1 ... S eeTe x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 8 - 0 2 2 - CV
P AT R I CI A A. P AC K AR D AP P E L L ANT V . REX V . D A V I S A PPELL EE

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 43RD DI STRI CT CO URT O F PARKERCO UN TY

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### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- I. I N T R OD U C T I ON A ppel l antPat r i ci a A . Packar d appeal s t he t r i al court ’ s enf or cem entor der det er m i ni ng t hatA ppe l l ee Rex V. D avi s ow esa chi l d s upportar r ea r ageof $1 9, 61 4. 46 i ncl usi ve of i nt er est and cost s. I n t w o i ssues, Pat r i ci a cl ai m s t hat t he t r i al cou rt abu se d i t s di sc r et i on by det er m i ni ng t hat t hi s ar r ea r ageam ount2

w a s in c lu s iv e o fin t e r e s t a n d c o s t s a n d b yo r d e r in g t h a te a c h p a rt yis re s p o n s i b l e fo r h i s o r h e r o w n a tto rn e y ’s fe e s . W e w i l l a ffir m .

II. F ACT UALAND P RO CEDU RA L B ACKGROUND Pat r i ci a and R ex di vor ced i n 19 78 . D ur i ng t he m ar r i age, t he coup l e had a d a u g h t e ra n d a s o n . T h e a g r e e d d e c r e e o fd iv o r c e o r d e r e d R e xt o p a yc h ild suppo rtunt i l t he you ngestchi l d r eached t he age ofei ghteen orw as “ot her w i se em anci pat ed. ” I n 1 98 8, t he t r i al courthel d R ex i n contem ptf orf ai l ur e t o pay chi l d suppo rti n t he am oun t of $3 , 75 0 and i ssued a w i t hho l di ng or dert o col l ect t he chi l d suppo rt . Ther eaf t er , Rex ’ s youn gest chi l d r eached t he age ofei ghteen i n 1 9 9 1 a n d g ra d u a te d fro m h i g h s c h o o l i n 1 9 9 2 . Th i rt een year s el apsed, and i n M ay 20 05 , Pat r i ci a’ s att or ney r equest ed re i s s u a n c e o f th e 1 9 8 8 c o n te m p t o rd e r, a n d th e P a rk e r C o u n tyD i s tri c t C l e rk ’s o f f ic e re is s u e d t h e o r d e rt o R e x ’s e m p lo y e r t o w it h h o ld c h ild s u p p o rtf r o m h is pay che ck s. Rex r es ponde d w i t h a m ot i on t o t er m i nat e t he 198 8 or deran d t he not i ce t o w i t hhol d. Pa t r i ci a c ount er ed by f i l i ng a Jul y 7, 2005 “ C ount er - M ot i on t o C on firm C h i l d S upp ortA r r ear age. ” Rex answ er ed, chal l engi ng t he t r i al c o u rt’s j u ri s d i c ti o n to c o n fi rm a n yc h i l d s u p p o rt a rre a ra g e . T h e tri a l c o u rt t her ea f t ers t aye d t he w i t hhol di ng or der , or der ed Rex t o m ak e p aym ent s i nt o t he cou rt ’ s r egi st r y, an d a sk ed t he part i es t o su bm i t br i ef s on t he l ega l i ss uesi n t he ca se . Ul t i m at el y, t he tri a l c o u rtde ni ed Rex’ s pet i t i on t o t er m i nat e t he2 ... N e it h e r p a rt y c h a lle n g e s t h e 1 9 8 8 w a g e w it h h o ld in g o r d e ro n a p p e a l. 3 ... P a t r i c i a c l a i m s th e re w a s a s ti p u l a ti o n o n th i s i s s u e , b u t th e re c o rd r ef l ec t s t hatRex s t i pul at ed onl y t o t he am ountofpa ym ent s he m adet hr ough t he chi l d s u p p o rt of f i ce and t hatRexcl ai m ed he m ade addi t i onal , di r ect p a y m e n ts to P a tri c i a . 3 w i t hho l di ng pr ovi si on f r om t he 19 88 contem ptor der 2 and set t he case f oran evi denti ar y hear i ng “t o det er m i ne t he am oun tofar r ear age due. ” Th e quest i on of w hat chi l d suppo rtpaym ent s had been m ade by R ex w as hot l y c ont es t ed. 3Pat r i ci a t es ti f i ed t hatshe had r ecei ved on l y f ourt een paym ent s t hatRexm ade t hr oug h t he Par kerC oun t y chi l d suppo rtof f i ce, t hat sh e d i d notr ec ei v e a n y pa ym ent s di r ec t l y f r om Rex, an d t hats he had not r ec ei v e d a pa ym entf r om Rex s i nce1989 . Rex, how eve r , t es t i f i ed t hathe
m ade paym ent s di r ect l y t o Patr i ci a because she sai d t hatshe needed t he m oney f a s t e r t ha n t he ch i l d su pp ort off i ce co ul d ge t i t t o he r . R ex cl ai m ed t h a t in 1 9 8 8 , t h e t r ia l c o u rth a d f o u n d t h a th e h a d m a d e p a y m e n t s d ir e c t lyt o P a t r ic ia because t her e w er e cancel ed checks; Rexpoi nt ed t o t he f act t hatatt hatt i m e, hi s arr ea r agew asonl y $3, 750 de sp i t e t he f ac tt hatt he adm i ni st r at i ve pay m ent s r ec or dsr ef l ec t ed onl y f ourte e n p aym ent s m adeby hi m s i ncet he 197 8 di vor ce . Rex t es t i f i ed t hat Pat r i ci a n eve rca l l ed t o s ay t hats he had not r ecei ved a paym entand nevert r i ed t o col l ectt hi s al l eged ar r ear age b e tw een 1 9 8 8 a n d 2 0 0 5 . A c c o rd i n g to R e x , h e h a d p a i d a l l o f h i s c h i l d s u p p o rt4 ... T h e e v i d e n c e re v e a l e d th a t R e xw a s c u rre n tl ym a k i n g h i s d a u g h te r’s

s tu d e n t l o a n p a y m e n ts . 4 obl i gat i on and t hen som e. 4Rex’ s w i f e, Ja ni ce , t es t i f i ed t hats he had s ent checks t o Pat r i ci a unti l t he you ngestchi l d t ur ned ei ghteen; she expl ai ned t hat t hey no l ong erhad r ecor ds oft hos e p a y m e n ts because she and R ex had
r e m o d e le d t h e i r h o m e a n d a tt h a tt im e h a d d is c a r d e d t h e o ld c a n c e le d c h ild suppo rtchecks. A f t erhe ar i ng t hi s evi den ce , t he t r i al cou rt f ound t hatt he t ot al am ountof t hea r r e a r a gew a s “ $21, 014. 46, i nc l us i veo f i nt e r e s t a nd c os t s , a s of Ju l y 31, 200 7“ and t hat Rex had m ade $1, 400 i n pay m ent s t o t he cou rtre g i s try, l eavi ng a t ot al bal ance of$1 9, 61 4. 46 . The t r i al court ’ s en fo rcem entor der
r equ i r ed Rex t o pa y $350 perm ont h t o Pa t ri ci a a nd c ont ai ned a pr ovi si on o r d e r in g a n ye m p lo y e ro fR e xt o w it h h o ld f r o m R e x ’s e a r n in g s t h is m o n t h ly c h i l d su p p o rtp a y m e n t. T h e tr i a l co u rtalso en tere d an em p l o y e r’ s o rde r t o w i t hhol d f r om ea r ni ngsf orch i l d s upportar r ea r age s. The t r i al co urtdi d not
m ake f i ndi ngs off actorconcl usi ons ofl aw . Pat r i ci a f i l ed a not i ce ofappeal , chal l engi ng t he tr ia l c o urt ’ s or der c o n fi rm i n g the ch i l d su p p o rtarrea rag e b e c a u se i t fai l e d to a w a rd h e r i n tere st, re a s o n a b l e a tto rn e y ’s fe e s , a n d c o u rt c o s ts .5 ... R e xd i d n o t fi l e h i s o w n n o ti c e o f a p p e a l . 5 III. J U R I S D I C T I ON Befor e r eachi ng t he m er i t s ofPat r i ci a’ s ar gum ent s, w e m ustaddr ess w het hert he t r i al co urtha d j ur i sd i ct i on t o s i gn an enf or ce m ent or der and a w age w i t hho l d i n g o r d e r . R e xa r g u e s h e r e , a s h e d i d i n t h e t r i a l c o u rt , t h a tt h e t r i al courtdi d not have j ur i sdi ct i on t o det er m i ne t he ar r ear age ow i ng, i fany, under t he ver si on of sect i on 1 57 . 00 5( b) oft he T exas Fam i l y C ode t hatw as i n ef f ect att he t i m e Pa t r i ci a f i l ed her m ot i on t o enf or ce r equ es t i ng w agew i t hhol di ng. 5 Th e ver si on of sect i on 1 57 . 00 5( b) i n e ff e c t w hen P at r i ci a f i l ed her “Count er-M ot i on t o Conf i r m Chi l d SupportA r r ea r age ” pr ovi ded , i n pe rt i nen t p a rt , ( b) The c ourtr et ai ns j u ri s d i ct i on t o c onf i r m t he t ot al am ountof c h ild s u p p o rta r r e a r a g e s a n d re n d e rju d g m e n tf o r p a s t -d u e c h ild su pport i f a m ot i on f or enf or ce m entr equ es t i ng a m one y j udgm ent i s f i l ed not l at ert han t he 1 0th anni ver sar y af t ert he dat e: ( 1) t he chi l d be com esan ad ul t ; or (2 ) o n w h ic h t h e c h ild s u p p o rto b lig a t io n t e r m in a t e s u n d e rt h e c h ild suppo rtor derorby oper at i on of l aw . A c to fMa y 2 9 , 2 0 0 5 , 7 9 t h L e g . , R . S . , c h . 9 1 6 , § 2 1 , 2 0 0 5 T e x . G e n . L a ws 314 8, 3155 ( am end ed 200 7) ( cur r entv e r si on a tTex. Fa m . Code Ann. § 1 5 7 .0 0 5 ( b ) ( V e r n o n 2 0 0 2 )) . R e xc la im s t h a tu n d e rt h is p r o v is io n , P a t r ic ia6 ... Sect i on 157. 001 ( c) s pec i f i ca l l y a ut hor i z esan en f orc em entac t i on

und erei t herchapt er15 7 o r chapter 15 8. Tex . Fam . C ode A nn. § 1 57 . 00 1( c) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 2 ). 6 w asr equ i r ed t o f i l e h er cou nt er m ot i on w i t hi n t en yea r s oft he em anc i pat i on of t hei ryou nge stch i l d, w hi ch sh e d i d notdo. Th e t r i al courther e, how ever , si gned an enf or cem entor derand an or der f orw age w i t hho l di ng un derchapt er15 8 o ft he f am i l y code; 6 i t di d not r ender a c um ul at i ve j u d g m e n tf orpa st - due ch i l d s upportaspr ohi bi t ed by s ec t i on 157 . 005 ( b) . And i n 1997, t he l egi sl at ur e a m end ed f am i l y c ode s ec t i on 1 5 8 .1 0 2 to d e l e te a fou r- y e a r j u ri sd i c ti o n a l d e a d l i n e i m p o se d u p o n tr i a l co u rt s t o enf or ce chi l d suppo rtobl i gat i ons t hr oug h i ncom e w i t hho l di ng and st at ed t hat su c h am e n d m e n t ap p l i e s to a n y su i t n o t al rea d yp e n d i n g as o f t h e effe c ti v e d a te o f th e l e g i s l a ti o n . S ee Acto fM a y 21, 1997 , 75t h L e g. , R. S. , c h. 911, § 40 , 199 7 Tex. G en. La w s 286 4, 2872 –73 ( cur r ent ver si on at Tex. Fa m . Code Ann. § 1 58 . 10 2 ( V er non 20 02 ) ) . Th us, sect i on 1 58 . 10 2 n ow cont ai ns no expr ess dea dl i ne on t he t r i al co urt ’ s j ur i sd i ct i on t o e nt eran or dert hatpr ovi desf or i nco m e w i t hhol di ng and aut hor i z es t he ent r y ofs uch an or der“ unt i l al l cu r r ent su pportan d c hi l d s upporta rrea r age s, i nt er es t , an d a ny a ppl i ca bl e f ee s and c o s ts h a v e b e e n p a i d .” T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 1 5 8 .1 0 2 ; a c c o rd I nreA. D. , 73 S. W . 3d 244, 249 ( Tex. 2002 ) ( r ec ogni z i n g t hatad m i ni st r at i ve w age7

w i t hhol di ng byt he A t t or ney G ene r al ’ s of f i ce i s ava i l abl e r ega r dl es s ofhow l ong a n o b l i g o r h a s a v o i d e d h i s c o u rt-o rd e re d s u p p o rt d u ty ); Atto r n e y G en. v. Reddi ng , 6 0 S .W .3 d 8 9 1 , 8 9 5 (T e x . A p p .— D a l l a s 2 0 0 1 , n o p e t.) (sa m e ). W e t hushol d t hat , bas ed on t he pl ai n l ang uag e of f am i l y c ode s ec t i on 158. 102 , t he t r i al courtpossessed j ur i sdi ct i on t o si gn a n enf or cem entor derand t o or der
w a g e w i th h o l d i n g . See, e. g. , Te x. F a m . Cod e Ann . §§ 1 5 8 .1 02, 157. 269; Tex . G ov’ tC ode A nn. § 31 1. 01 1 ( V er non 20 05 ) . A nd R ex does not ar gue t hat hi s chi l d s upport obl i gat i on w asex t i ngui sh ed f orr ea so ns ot hert han f am i l y c ode sect i on 1 57 . 00 5( b) ’ s j ur i sdi ct i onal l i m i t at i on, so w e need not addr ess any other p o s s i b l e a rg u m e n ts . S e eI nreA. D. , 7 3 S . W . 3 d a t 2 4 9 ; se ealso Burne ttD un h a m v. Sp ur

gin , 2 4 5 S .W .3 d 1 4 , 1 5 , 1 8 ( T e x . A p p .— D a l l a s 2 0 0 7 , p e t. f i l ed) ( appl yi ng af f i r m at i ve def ense ofr esi dual st at u te o f li m i t at i ons w hen pl eaded by r espond ent i n chi l d suppo rt ar r ear age sui t ) . Th us, t he t r i al courtal so had j ur i sdi ct i on t o aw ar d i nt er est , at t or ney’ s f ees, and cost s.

I V. I NTERES T , C O STS , AND A T T ORN EY ’ S F EE S Pat r i ci a c ont end s t hat t he t r i al co urtab us ed i t s di sc r et i on byco ncl udi ng t hatt he ar r ea r ageof$19, 614 . 46 w asi ncl us i ve ofi nt er es tan d c os ts an d by o r d e r in g e a c h p a rt yt o b e a rh is o rh e ro w n a t t o r n e y ’s f e e s . G e n e r a lly , c h ild s u p p o r t i s s u e s a re re v i e w e d u n d e r th e a b u s e o f d i s c re ti o n s ta n d a rd . S ee Li ndsey v. Li

ndsey , 9 6 5 S .W .2 d 5 8 9 , 5 9 2 (T e x . A p p .— E l P a s o 1 9 9 8 , n o p e t.).8

I n de t er m i ni ng w het heran ab us e o f di sc r et i on has occ ur r ed, t he que st i on i s not
w het h ert he r evi ew i ng cou rtw oul d m ake t he sam e deci si on gi ven t he sam e f act s a n d c i r c u ms t a n c e s a s p r e s e n t e d i n t h e t r i a l c o u rt b u t wh e t h e r t h e t r i al cou rt ac t ed w i t hout r ef er enc e t o any gui di ng r ul es and pr i nci p l e s . D uran v. Ga rcia , 22 4 S .W .3 d 3 0 9, 31 3 ( Tex . A pp. — El Paso 2 00 5, no pet . ) . The t r i al cou rtdoe s notab us e i t s di sc r et i on i f i t bas es i t s dec i si on t o a w ar d a r r ea r s on c o n fl i c ti n g e v i d e n c e a n d s o m e e v i d e n c e s u p p o rts i ts d e c i s i o n . See Geor ge v. Jeppes on , 238 S. W . 3d 463, 474 ( Tex. A p p .— H o us t on [ 1stD i st . ] 2007 , no p e t.). H e r e , t h e a m o u n to ft h e a r r e a r a g e p u r p o rt e d lyo w e d b yR e xw a s h o t ly c o n t ested . R exan d h i s w i f e J an i ce bo t h c l ai m ed t ha tt he y h ad pa i d P atr i c ia di r ec t l y, athe rr equ es t . Thi s t es t i m ony i s con si st en t w i th e vi den ce i n t he
r e c o r d t h a t in 1 9 8 8 , t h e t r ia l c o u rtc a lc u la t e d R e x ’s a r r e a r a g e a ta n a m o u n tw e ll b e l o w th e a rre a ra g e th a t w o u l d b e d u e i f th e o n l yp a y m e n ts h e h a d m a d e w e re t h o s e r e f le c t e d in t h e a d m in is t r a t iv e p a y m e n tre c o r d s . A d d it io n a lly , P a t r ic ia of f er ed no c oge ntex pl ana t i on f orhe rde ci si on t o w ai tunt i l 2005 , unt i l t he c h i l d re n w e re th i rty -fi v e a n d th i rty -e i g h t, to re q u e s t p a y m e n t o f c h i l d s u p p o rt she cl ai m s she di d not r ecei ve f r om 19 89 t hr oug h 1 99 2. She sai d t hatshe had
w ai t ed bec aus e “ [ i ] tw ast he r i ghtt hi ng t o do. ” A p p l y i n g t he abu seof di scr et i on st andar d t o t he t r i al court ’ s deci si on t hatt he unp ai d ar r ear age ow ed9

by R ex w as $1 9, 61 4. 46 i ncl usi ve of i nt er est and cost s, w e hol d t hatbecause so m e e vi den ce s upport s t he t r i al co urt ’ s i m pl i ed f i ndi ng t hat Rex i n f ac tm ade so m e d i r ec tpa ym ent s t o Pa t r i ci a, t he t r i al co urt di d notab us e i t s di sc r et i on by det er m i ni ng t hatt he t ot al ar r ea r age ow ed by Rex w as $19 , 614 . 46 i ncl us i ve of i n te re s t a n d c o s ts . S e ei d. ( def er r i ng t o t r i al cou rt ’ s i m pl i ed f ac t ual r es ol ut i on and t he r es ul t i ng de t e rm i nat i on t hatw i f e f ai l ed t o m ee the rbur den ofpr oof
w hen she m oved t he t r i al courtt o confi r m t he ar r ear age t hatshe cl ai m ed w as d u e a n d o w i n g b y h e r e x -h u s b a n d u n d e r th e i r 1 9 9 7 d e c re e ); see al so Longh urst
v. Cl a rk , N o. 01- 07- 002 26- C V , 200 8 W L 387 617 5, at *9 ( Tex. A pp. — H ous t on [ 1 s tD i s t . ] A u g . 2 1 , 2 0 0 8 , n o p e t . ) ( me m. op . ) ( ho l d i n g t h a tt h e r e wa s s o me evi den ce t o s upportt r i al co urt ’ s f i ndi ng t hatex -h u s b and ow ed $29 8, 835 on ar r ear ages f r om 19 92 w hen t r i al courtt ook j udi ci al no tice ofi t s 19 92 Texas or der ) . W e over r ul e Pat r i ci a’ s f i r sti ssue. P a tr i c i a n e x t cl a i m s th a t t h e tr i a l c o u rt a b u se d i ts d i sc reti o n b yfai l i n g to aw ar d he ratt or ney ’ s f ee s. Pa t r i ci a’ s at t or neyt es t i f i ed t hathe w ashi r ed by C hi l d S upp ortN et w or k and t hatt hey w er e r esponsi bl e f orhi s at t or ney’ s f ees. H e a l so t es t i f i ed t hat t he C hi l d Support N et w or k t ak es t hes e t ype s ofca se s on a c o n ti n g e n c y fee a n d th a t h i s fee “w i l l c o m e o u t o f h e r c h il d s u p p o rt , ul t i m at el y. ” Pat r i ci a’ s at to r neyt es t i f i ed t hathe ha d s pen t71. 4 hour s on t he10

c a s e , b i l l e d $ 2 0 0 p e r h o u r, a n d c l a i m s h e w a s e n ti tl e d to $ 1 4 ,2 8 0 i n a tto rn e y ’s f ees. A s not ed abov e, by t he t i m e Pat r i ci a f i l ed hercounter m ot i on t o enf or ce, t h e t r i a l c o u rt h a d l o s t j u ri s d i c ti o n to e n fo rc e a n yp a s t d u e c h i l d s u p p o rt p a y m e n ts o w e d b yR e xv i a a m o n e yj u d g m e n t. S eeActo fM a y 29, 2005 , 79 t h Leg. , R . S . , ch. 91 6, § 2 1, 20 05 Tex. G en. Law s 31 48 , 31 55 ( am ended 2 0 0 7 ) (c u rre n t v e rs i o n a t T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 1 5 7 .0 0 5 (b )). T h e tri a l c o u rt had not , how eve r , l os tj ur i sd i ct i on t o e nf or ce pa stdue ch i l d s upportvi a a w age w i th h o l d i n g o rd e r. S eeTex. Fa m . Code Ann. § 158. 102 ; I nreA. D. , 73 S .W .3 d at 2 4 9 . W h e n en teri n g su c h an o rde r, the tr i a l co u rt i s n o t r e q u i red to a l s o o r d e r w a g e w i th h o l d i n g fo r a tto rn e y ’s fe e s . S ee Tex. Fa m . Code Ann. § 1 5 8 .0 0 5 1 ( V e rno n 2 0 0 2 ) (pro v i d i n g th a t t h e tr i a l co u rt m ayi n c l u d e a n a w a rd ofat t or ney’ s f ees i n a w age w i t hho l di ng or der ) . C onsequ ent l y, even i ft he t r i al courter r ed orabused i t s di scr et i on by or der i ng t hat each part y bear hi s orher ow n at t or ney’ s f ees, no har m occur r ed her e because t he t r i al courtpossessed di sc r et i on i n a ny e ven tt o noti ncl ude att orn e y ’ s f ee s i n t he or der ed w age w i t hhol di ng ( t he onl y enf or ce m ent pr oce dur e so ughtby Pat r i ci a f orw hi ch t he t r i al courtpossessed j ur i sdi ct i on t o gr ant ) . W e over r ul e Pat r i ci a’ s second i ssue.11 V. C ON C L U S I ON H a v i n g o v e r ru l e d b o th o f P a tri c i a ’s i s s u e s , w e a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s o rd e r.

SU E W A LKER J U S T I C E PA N EL: LI V I N G STO N , D A U PH I N O T, an d W A LKER, JJ. DEL I VERE D: Nov e m be r13, 2008