Case Title: Churchill v. Churchill

Citation: 467 So. 2d 948

Docket Number: 

State: mississippi

Court: Mississippi Supreme Court

Date: 1985-04-24T00:00:00Z

Document:
467 So. 2d 948 (1985) Mona Marie Chatelain CHURCHILL v. Forrest William CHURCHILL. No. 54759. Supreme Court of Mississippi. April 24, 1985. *949 Paul G. Swartzfager, Sr., Laurel, for appellant. Tommy Dulin, Dulin & Dulin, Gulfport, for appellee. Before ROY NOBLE LEE, P.J., HAWKINS and PRATHER, JJ. ROY NOBLE LEE, Presiding Justice, for the Court: Mona Marie Chatelain Churchill appeals from a decree of the Chancery Court of Harrison County granting Forrest William Churchill a divorce upon his cross-bill, and denying her claim for separate maintenance. Churchill cross-appeals on questions of evidence, alimony and custody of children. On December 15, 1980, the parties entered into a separation and support agreement. Two children, Forrest Mynelle Churchill, age 4, and Curt Lewis Churchill, age 3, had been born of the marriage. Appellee agreed to pay appellant the sum of $500.00 per month for support of wife and children. The agreement provided that it would be rendered null and void in the event "either husband or wife initiates court action with a view toward terminating the marriage relation." *950 At the time of their marriage, both the parties were members of the U.S. Navy. At the time the agreement was executed, appellee was still serving in the Navy. Appellant filed her suit for separate maintenance and support of children on August 18, 1982. Appellee filed an answer and cross-bill for divorce on September 17, 1982. Appellee paid $500.00 per month to his wife until June, 1982, when he reduced the payment to $300.00 per month. The record shows generally that while the parties were living together in Puerto Rico, where appellee was assigned to Naval duty, they had periodic fights, the Naval authorities were called in, appellee usually was removed from the home and both were advised by Naval legal officers. Appellee is the only witness who testified in support of his complaint for divorce on the ground of habitual cruel and inhuman treatment. His testimony was general, not specific, and follows: In February, 1981, appellee wrote a letter to appellant in which he stated the following: "I blame myself for the problems but I know inside that I really don't intend to change and when someone tells me I'm wrong I just get mad... ." In Gallaspy v. Gallaspy, 459 So. 2d 283 (Miss. 1984), we said: 459 So. 2d at 285, 286. In Wires v. Wires, 297 So. 2d 900, 902 (Miss. 1974), the Court said: The case sub judice is another of those cases which involves irreconcilable differences and the parties probably will never be able to live together in harmony. However, we are of the opinion that the facts do not make out a case for divorce on the ground of habitual cruel and inhuman treatment and that the lower court was manifestly wrong in granting appellee a divorce. A requisite for entitlement to separate maintenance on the part of the wife is that she be without fault. Willful abandonment or abuse of the wife and refusal to support her may invoke the power of the chancery court to require the husband to maintain her separately. Although it is not necessary for the wife to be blameless, her misconduct, which contributes to the separation must be less than that of her husband. Rodgers v. Rodgers, 349 So. 2d 540 (Miss. 1977). In Rodgers, the Court stated that the separation there was caused by the fault of both parties. A constant and continuing argument and battle existed between them and the wife was not entitled to separate maintenance. In the case sub judice, the lower court held that both parties were at fault and the record indicates that they were about equally to blame. Therefore, we cannot say the lower court was manifestly wrong in refusing to grant separate maintenance to appellant. As mentioned hereinabove, the separation agreement of the parties executed *952 December 15, 1980, provided that the agreement to pay five hundred dollars ($500.00) per month for both spousal and child support ($200.00 for wife and $300.00 for children) would become null and void in the event either the husband or wife initiated court action with a view toward terminating the marriage relation. The appellee began a suit for divorce on September 17, 1982, when he filed an answer and crossbill for divorce in response to the suit for separate maintenance filed on August 18, 1982, by appellant. This action comes within the terms of the separation agreement and renders it void as of that date. Appellee discontinued payment of the $200.00 per month support beginning in July, 1982, but continued paying the $300.00 per month child support. Under the provisions of the separation agreement, appellant was entitled to $200.00 per month for July, August, and September, 1982, which amounts to six hundred dollars ($600.00), and judgment will be entered here in favor of appellant for that amount. The cross-appellant, Forrest William Churchill, contends (1) that the lower court erred in admitting into evidence over objection of opposing counsel Exhibits 1 and 3 which are copies of the agreements entered into by the parties, and (2) the trial court erred in awarding appellant $150.00 per month in temporary alimony, or in the alternative, that the award was excessive. In view of the decision on the direct appeal it is unnecessary to discuss these assignments. The cross-appellant (3) contends that the lower court erred in failing to award paramount care, custody and control of the parties' minor children to the appellee. The lower court found that both parents were fit and suitable persons to have custody of the children and awarded their paramount care, custody and control to the cross-appellee with extensive visitation rights to cross-appellant. We have considered the record and the finding of the court, and are of the opinion that the court was not manifestly wrong in fixing custody of the children. Therefore, the judgment of the lower court will be affirmed on the cross-appeal. AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART AND RENDERED ON DIRECT APPEAL; AFFIRMED ON CROSS-APPEAL. PATTERSON, C.J., WALKER, P.J., and HAWKINS, DAN M. LEE, PRATHER, ROBERTSON, SULLIVAN and ANDERSON, JJ., concur.