Breen v. Breen

Decision Date13 February 1952
Docket NumberNo. 17704,17704
Citation69 S.E.2d 572,208 Ga. 767
PartiesBREEN v. BREEN.
CourtGeorgia Supreme Court

Winfield P. Jones, F. L. Breen, Atlanta, for plaintiff in error.

James A. Mackay, Decatur, for defendant in error.

Syllabus Opinion by the Court.

HAWKINS, Justice.

1. While a judgment for permanent alimony, based upon the agreement of the parties, which judgment was not excepted to and contains no reservation of jurisdiction for the purpose of later modifying the same, passes beyond the discretionary control of the trial judge, and he has no authority thereafter to modify the terms of such judgment, Coffee v. Coffee, 101 Ga. 787, 28 S.E. 977; Wilkins v. Wilkins, 146 Ga. 382, 91 S.E. 415--yet, where such judgment for permanent alimony is based upon an agreement of the parties, and both the agreement, which is made the judgment of the court, and the judgment itself, reserves the right of the judge of the superior court to modify the same, the judge may, on application subsequent to such judgment, modify the same in accordance with the terms of the agreement of the parties and the judgment based thereon. Hardy v. Pennington, 187 Ga. 523, 1 S.E.2d 667; Chandler v. Chandler, 204 Ga. 40, 48 S.E.2d 841.

2. In the instant case--where permanent alimony of $35 per month each was awarded to the wife and to two minor daughters, with the provision in the agreement of the parties and the judgment of the court that, 'in the event of remarriage of plaintiff or the death of either or both of the two children, or either or both of the two children marrying or either or both of said two children becoming self-supporting the court reserves the right to determine the future amount of money to be paid as alimony for their maintenance and support,' and where the husband, after one of the daughters marries and the other attains her majority, applied to the judge to relieve him from the payment of any alimony to the wife upon the ground that she had become self-supporting--the trial judge did not err in requiring the husband to continue the payments of $35 per month to the wife as provided in the original judgment for alimony, since the application set forth no valid ground for modification as to the amount payable to the wife as contemplated by the terms of the agreement, she not having remarried and the agreement containing no provision for modification upon her becoming self-supporting. Chandler v. Chandler, 204 Ga. 40, 48 S.E.2d...

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7 cases
  • Bickford v. Bickford
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • June 15, 1972
    ...by consent of the parties. Hardy v. Pennington, 187 Ga. 523, 1 S.E.2d 667; Banda v. Banda, 192 Ga. 5, 14 S.E.2d 479; Breen v. Breen, 208 Ga. 767(1), 69 S.E.2d 572.' Fricks v. Fricks, 215 Ga. 137, 138, 109 S.E.2d 596. See also Zuber v. Zuber, 215 Ga. 314, 110 S.E.2d 370; Daniel v. Daniel, 21......
  • Gorvin v. Stegmann, 39393
    • United States
    • Washington Supreme Court
    • July 18, 1968
    ...no reservation of jurisdiction for the purpose of later modification, the superior court has no authority to modify. Breen v. Breen, 208 Ga. 767, 69 S.E.2d 572 (1952); Banda v. Banda, supra. We think, however, that such a reservation is to be given effect only where the decree clearly calls......
  • Goodloe v. Goodloe
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • October 13, 1955
    ...the case for that purpose. Hardy v. Pennington, 187 Ga. 523, 1 S.E.2d 667; Chandler v. Chandler, 204 Ga. 40, 48 S.E.2d 841; Breen v. Breen, 208 Ga. 767, 69 S.E.2d 572. That ruling has not been extended to include judgments awarding custody of minor children based upon an agreement between t......
  • Zuber v. Zuber, 20553
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • September 11, 1959
    ...S.E.2d 596, 597. See also Hardy v. Pennington, 187 Ga. 523, 1 S.E.2d 667; Banda v. Banda, 192 Ga. 5, 6(1), 14 S.E.2d 479; Breen v. Breen, 208 Ga. 767(1), 69 S.E.2d 572. Since it does not appear that the trial court retained jurisdiction under the conditions set forth above, the court was wi......
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