Opinion ID: 1120058
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Allocation of Payments.

Text: In the absence of any specific application of partial payments in satisfaction of a support order, partial payments must be applied to the oldest debt first when the statute of limitations is a consideration. Biel v. Godwin, 69 Nev. 189, 191, 245 P.2d 997, 998 (1952). The record shows in this case that appellant made payments in accordance with the 1967 URESA order although the payments were not always timely. These payments were half of what was required under the 1963 California order. The trial court apparently agreed with counsel for respondent that the payments were to be applied to the oldest debt first. This satisfied the arrearages prior to 1970. Appellant argues that this application was erroneous and that appellant's post-1970 payments should have been applied to post-1970 accrued support. Due to the six-year statute of limitation, NRS 11.190(1)(a), recovery of support arrearages accruing prior to August of 1970 was barred. We are persuaded by appellant's argument. Appellant's compliance with the 1967 URESA order demonstrated a specific application of payments. Under NRS 130.280(2), [a]mounts paid for a particular period pursuant to any support order made by the court of another state shall be credited against the amounts accruing or accrued for the same period under any support order made by the court of this state pursuant to a proceeding under this chapter. Arrearages which have accrued prior to an order of a court of this state in a proceeding under this chapter shall be computed in a like manner. We believe that this statute, coupled with our holding in Biel, requires that payments made pursuant to a URESA order in this state be credited against amounts accrued for the same period under the support order of another state. This was not done in the instant case. All payments made by appellant subsequent to August of 1970 under the 1967 URESA order must be applied to the amounts accruing for that period under the 1963 California order. Because specific calculations were not included in the findings of the district court, or found in the record before us, we must remand this proceeding for a determination of the proper amount owed. We affirm the finding by the lower court that respondent is not precluded from recovery of accrued support by equitable defenses. We reverse the application of payments as determined by the district court and remand the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. MOWBRAY, C.J., and THOMPSON and BATJER, JJ., concur.