Jensen v. Bowcut, 940361-CA

• Decision Date: 23 March 1995
• Docket Number: No. 940361-CA,940361-CA
• Citation: 892 P.2d 1053
• Parties: Helen JENSEN, and Janet Bowcut, deceased, Plaintiffs and Appellee, v. Don Leslie BOWCUT, Defendant and Appellant.
• Court: Utah Court of Appeals

Page 1053

892 P.2d 1053

Helen JENSEN, and Janet Bowcut, deceased, Plaintiffs and Appellee, v. Don Leslie BOWCUT, Defendant and Appellant.

No. 940361-CA.

Court of Appeals of Utah.

March 23, 1995.

Rehearing Denied April 13, 1995.

Don Leslie Bowcut, Pleasant Grove, for appellant pro se.

Rosemond G. Blakelock, Provo, for appellee.

Before DAVIS, GREENWOOD, and JACKSON, JJ.

OPINION

GREENWOOD, Judge:

Don Leslie Bowcut (Bowcut) appeals the trial court's ruling ordering him to pay child support to Helen Jensen (Jensen), guardian and conservator of Bowcut's son, David Charles Bowcut (David). Jensen is the appellee in this appeal which arises from three cases that the trial court consolidated. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

On March 2, 1978, a divorce decree was entered between Bowcut and Janet Sue Bowcut (Janet Sue), awarding Janet Sue custody of their minor child, David. The decree ordered Bowcut to pay child support in the sum of $75 per month, subsequently increased to $125 per month in 1982. On February 5, 1993, Janet Sue died. David refused to live with Bowcut and instead moved in with Jensen, his maternal grandmother.

On August 13, 1993, Jensen filed a Verified Petition for Appointment of Guardian and Conservator for David. The Honorable Guy R. Burningham subsequently granted the petition. On October 22, 1993, Jensen filed a petition against Bowcut seeking payment of child support and maintenance. Bowcut contested the petition and, on November 4, 1993, the Honorable Steven L. Hansen held an order to show cause hearing regarding the petition. On November 24, 1993, Judge Hansen ruled that Bowcut had an ongoing obligation to pay child support for David and that David had standing to maintain an action against Bowcut for support via a guardian ad litem. Judge Hansen appointed a guardian ad litem for David. Judge Hansen subsequently held an evidentiary hearing to determine the amount of support. On April 5, 1994, the court issued a ruling consolidating the original divorce action, the action for appointment of guardian and conservator, and the action for support, into the present case. The court then awarded child support to David and, on May 13, 1994, established the amount of Bowcut's support obligation at $596 per month, to be paid to Jensen as David's guardian.

ISSUES ON APPEAL

Bowcut presents numerous issues on appeal: (1) Did the trial court err in awarding child support because Jensen improperly obtained appointment as guardian and conservator for David? (2) Did the trial court err in proceeding under the parties' original divorce decree after the death of Janet Sue? (3) Did the trial court err by failing to offset Social Security death benefits David receives as a minor survivor of his mother, Janet Sue? (4) Did the trial court err by including income from Bowcut's "second" job when calculating gross income? (5) Did the trial court err by failing to consider self employment expenses? (6) Did the trial court err by failing to consider one of Bowcut's present children in its support calculations? (7) Did the trial court err in awarding child support retroactive to the death of Janet Sue? (8) Did the trial court err in awarding attorney fees to Jensen?

STANDARD OF REVIEW

Whether a court has personal jurisdiction over a party is a question of law that this court reviews for correctness. State Dep't of Social Serv. v. Vijil, 784 P.2d 1130, 1132 (Utah 1989); State v. Dickey, 841 P.2d 1203, 1204 (Utah App.1992) cert. denied, 853 P.2d 897 (Utah 1993).

A trial court's decision regarding child support will not be disturbed absent "manifest injustice or inequity that indicates a clear abuse of ... discretion." Hansen v. Hansen, 736 P.2d 1055, 1056 (Utah App.) cert. denied, 765 P.2d 1277 (Utah 1987).

A trial court's decision to award attorney fees will not be overturned absent an abuse of discretion. Nielson v. Nielson, 826 P.2d 1065, 1068 (Utah App.1991).

ANALYSIS

Validity Of Guardianship

Bowcut asserts that Jensen's appointment as guardian and conservator for David was invalid because his parental rights were never terminated. As a result, Bowcut argues any actions regarding child support initiated by Jensen, and any favorable rulings therefrom, are similarly invalid and should be overturned on appeal.

Bowcut is correct that upon the death of Janet Sue, he gained legal custody of David. Nielson v. Nielson, 826 P.2d 1065 (Utah App.1991). In Nielson, this court, reviewing a custody award, stated that: "Following the death of the custodial parent, the right to custody ordinarily vests in the surviving parent." Id. at 1067. Bowcut is also correct that a trial court must, in such cases, either terminate or suspend all parental rights of custody before appointing a guardian. Utah Code Ann. § 75-5-204 (1993) states, in pertinent part:

The court may appoint a guardian for an unemancipated minor if all parental rights of custody have been terminated or suspended by circumstances or prior court order.

Under the facts and circumstances of this case, the trial court in the earlier guardianship proceeding could have determined that Bowcut's parental rights of custody were either "terminated" or "suspended by circumstances" pursuant to section 75-5-204.

Although present at the guardianship hearing, Bowcut neither objected to nor appealed Jensen's appointment as guardian and conservator. ¹ Because Bowcut failed to object to or appeal the appointment, we do not have the complete record of the guardianship proceeding before us. Thus, it is impossible for us to fully review the actions of the trial court in that proceeding. Therefore, we must assume that the trial court determined that Bowcut's parental rights were suspended by circumstances. Moreover, by acquiescing in the appointment, Bowcut waived his right to object to the appointment and cannot raise the issue for the first time on appeal. Salt Lake City v. Ohms, 881 P.2d 844, 847 (Utah 1994) (court will review only those issues presented below unless exceptional circumstances or plain error are shown). ²

Trial Court's Jurisdiction

Bowcut next argues that the trial court lacked personal jurisdiction over him, thereby invalidating its child support order. Bowcut asserts that because the original divorce decree terminated at the death of Janet Sue, the trial court's jurisdiction over him in the divorce proceeding also terminated.

A trial court loses its jurisdiction over a surviving parent and child at the death of the custodial parent when that jurisdiction is based on a divorce decree. Nielson v. Nielson, 826 P.2d 1065, 1066 (Utah App.1991). While it is true that the trial court consolidated the original divorce action into the present case, the trial court's jurisdiction over Bowcut arose not from the original divorce decree, but rather from the petition to enforce the statutory obligation of a parent to support his or her children. Section 78-45-3 of the Uniform Civil Liability For Support Act (the Act) states that "Every father shall support his child." Utah Code Ann. § 78-45-3 (1992). Section 78-45-6 of the Act gives the "district court" jurisdiction over proceedings under the Act. Utah Code Ann. § 78-45-6 (1992). Therefore, regardless of whether the trial court had jurisdiction by virtue of the divorce decree, the trial court certainly had jurisdiction by virtue of the Act. Under the Act, David, through his guardian ad litem, properly pursued an award of child support to be paid directly to the party providing him support--in this case, his grandmother Jensen.

Social Security Benefits

Bowcut argues that, based on Utah Code Ann. § 78-45-7.5 (Supp.1994), the trial court erred in refusing to subtract from his support obligation Social Security benefits David receives as a result of his mother's death.

Utah Code Ann. § 78-45-7.5(8)(a) states that "[g]ross income may not include the earnings of a child who is the subject of a child support award nor benefits to a child in the child's own right such as Supplemental Security Income." Subparagraph (b) of that section states that:

Social Security benefits received by a child due to the earnings of a parent may be credited as child support to the parent upon whose earning record it is based, by crediting the amount against the potential obligation of that parent. Other unearned income of a child may be considered as income to a parent depending upon the circumstances of each case.

Id. (emphasis added).

Based on our reading of these provisions, it is clear that Bowcut's reliance on the statute is unfounded. First, the statute does not mandate such an offset, as Bowcut argues, but merely allows it. Second, the offset goes to the "parent upon whose earning record it is based." In this case, that parent is Janet Sue, not Bowcut. Thus, the trial court acted within its discretion in refusing to offset the Social Security benefits.

Consideration of Second Job

Bowcut argues that the trial court erred when it included income from his second job in calculating his child support obligation.

Utah Code Ann. § 78-45-7.5(2) (Supp.1994) provides the following guideline for calculating gross income for support purposes: "Income from earned income sources is limited to the equivalent of one full-time job." However, it appears from our review of the record that Bowcut failed to specifically object to consideration of income from his second job at the evidentiary hearing. Thus, we could refuse to consider this argument on appeal. Salt Lake City v. Ohms, 881 P.2d 844, 847 (Utah 1994). Further, it appears that the trial court did not consider Bowcut's second source of income as coming from a second job, but rather considered it as emanating from his primary job. The trial court's decision to consider Bowcut's second source of income as part of his primary job is supported by the fact that both sources involved the performance of Bowcut's professional duties as a physician. Bowcut maintains a private medical practice and his "second...