Opinion ID: 1295254
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Was there an agreement as to Abby's or Molly's college expenses in 1996?

Text: When the court merges an agreement of the parties into a dissolution decree, the court construes and enforces the decree as a final judgment of the court and not as a separate agreement between the parties. In re Marriage of Lawson, 409 N.W.2d 181, 182 (Iowa 1987). In construing a decree of dissolution, we have previously stated: The decree should be construed in accordance with its evident intention. Indeed the determinative factor is the intention of the court as gathered from all parts of the decree. Effect is to be given to that which is clearly implied as well as to that which is expressed. Of course, in determining this intent, we take the decree by its four corners and try to ascertain from it the intent as disclosed by the various provisions of the decree. In re Roberts' Estate, 257 Iowa 1, 6, 131 N.W.2d 458, 461 (1964). Applying these principles, we think it is clear from the four corners of the decree the provisions dealing with college expenses applied only to Kelly and not to Abby or Molly. The decree contained a number of separate paragraphs covering different issues. One paragraph specifically related to the child support for Abby and Molly. A second paragraph specifically related to college expenses for Kelly while attending an accredited Iowa college or university. This paragraph did not refer to Abby or Molly. Finally, another paragraph of the decree preserved all matters contained in the original decree, except as modified by this decree. Abby's postsecondary education subsidy must be determined on its own merits.