Opinion ID: 2631736
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Deviation from Presumptive Support Level

Text: [¶22] The district court made a decision to deviate from presumptive support in this instance. It based that decision on the age of the child (§ 20-2-307(b)(i)); the value of services contributed by either parent (§ 20-2-307(b)(v)); and, other factors deemed relevant by the court (§ 20-2-307(b)(xiii)). The factor specifically pointed to by the court in the order was Mother's forgiveness of child support arrearages owed to Mother by Father, but as we noted above in our quotation of the district court's oral findings, there were several other such factors that the district court took into account. In its oral findings, the district court made a specific finding that application of the presumptive support guidelines would be unjust and inappropriate in this particular case. Our decision in Steele was available to the district court at the time the order, which is the subject of this appeal, was entered (it was published just one month before the date of that order), although there is no indication in the record on appeal that it was called to the attention of the district court by the parties. In the light of all of these circumstances, we conclude that, although the proceedings in this case are no model for either litigants or for district courts, the district court did not abuse its discretion in taking into account the facts and circumstances that it did, or in making its decision to deviate from the presumptive support level. All errors were de minimus and harmless.