); Penney v. White, 594 S.W.2d 632, 635[1-6] (Mo.App.1980). Any past due amounts may be settled or compromised between the......
  • Marriage of Root, In re
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • July 24, 1989
    ...decree. Had the remarriage done so, the home would have automatically reacquired its character as marital property. In Barbara v. Charles, 632 S.W.2d 92 (Mo.App.1982), a father moved to quash an execution and garnishment issued at the instance of a mother to collect alleged child support ar......
  • Warner v. Warner, 54722
    • United States
    • Kansas Court of Appeals
    • August 18, 1983
    ...717, 545 P.2d 346 (1976); Ediger v. Ediger, 206 Kan. 447, Syl. p 2, 479 P.2d 823 (1971). Missouri law is the same. Barbara v. Charles, 632 S.W.2d 92, 93 (Mo.App.1982); Wedel v. Wedel, 624 S.W.2d 869, 870 (Mo.App.1981). And cf. In re Marriage of Holt, 635 S.W.2d 335 (Mo.1982). Thus as to pas......

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