1 ... S ee Te x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OFAPPEA LS SE COND DIST RIC TOF TE XAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 9 - 2 5 7 - CV IN T H E IN T E R E S T O F C .K .H . AND K . D. H. , CH I L DR E N

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FR O M THE 235TH DI STRI CT CO URT O F CO O KE CO UN TY

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### MEMORANDU M OPI NI ON 1

----- ----- -- I . I NT R ODU CT I ON A p p e l l a n t T o n y H . a p p e a l s th e tri a l c o u rt’s o rd e r m o d i fy i n g h i s c h ild suppo rtpaym ent s. I n tw o i ssues, To ny com pl ai ns t hatt he tr i al courtabused it s d is c re t io n b y n o tre t ro a c t iv e ly a p p ly in g t h e m o d ific a t io n t o h is c u r re n tc h ild s u p p o rt o b l i g a ti o n a n d b y n o t l o w e ri n g h i s fu tu re c h i l d s u p p o rt o b l i g a ti o n . W e w i l l a ffirm .2 I I . B AC K GR OUN D T o n y , in c a rc e ra t e d s in c e D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 4 , file d a m o t io n t o m o d if y c h ild suppo rtsetat$3 00 per m onth i n M ay 20 0 1 . I n h i s pro se pet i t i on, fi l ed S e pt em ber 22 , 20 08 , To ny request ed t hat hi s chi l d suppo rt be re d u c e d to $ 0 — re tro a c ti v e l y a p p l i e d to th e d a te o f h i s i n c a rc e ra ti o n . T h e tri a l c o u rt h e a rd t h e m o t io n o n J u n e 9 , 2 0 0 9 . A tt h e h e a r in g , T o n y s u b m it t e d a n A f fid a v itin L i e u o f P e rs o n a l A p p e a ra n c e i n w h i c h h e re q u e s te d th a t h i s fu tu re c h i l d s u p p o rt pay m ents be m odi fi ed t o $200 per m ont h, upon hi s rel ea se from pr i so n, b e c a u s e o f a n a d d i ti o n a l h o u s e h o l d th a t i n c l u d e s tw o a d d it io n a l c h i l d re n b o rn i n 2 0 0 5 a n d 2 0 0 6 . T h e tri a l c o u rt e n te re d a n o rd e r o n J u n e 1 0 , 2 0 0 9 , re d u c i n g T o n y ’s currentchi l d suppo rtt o $ 0 ef fec t i ve Jul y 1, 2009 , an d i m m edi at el y rei ns t at i ng hi s m ont hl y $300 supp ortobl i gat i on a nd a r rea rage pa ym ents upon not i f yi ng t he c o u rt i n w ri ti n g o f h i sre l e a s e fro m th e s ta te p e n i te n ti a ry . A fte r th e c o u rt d e n ie d h is m o t io n t o m o d if y ju d g m e n t o n J u ly 7 , 2 0 0 9 , T o n y t im e l y f i l e d h is n o ti c e o f a p p e a l . III. A N A L Y S IS A . St andard of

Rev i ew A t r ia l c o u rt i s g i v e n b ro a d d i s c re ti o n i n d e c re a s i n g o r i n c re a s i n g c h ild su pportpa ym ents, an d t he cou rt ’ s order w i l l not be di st ur bed on a ppe al ex ce pt o n a s h o w i n g o f a c l e a r a b u s e o f d i s c re ti o n . I n re Z. B. P. , 1 09 S . W . 3d 772,3

7 8 1 (T e x . A p p .— F o rt W o rth 2 0 0 3 , n o p e t.); Reyno l ds v. Reyno l ds , 452 S. W . 2d 950 , 953 (Tex. Ci v. A pp. — D al l as1970 , no w r i t) . T he test for an a bus e o f di scret i on i s w het her t he t r i al court act ed w i t hou t reference t o any gui di ng r ul es o r p ri n c i p l e s ; th a t i s , w h e th e r th e a c t w a s a rb i tra ry o r u n re a s o n a b l e . W o rfo rd v. Stam per , 8 0 1 S .W .2 d 1 0 8 , 1 0 9 (T e x . 1 9 9 0 ). M e re l y b e c a u s e a tri a l c o u rt m a y d e c i d e a m a tter w i th i n its d i sc reti o n in a d i fferen t m a n n e r t h a n an ap p e l l a te cou rtw oul d i n a s i m i l ar ci rcum st anc e d oesnotde m ons t rat e t hatan abu se of d i s c re ti o n h a s o c c u rre d . D ow ner v . A quam ar i ne O perat ors, I nc. , 701 S . W . 2d 2 3 8 , 2 4 1 – 4 2 (T e x . 1 9 8 5 ), cert . deni ed , 4 7 6 U .S . 1 1 5 9 (1 9 8 6 ). Becau se no fi ndi ngs of factor concl usi ons of

l aw w ere request ed or fi l ed i n this ca se , w e i n fer tha t t h e tr i a l co u rtm a d e all the fi n d i n g s n e c e ss a ry to s u p p o rt i ts j u d g m e n t. W o rfo rd , 80 1 S . W . 2d at10 9. “I n det er m i ni ng w het her s o m e e v i d e n c e s u p p o rt s t h e ju d g m e n ta n d t h e im p lie d fin d in g s o f fa c t , ‘ itis p roper t o consi der onl y t hat evi dence m ost favorabl e t o t he i ssue an d to d i s re g a rd e n ti re l y th a t w h i c h i s o p p o s e d to i t o r c o n tra d i c to ry in its n a tu re .’” I d. “The j udg m ent m ust be af fi r m ed i f

i tcan be uph el d on any l egal t heory t hat fi nds suppo rti n t he evi dence. ” I d. B . T ri a l C o u rt H a s D i s c re ti o n N o t T o R e tro a c ti v e l y A p p l y C h i l d S u p p o rt M odi fi ca t i on I n h i s fi rst i ss u e , T o n y n o w co n ten d s th a t th e tr i a l co u rtab u se d i ts d i sc reti o n b y n o t re tro a c ti v e l y ap p l y i n g the m o d i fi e d ch i l d su p p o rt to th e d a te2 ... W i t h t he t r i al co urt ’ s perm i ss i on, Tony a ppe ared and t es t i fi ed att he

h e a ri n g b y A ffi d a v i t i n Lieu o f P e rso n a l A p p e a ran c e . I n h i s O ri g i n a l M o ti o n to M o d if y C h ild S u p p o rt , T o n y a s k e d t h e t r ia l c o u rt“ t o c o n d u c ta h e a r in g o n t h is m o t io n , re c e iv e t e s t im o n y fro m P e t it io n e r a n d R e s p o n d e n t , e it h e r in p e rs o n , v ia t el econference, or

by af fi davi ti n l i e u o f

personal appearance. W hi chever pl eases t he court . ” 4 o f c it a t io n , O c t o b e r 7 , 2 0 0 8 . A t r ia l c o u rt is e m p o w e re d t o m o d if y a c h ild su pportobl i gat i on a nd m ay ret roac t i vel y m odi f y s upportonl y a s t o obl i gat i ons ac crui ng a ft er

t he ea r l i er

of t he dat e o f

s er vi ce of ci t at i on or an app ea ranc e b y th e re s p o n d e n t. T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 1 5 6 .4 0 1 (b ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 8 ); In re N ayl or , 1 6 0 S .W .3 d 2 9 2 , 2 9 4 (T e x . A p p .— T e x a rk a n a 2 0 0 5 , n o p e t.); H ol l ey v. H ol l ey , 8 6 4 S .W .2 d 7 0 3 , 7 0 7 (T e x . A p p .— H o u s t o n [1 s tD is t .] 1 9 9 3 , w r it den i ed) . How eve r , a t r i al co urt has no a f fi r m at i ve duty t o m odi f y ret roac t i vel y, and set t i ng t he ef

fec t i ve dat e of

t he order

i s w i t hi n t he court ’ s broad di sc ret i on. N ayl or , 1 6 0 S .W .3 d a t 2 9 4 ; B l a c k v . B a ss e tt , 619 S . W . 2d 193, 196 (Tex. Ci v. A p p .— T e x a rk a n a 1 9 8 1 , n o w ri t). Here , To ny fi l e d t he m ot i on t o m od i f y c hi l d s up po rti n Se pt e m be r 2008 , a n d a h e a ri n g o n h i s m o ti o n w a s h e l d in J u n e 2 0 0 9 . S e tti n g the effe c ti v e d a te of t he m o d i fi cat i on t o Jul y 1, 20 09 , w as w i t hi n t he di scret i onary t i m e fram e provi ded by st at ut e b ec aus e i tw asnotear l i er t han ei t her

t he dat e o f

s er vi ce of c i tati o n o r

an appearance 2 b y T o n y . S ee T e x . F a m. Co d e An n . § 1 5 6 . 4 01; N ayl or , 160 S . W . 3d at294. Bec aus e t he t r i al co urtac t ed w i t hi n t he rang e provi ded by t he fam i l y code and di d not actar bi t rar i l y or unreasonabl y, t he t r i al3 ... The rec ord reve al s Tony su bm i t t ed an i ni t i al requ es tfor a hea r i ng on N o v e m b e r 1 8 , 2 0 0 8 . 5 cou rtdi d notabus e i t s di sc ret i on i n set t i ng t he m odi fi ca t i on dat e l at er t han t he d a te o f c i ta ti o n . Tony a l so co nt end s t he tr i al co urt ’ s del ay i n c onduc t i ng hi s hea r i ng ent i t l ed hi m t o a ret roac t i ve chi l d sup po rtm odi fi ca t i on. 3 S ee Tex. R. Jud . A d m i n . 7 , repr i nt ed i n Tex. G ov’ t C ode A nn. , t i t . 2, su bt i t . F app . (V erno n 200 5) . How eve r , ev en i f t here w asa del ay, Tony c i t esno a ut hor i ty, an d w e fi nd no ne, i n suppo rtof hi s ent i t l e m e n t c o n tent i on. W e over rul e To ny’ s fi rst i s s u e . C . Chi l d SupportG ui del i nesN otM and at or y O n Tr i al CourtM odi f yi ng SupportO bl i gat i on I n h i s s e c o n d i ss u e , T o n y co n ten d s th a t t h e tr i a l co u rtab u se d i ts di s c re t i o n i n n o t m o d i f y i n g h i s fu t u re c h i l d s u p p o rt o b l i g a t i o n b a s e d on t he Texa s Fam i l y Code’ s m i ni m um w age s al ar y gu i del i nesan d i n c ons i derat i on of h i s o th e r c h i l d re n a n d h o u s e h o l d . S ee Tex . Fa m . C od e Ann . §§ 1 54. 068, . 128 (V e r n o n 2 0 0 8 ). T o n y a rg u e s t h a tt h e t r ia l c o u rts h o u ld h a v e s e th is fu t u re c h ild su pportobl i gat i on by ap pl yi ng t he m i ni m um w age pres um pt i on i n s ec t i on 1 5 4 . 068 of

t he Texa s Fam i l y Code. Thi s se ct i on s t at es , “ I n t he abs enc e o f evi dence of t he w age and sal ar y i ncom e of

a party, t he courtshal l presum e t hat6

t he party ha s w age s or sa l ar y equ al t o t he fede ral m i ni m um w age for a 40- hour w e e k .” T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 1 5 4 .0 6 8 . H ere, t here i s evi den ce of Tony’ s w age an d s al ar y i nco m e a tt he t i m e o f t he or i gi nal chi l d suppo rto rder . To ny’ s A f fi davi tI n Li eu of

P ersonal A ppearance i nc l ud e s a s t a t e m e ntt ha tp r i or t o hi s i nc a rc e ra t i on , h e w a s e m pl oy e d a t$10. 50 per hour an d a verage d a forty- hour w or k w ee k. Thus , ba se d on hi s t es t i m ony abo uthi s previ ousea r ni ng a bi l i ty a nd i nco m e— and i n t he abs enc e o f an y e v id e n c e t h a th e is u n e m p lo y a b le u p o n h is re le a s e fro m in c a rc e ra t io n — t h e re is a t l e a s t s o m e e v i d e n c e to s u p p o rt th e tri a l c o u rt’s d e te rm i n a ti o n o f T o n y ’s fu tu re c h i l d s u p p o rt o b l i g a ti o n . S e e W o rfo rd , 80 1 S . W . 2d at10 9 ( hol di ng t hat a c o u rt ’ s o rd e r o f c h i l d s u p p o rt w i l l n o t b e d i s t u r b e d o n a p p e a l unl es s t he c o m p l a i n i n g p a rty c a n s h o w a c l e a r a b u s e o f d i s c re ti o n ); s e e a ls o In re M a rt in , 88 1 S . W . 2d 53 1, 53 6 (Tex . A pp. — Tex ar kana 1 99 4, w r i tdeni ed) (hol di ng t hat based on appel l ant ’ s t est i m ony abouthi s previ ous i ncom e, and i n t he absence o f an y ev i d e n c e tha t he i s u n e m p l o y a b l e , th e re i s a t l e a st so m e e v id e n c e to su pportt he t r i al co urt ’ s se t t i ng of ch i l d s upportab ove t he fede ral m i ni m um w a g e g u i d e l i n e s ). To ny al so contends t hat t he t r i al court shoul d have appl i ed the T e x as F a m ily C o d e g u id e lin e s fo r m u lt ip le fa m ilie s a n d s e th is p o s t -in c a rc e ra t io n c h ild s u p p o rt a t $ 2 0 0 p e r m o n th . See T ex. Fa m . Code Ann. § 156. 406 ( V ernon S u p p . 2 0 0 9 ); Es cue v. Es cue , 810 S . W . 2d 845, 848 (Tex. A pp. — Texa r ka na7

1 9 9 1 , n o w r it) ( h o ld in g t h a to n c e a n o b lig o r p ro d u c e s e v id e n c e t h a th e is p a y in g c h ild s u p p o rtu n d e r a n o t h e r

c h ild s u p p o rto rd e r , t h e t r ia l c o u rts h a ll c o n s i d e r th a t o b l i g a ti o n i n m a k i n g i ts fi n a l d e te rm i n a ti o n ). D u ri n g an o b l i g o r’ s i n c a rce rati o n , th e tr i a l co u rth a s th e au th o ri ty to ab ate, red uc e, or su sp en d a ch i l d sup po rt ob l i ga t i on . S ee Tex. Fa m . Code § 1 56 . 40 1(d) . I n det er m i ni ng w het her t o m odi f

y exi st i ng chi l d suppo rtorders, t he t r i al co urt ’ s us e o f chi l d s upportpe rce nt agegui del i nesi s di sc ret i ona r y, not m a n d a to ry . I n re R . D. , N o. 02- 04- 001 65- C V , 200 5 W L 503 055 , at*2 (Tex. A pp. — FortW ort h M ar . 3, 200 5, no pet . ) ( m em . op. ) (ci t i ng Es cue , 810 S. W . 2d a t 8 4 8 ). Tony’ s argum entfai l s be ca use h i s cl ai m rel i esi n l arge partupon t he m is t a k e n a s s u m p t io n t h a tt h e c o u rt , in a m o d ific a t io n p ro c e e d in g , m a y o n ly o rd e r c h i l d s u p p o rt o b l i g a ti o n s i n s tri c t c o n fo rm i ty w i th th e c h ild s u p p o rt gui del i nes . The t r i al co urt ’ s adh erenc e t o t he gui del i nesdur i ng a m odi fi ca t i on p ro c e e d i n g i s o n l y d i s c re ti o n a ry . Es cue , 8 1 0 S . W . 2 d a t8 4 8 . O n re v i e w, we a llo w t h e t r ia l c o u rtb ro a d d is c re t io n in s e t t in g c h ild s u p p o rtp a y m e n t s a n d in m o d i fy i n g th o s e p a y m e n ts . Z. B. P. , 1 0 9 S .W .3 d a t 7 8 1 ; I n re R . D. , 2 0 0 5 WL 5 0 3 0 5 5 a t * 2 . Furt herm ore, a t r i al co urt ’ s det erm i nat i on a s t o w het her a m at er i al ch ang e of ci rcum st ances has occur red i s notgui ded by r i gi d rul es and i s factspeci fi c. Z. B. P. , 109 S . W . 3d at779. Here, t he t r i al co urt ’ s order s er ved t o a bat e o r8

su sp end , rat her

t han pe r m ane nt l y m odi f y, Tony’ s chi l d su pportobl i gat i on for th e rem a i n d e r of h i s i n c a rce rati o n . T h e tr i a l co u rtred u c e d T o n y ’s o b l i g a ti o n to $0 begi nni ng Jul y 1, 2 009 , unt i l hi s rel ea se from pr i so n. Upon hi s rel ea se , t he previ ouschi l d s upportobl i gat i on i s t o res um e i m m edi at el y, i ncl udi ng a ny arrea rage p aym ents. I n t he abs enc e o f ev i den ce s how i ng a cl ea r ab us e o f d i s c re ti o n , th e t ri a l c o u rt’s d e c i s i o n m u s t b e u p h e l d . S e e W o rfo rd , 801 S. W . 2d at10 9. W e over rul e To ny’ s second i ssue. I V. C ONC L US I ON H a v i n g o v e rru l e d b o th o f T o n y ’s i s s u e s , w e a ffirm th e tri a l c o u rt’s o rd e r.

A N N E GA RD N ER J U S T I C E PA N EL: L I V I N G STO N , C. J. ; G A RD N ER and M EI ER, JJ. DEL I VERE D: Aug us t31, 2010