Davis v. Fisher, 79-284

Decision Date31 December 1980
Docket NumberNo. 79-284,79-284
Citation391 So.2d 810
PartiesSara G. DAVIS, formerly Sara G. Fisher, Appellant, v. James C. FISHER, Appellee.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Leonard V. Wood, Altamonte Springs, for appellant.

Jack T. Bridges, Sanford, for appellee.

DAUKSCH, Chief Judge.

This is an appeal from an order modifying a final judgment in a marriage dissolution case. Because the evidence is insufficient to support a reduction in the amount of support the final judgment provided for the children, we reverse the order of modification. The evidence is totally one-sided in favor of the mother who is the custodial parent. It is agreed by both parties that due to "inflation" the needs of the children have increased since the final judgment and it is clear from the evidence that appellee's income has increased since the judgment. The mother's remarriage has no bearing upon the father's duty to support. In re Marriage of Johnson, 352 So.2d 140 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977). See also Stricklin v. Stricklin, 383 So.2d 1183 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980).

The father has convinced the trial judge, who was not the trial judge when the final judgment was entered, to go behind that original final judgment and, in effect, review the final judgment and change its terms. It is not the function of one trial judge to review another's judgment. Groover v. Walker, 88 So.2d 312 (Fla.1956); McBride v. McBride, 352 So.2d 1254 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977). It is also error for this trial judge to have taken parol evidence concerning a property settlement agreement upon which the final judgment was based. Because the property settlement agreement was ratified by the court and incorporated in the judgment, it rises to the dignity of that judgment and the trial court had no authority to review it. Mason v. Mason, 371 So.2d 226 (Fla. 2d DCA 1979); Benson v. Benson, 369 So.2d 99 (Fla. 4th DCA 1979); Rothenheber v. Jessup, 360 So.2d 798 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978); Chapin v. Naurison, 325 So.2d 413 (Fla. 3d DCA 1976).

The order modifying the final judgment (which order is entitled "Final Judgment" and was rendered October 1, 1979) is reversed and this cause is remanded for the assessment of attorney's fees for appellant's attorney at the hearing for modification and on appeal.

The order of January 11, 1979, which reduced the amount of child support pending compliance with a discovery order, was also appealed. This court has jurisdiction to consider that order, notwithstanding the position of appellee. Fla.R.App.P. 9.130(g). That order, which has the ultimate effect of punishing the...

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11 cases
  • In re Guardianship of Schiavo
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • July 11, 2001
    ...not have the power to review the final order of another trial judge. See Groover v. Walker, 88 So.2d 312 (Fla.1956); Davis v. Fisher, 391 So.2d 810 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980). Although the independent action allowed by DeClaire, 453 So.2d 375, may occasionally be an exception to this general rule,......
  • Jaffee v. Jaffee, 80-146
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • February 3, 1981
    ...language which does not appear on its face. Ross v. Savage, 66 Fla. 106, 63 So. 148 (1913); Davis v. Fisher, 391 So.2d 810 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980) (Case no. 79-284, opinion filed, December 31, 1980); Pearson v. Pearson, 342 So.2d 1018 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977); see also, Gendzier v. Bielecki, 97 So.2......
  • Matusow v. Matusow, 85-1683
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 19, 1986
    ...Novack v. Novack, 305 So.2d 862 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974); See also Hancock v. Hancock, 417 So.2d 1046 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982); Davis v. Fisher, 391 So.2d 810 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980); Sedell v. Sedell, 100 So.2d 639 (Fla. 1st DCA 1958), the trial court was required under the agreement to make the husband ......
  • Webb v. Webb
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 28, 2020
    ...into the Divorce Judgment did not in any way eclipse her ability to enforce that judgment as a judgment. See Davis v. Fisher, 391 So. 2d 810, 811 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980) ("Because the property settlement agreement was ratified by the court and incorporated in the judgment, it rises to the digni......
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