Opinion ID: 2634677
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Calculating Child Support on Remand

Text: Having concluded that it was an abuse of discretion not to grant relief from the child support order under Rule 60(b)(1) and (3), we remand. Assuming that the June 7 order awarded shared custody, it will be necessary to calculate child support under Rule 90.3(b). As Harris argued below, this will require Westfall and Harris to file current child support guidelines affidavits. We also observe that the parties' settlement agreement remains in effect. That agreement stated that the court will make findings concerning the waiver of child support. In the superior court Westfall correctly argued that the parties could not waive child support absent findings from the court. Westfall then explained that the waiver was intended only to cover arrearages for child support Harris owed before the first custody order was entered. He claimed that Harris had accumulated arrearages because Cayla had been in his primary custody before the parties reached agreement in 2001. Since the parties did not violate public policy by agreeing to waive the arrearages Harris allegedly accumulated before any custody or support order was entered, we deem this part of their agreement to be enforceable. Consequently, the superior court on remand should give effect to this limited waiver and to this part of their agreement. Doing so will preclude Westfall from claiming on remand that Harris owes child support for any period predating entry of the child custody order following the May 22, 2001 settlement conference. But from the time of the settlement conference forward, the schedule agreed upon by the parties established the shared custody arrangement which thereafter should have governed the calculation of child support (absent any demonstration of changed circumstances). Because the superior court never made findings that would have justified a waiver of child support thereafter, the court on remand must calculate child support under Rule 90.3(b) from May 22, 2001 forward, after considering the parties' respective incomes. We also observe that Harris was apparently willing in May 2001 to waive child support so she could obtain increased visitation. According to Harris's affidavit, Westfall was willing to agree to shared physical custody only if the parties waived child support. Because it appears that shared physical custody would have required Westfall to pay child support, in effect Harris tried to give up the opportunity to receive child support in order to obtain a more favorable visitation schedule. If this indeed was the basis for the parties' agreement, it is contrary to public policy, and could not justify excusing either parent from paying child support thereafter. [18]