COURT OF APPEALS

DECISION

DATED AND FILED

July 27, 2021

Sheila T. Reiff

Clerk of Court of Appeals

NOTICE

This opinion is subject to further editing. If 

published, the official version will appear in 

the bound volume of the Official Reports. 

A party may file with the Supreme Court a 

petition to review an adverse decision by the 

Court of Appeals. See WIS. STAT. § 808.10 

and RULE 809.62. 

Appeal No. 2020AP359 Cir. Ct. No. 2011FA130

STATE OF WISCONSIN IN COURT OF APPEALS

DISTRICT III

IN RE THE MARRIAGE OF:

BOBBIE JO JEAN HENDON,

 JOINT-PETITIONER-RESPONDENT,

 V.

JOHN HARLAND HENDON,

 JOINT-PETITIONER-APPELLANT.

APPEAL from an order of the circuit court for Pierce County: 

JOSEPH D. BOLES, Judge. Affirmed. 

Before Stark, P.J., Hruz and Seidl, JJ.

Per curiam opinions may not be cited in any court of this state as precedent 

or authority, except for the limited purposes specified in WIS. STAT. RULE 809.23(3). 
No. 2020AP359

2

¶1 PER CURIAM. John Hendon appeals an order granting Bobbie Jo 

Hendon’s motion to modify child support. John argues the circuit court 

erroneously exercised its discretion by concluding there was a substantial change 

in circumstances justifying an increase in his monthly child support obligation. 

We reject John’s arguments and affirm the order.

BACKGROUND

¶2 John and Bobbie Jo divorced in February 2012 and they had two 

minor children who, at that time, were ages fourteen and seven. In March 2019, 

the parties stipulated that John would pay child support totaling $900 per month 

until the couple’s youngest child turned eighteen years old. The parties further 

stipulated that John would continue to pay one-half of the following costs for the 

minor child: (1) out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses; (2) driver’s education 

costs; and (3) senior class trip costs. The circuit court approved the parties’ 

stipulation. 

¶3 In January 2020, Bobbie Jo filed the underlying motion to modify 

child support, alleging that John’s income had increased and that he had failed to 

pay variable costs agreed upon by the parties and ordered by the circuit court. At 

a hearing on her motion, Bobbie Jo stated she would have “no problem” paying all 

of the variable costs for the minor child if the court increased John’s child support 

obligation. The circuit court determined that John’s income was “roughly the 

same” as it was when the existing support order was set; however, it 

acknowledged John’s failure to pay his half of the variable costs. The court 

ultimately found that John had $7,916.67 in monthly income available for support; 

it was fair and appropriate to apply the Department of Children and Families 

(“DCF”) guidelines for setting child support, “specifically, high-income payer 
No. 2020AP359

3

status”; and there had been a material change in circumstances since the last order 

revising support. 

¶4 The circuit court consequently increased John’s monthly support 

payment to the amount specified under the DCF guidelines—$1,319 per month—

until the minor child turned eighteen years old, or until she turned nineteen years 

old if she was enrolled in an accredited course toward a high school diploma or its 

equivalent. The court, however, determined John was no longer responsible for 

contributing to the variable costs for the minor child. This appeal follows. 

DISCUSSION

¶5 John argues that the circuit court erred by concluding Bobbie Jo 

established a substantial change in circumstances warranting the modification of

child support pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 767.59(1f) (2019-20).

1

 Generally, we 

review a circuit court’s decision to modify child support for a proper exercise of 

discretion. See Zutz v. Zutz, 208 Wis. 2d 338, 342, 559 N.W.2d 919 (Ct. App. 

1997). We will affirm a court’s exercise of discretion if it examined the relevant 

facts, applied the proper legal standards, and reached a logical decision. Id. Even 

if a circuit court fails to articulate the reasons for its decision, we will 

independently review the record to determine whether there is any reasonable 

basis upon which we may uphold the court’s discretionary decision. State v. 

Davidson, 2000 WI 91, ¶53, 236 Wis. 2d 537, 613 N.W.2d 606.

 

1

 All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2019-20 version unless otherwise 

noted.
No. 2020AP359

4

¶6 A circuit court may modify child support if there has been a 

substantial or material change of circumstances of the parties or the children since 

the date of the last support order. See Poehnelt v. Poehnelt, 94 Wis. 2d 640, 

648-49, 289 N.W.2d 296 (1980). The burden of demonstrating a substantial 

change in circumstances is on the party seeking modification. Kelly v. Hougham, 

178 Wis. 2d 546, 556, 504 N.W.2d 440 (Ct. App. 1993). We will not disturb a

circuit court’s findings of fact unless they are clearly erroneous. See RohdeGiovanni v. Baumgart, 2003 WI App 136, ¶5, 266 Wis. 2d 339, 667 N.W.2d 718. 

However, we “independently determine whether the moving party has shown a 

substantial change in circumstances” as a matter of law. Jalovec v. Jalovec, 2007 

WI App 206, ¶22, 305 Wis. 2d 467, 739 N.W.2d 834. Our determination must 

nevertheless give weight to the circuit court’s decision “because the determination 

is heavily dependent upon an interpretation and analysis of underlying facts.” See

Pero v. Lucas, 2006 WI App 112, ¶23, 293 Wis. 2d 781, 718 N.W.2d 184 

(reviewing a decision regarding proposed modification of custody or placement 

that also required a showing of a substantial change in circumstances).

¶7 John argues that the circuit court erred because the nonpayment of 

variable costs does not fall within any of the statutory scenarios giving rise to a 

rebuttable presumption of a substantial change in circumstances, especially where 

there has not been a change in the payer’s income. The statute provides, as 

relevant here, that there is a rebuttable presumption of a substantial change in 

circumstances where there is:

 A difference between the amount of child support ordered 

by the court to be paid by the payer and the amount that the 

payer would have been required to pay based on the 

percentage standard established by the department under 

s. 49.22(9) if the court did not use the percentage standard 

in determining the child support payments and did not 

provide the information required under s. 46.10(14)(d), 
No. 2020AP359

5

49.345(14)(d), 301.12(14)(d), or 767.511(1n), whichever is 

appropriate.

WIS. STAT. § 767.59(1f)(b)4. 

¶8 The prior stipulation for $900 in monthly child support deviated 

from the DCF percentage standard, and it does not appear that the circuit court 

considered the information required under the statute when it approved the prior 

stipulation. This circumstance alone created a rebuttable presumption of a 

substantial change in circumstances, providing a basis for the court’s modification 

order. 

¶9 Although John acknowledges the deviation from the DCF 

percentage standard, he suggests, in conclusory fashion, that WIS. STAT.

§ 767.59(1f)(b)4. does not apply because the “parents both agreed” to the 

deviation. However even if we assume the parties’ agreement renders

§ 767.59(1f)(b)4. inapplicable, John fails to address the other delineated situations

that “may constitute a substantial change of circumstances sufficient to justify 

revision of the judgment or order,” including a catch-all provision for where there 

is “[a]ny other factor that the court determines is relevant.” Sec. 767.59(1f)(c)4. 

¶10 Given the catch-all provision, we reject John’s claim that there 

cannot be a substantial change in circumstances based on nonpayment of variable 

costs or where the payer’s income is unchanged. Here, the circuit court properly 

exercised its discretion when it considered John’s failure to pay stipulated variable 

costs to be a relevant factor constituting a substantial change of circumstances 

justifying the modification of child support. Although there was no requirement 

that he pay the variable costs within a certain period of time, and he claims he was 

not provided with receipts or bills for those costs, the court implicitly credited
No. 2020AP359

6

Bobbie Jo’s testimony that John knew what the costs were and failed to pay them 

for months. See generally State v. Echols, 175 Wis. 2d 653, 672-73, 499 N.W.2d 

631 (1993); see also State v. Quarzenski, 2007 WI App 212, ¶19, 305 Wis. 2d 

525, 739 N.W.2d 844 (“To the extent the circuit court’s conclusions are rooted in 

the witnesses’ credibility, we will accept those determinations,” and if the circuit 

court fails to make “express” credibility findings, we assume that the court “made 

implicit findings on a witness’s credibility when analyzing the evidence.”). When 

acting as the finder of fact, the circuit court is the ultimate arbiter of witness 

credibility. Lessor v. Wangelin, 221 Wis. 2d 659, 665, 586 N.W.2d 1 (Ct. App. 

1998). Further, the court specifically exempted John from having to contribute to 

the variable costs for the minor child, which supports the conclusion that the court 

considered John’s failure to pay those costs when deciding to increase the support 

order.

¶11 John nevertheless argues that if Bobbie Jo believed he was not 

complying with the parties’ stipulation, “contempt was the proper remedy, not 

modification of a support order.” John, however, provides no authority to support 

his argument that Bobbie Jo was required to pursue contempt rather than child 

support modification, and the circuit court could properly determine that 

modifying the stipulated order was preferable to the exchange of expense receipts 

and the potential periodic return to court that contempt proceedings would entail. 

By the Court.—Order affirmed.

This opinion will not be published. See WIS. STAT. RULE

809.23(1)(b)5.