Case Name: Annette R. SCHIFF, Appellant, v. Simon J. SCHIFF, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1960-09-22
Citations: 123 So. 2d 295
Docket Number: No. 60-10
Parties: Annette R. SCHIFF, Appellant, v. Simon J. SCHIFF, Appellee.
Judges: PEARSON, Acting Chief Judge, concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 123
Pages: 295–298

Head Matter:
Annette R. SCHIFF, Appellant, v. Simon J. SCHIFF, Appellee.
No. 60-10.
District Court of Appeal of Florida. Third District.
Sept. 22, 1960.
Rehearing Denied Oct. 18, 1960.
Ferrell & Young and Milton M. Ferrell, Miami, for appellant.
Sidney M. Aronovitz, Miami, for appel-lee.

Opinion:
CARROLL, CHAS., Judge.'
The appellee Simon J. Schiff sued the appellant Annette R. Schiff for divorce on the grounds of extreme cruelty and desertion. The wife defended the cause, sought custody of the minor child of the parties and alimony and child support. On final hearing the chancellor granted the husband a divorce, awarded the wife the custody of the child who is now 7 years of age, with rights of visitation reserved to the husband. The wife's prayer for alimony was denied and the court allowed her $15 a week for support of the child.
On her appeal the wife challenges the granting of the divorce against her, the denial of alimony and of her claim for certain costs. She also argues that the amount allowed for child support was inadequate.
On consideration of this record, which was based on conflicting evidence, we affirm the chancellor's decision on the divorce, and as to the costs, but we reverse the denial of alimony and as to the amount of child support.
The chancellor made no findings as a basis for disallowance of alimony. The wife should be entitled to receive alimony notwithstanding she was found guilty of the grounds for divorce alleged. See Randolph v. Randolph, 146 Fla. 491, 1 So.2d 480; Cowan v. Cowan, 147 Fla. 473, 2 So.2d 869. The only reason shown by the record for denying the wife alimony was that she is able to earn money by giving piano lessons. The denial of her application for alimony without a reservation of jurisdiction leaves her without the right to apply to the court in the future for financial assistance from the husband whose duty it is to support her, in the event of a change in her circumstances which might render her unable to continue to teach music. See Kirby v. Kirby, Fla.App.1959, 111 So.2d 299; Weiss v. Weiss, Fla.App.1960, 118 So.2d 833.
The amount of $15 per week which the court allowed in this case for child support would appear to be inadequate on its face for the care and maintenance of the 7 year old daughter. The husband's ob ligation to support of the child is clear, and though his income is limited to approximately $300 per month, it is sufficient from which to supply the amounts reasonably necessary for the care and support of this child of school age. The appellant insists that the amount allowed is inadequate and that she would he unable to support the child except for the assistance she receives through being able to live with her mother, thus saving housing expense. Her counsel argues, and correctly so, that it is the child's father and not the maternal grandparent who is obligated by law to furnish the child's support.
On behalf of appellee it was argued that the court acted properly in limiting the support to $15 a week because some years previously when the child was an infant, a court in Massachusetts, which was the state of the marital domicile, in granting an application of the wife for child support fixed the amount at $15 per week, and later refused to increase it; and appellee points out that the husband at that time was earning only $10 to $20 a week less than he is earning at the present time. The amount of the allowance as fixed by the Massachusetts court some 5 years ago is not binding on the court in this cause, or necessarily to be used as a guide to determine the amount which is reasonably necessary for the support of the child who now is 7 and of school age.
We are of the opinion that the chancellor should have allowed some alimony to the wife, or, on finding that she was presently able to earn her livelihood, have reserved jurisdiction on the alimony question and allowed an increased amount for child support, and that the failure of the chancellor to do so amounted to an abuse of discretion. See Kube v. Kube, 159 Fla. 895, 32 So.2d 921. On these issues, therefore, the decree appealed from should be modified and the cause remanded with directions to the chancellor to reconsider the matter of alimony and child support and thereupon to make an award of alimony, or reserve jurisdiction on alimony and increase the child support, in at least a reasonable amount commensurate with the necessities of the defendant and the ability of the plaintiff to pay, as shown by the record.
Whereupon, the decree appealed from is affirmed in part and reversed in part and the cause remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent herewith and as directed.
PEARSON, Acting Chief Judge, concurs.