Opinion ID: 1816762
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: did the chancellor err in removing denise from her former marital home at a date earlier than provided for in the separation and property settlement agreement?

Text: Denise and Ron Phillips executed a Separation and Property Settlement Agreement September 15, 1987, which was incorporated into the divorce decree. It provided in part that Mrs. Phillips would convey all her interest in the marital residence to Mr. Phillips which she has done. It further provided: (b) As consideration for Wife's conveying her interest in the aforedescribed property, she shall have the right to the exclusive use and possession of said property including the home thereon. On the 1st day of October, 1990, Wife shall relinquish her exclusive use and possession in favor of Husband and she shall do so without any further notice on the part of Husband. ... . (d) It is agreed and understood that the above-described exclusive use and possession by Wife of said residence is limited only to the extent that she and the minor child, Justin Harley Phillips, shall be the only permanent occupants thereof, and for any reason should it become necessary in the opinion of Wife to have another occupant in said home, she shall request and receive written permission from Husband for such occupant's presence and Husband agrees not to unreasonably withhold such permission. Otherwise, said exclusive use and possession shall terminate upon such other person taking up a permanent residency therein. The question was whether Billy Coe was a permanent resident. The record does not show by a preponderance of evidence that Mr. Coe was a permanent resident. The Chancellor found that the forfeiture clause of the Separation and Property Settlement Agreement was triggered and Mrs. Phillips was ordered out of the residence October 1, 1988. The Chancellor found that Mr. Coe was a permanent resident. The evidence that Mr. Coe did not keep any clothes or toiletries at Mrs. Phillips' is undisputed. Mr. Coe and Mrs. Phillips both testified that Mr. Coe stayed overnight on occasion. All parties agree that he maintained a room at the barracks at the naval station. Mrs. Inman, Mrs. Cordia, and Mrs. Reid, all of whom visited with Mrs. Phillips regularly, testified that they did not see any indication that Mr. Coe had moved in. Even Mr. Phillips acknowledged that Mr. Coe has a room in the barracks and that his automobile was often there. The Chancellor was manifestly in error when he found Mr. Coe to be a permanent resident. The overwhelming weight of the mostly uncontradicted evidence indicated he was a frequent visitor who helped around the house. The Separation and Property Settlement Agreement unambiguously required permanent residence of another to trigger the forfeiture clause. This is what Denise and Ron Phillips contracted. Billy Coe was not shown to be a permanent resident; accordingly, it was error for the Chancellor to remove Mrs. Phillips from the former marital residence prior to October 1, 1990. The court below was in error in awarding custody of the minor, Justin Phillips, to the father, Ronald Phillips; therefore, the trial court is reversed, and this Court renders as to the custody of said minor and restores said custody to the mother; further, Mrs. Phillips was ordered to vacate the residence on October 1, 1988, when she had a right of possession until October 1, 1990. This Court therefore restores her right to possession of the house until October 1, 1990, and we restore child support at $50.00 per month until October 1, 1990 and then increase it to $200.00 per month in accordance with the previous agreed decree. REVERSED AND RENDERED. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, ROBERTSON, SULLIVAN, ANDERSON and BLASS, JJ., concur.