Case Name: Richard Frank McKENNA, Appellant, v. Melinda K. FISHER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2001-02-23
Citations: 778 So. 2d 498
Docket Number: No. 5D00-1675
Parties: Richard Frank McKENNA, Appellant, v. Melinda K. FISHER, Appellee.
Judges: ORFINGER, R.B., J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 778
Pages: 498–500

Head Matter:
Richard Frank McKENNA, Appellant, v. Melinda K. FISHER, Appellee.
No. 5D00-1675.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Feb. 23, 2001.
Richard Frank McKenna, San Antonio, TX, pro se.
No Appearance for Appellee.

Opinion:
SAWAYA, J.
Richard McKenna, pro se, appeals the order denying his petition for a temporary reduction of child support during summer visitation, for the award of the dependency tax exemption, for entry of an order requiring the parties to share the increased travel expenses for the child's visitation, and for entry of a contempt order against the mother, Melinda Fisher. Because the trial court applied an incorrect legal standard when ruling on Mr. McKenna's claim for shared travel expenses, we reverse that portion of the order and remand for a hearing thereon. Although his other complaints have facial merit, Mr. McKenna's failure to support his claims with evidence prevented the trial court, and concomitantly this court, from ruling in his favor.
Mr. McKenna, a recent resident of Texas, petitioned the trial court to order Ms. Fisher to share the expense of transporting their child to Texas for visitation with Mr. McKenna, advising the court that an earlier order had required the parties to share travel expenses when Ms. Fisher had changed residences within the State of Florida. The trial court reasoned that because it was Mr. McKenna's decision to move out-of-state, Mr. McKenna should bear the full financial burden of travel expenses for the child's visitation with him. This is not the correct standard by which to test the request. See Drakulich v. Drakulich, 705 So.2d 665, 667 (Fla. 3d DCA 1998) ("The approach taken by the child support guidelines is that childrearing expenses should be shared by the parents in accordance with their financial means. The guidelines statute provides the framework for arriving at a fair and equitable child support award. The expense of transporting the child for visitation must be evaluated within this framework.") (citation omitted); see also Coons v. Coons, 765 So.2d 167 (Fla. 1st DCA) (holding that where there is a significant disparity in parties' incomes, it is appropriate to order the wealthier parent to pay the entire cost of visitation), rev. denied, 773 So.2d 54 (Fla.2000).
While Ms. Fisher may or may not have the financial ability to split evenly the increased travel expenses occasioned by Mr. McKenna's move to Texas, the fact that she was apparently under an order to share expenses when travel was in-state demonstrates that she has the ability to at least contribute to the travel expense. The trial court applied an improper test— the voluntariness of the out-of-state move — to deny Mr. McKenna's petition. Accordingly, we reverse the portion of the order denying Mr. McKenna's request for a contribution towards travel expenses and remand for consideration under the appropriate standard.
AFFIRMED in part; REVERSED in part; REMANDED for further proceedings.
ORFINGER, R.B., J., concurs.
COBB, J., concurs in part, dissents in part, with opinion.