Opinion ID: 1785382
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Alan Dean Jensen and Kathleen A. Jensen, now known as Kathleen A. Kerrigan, are the parents of a minor child whose paternity was adjudicated in a decree entered on December 29, 1999. That decree established joint legal and physical custody, and because Alan and Kathleen were living together at the time, no child support was awarded. The decree of paternity was modified on March 14, 2000. The modification established a schedule for the parties' physical custody of the child. The 2000 modification did not order ongoing child support, but provided that [Alan] has delivered to [Kathleen], the sum of $14,000.00, which amount is considered toward any future child support that [Kathleen] may request from the Court. In the event [Kathleen] does request child support in the future, the $14,000.00 shall be used toward the payment of that child support each month, before [Alan] shall be required to make any actual payments to the Court. In the event [Kathleen] never requests child support during the minority of the child, she shall not be required to repay or credit this money to [Alan]. Alan testified that the $14,000 payment had been made at Kathleen's request. Alan explained that Kathleen didn't want to get an apartment. She wanted [the child] to have a house with a backyard. And I told her that I would help her in that regard in as much as that would provide shelter for my son. Kathleen conceded that she received the $14,000 payment and used it to make a downpayment on a house. On January 12, 2001, Kathleen filed an application for another modification of the decree. Kathleen alleged that the joint custody arrangement was not working and prayed that she be awarded sole custody. Alan cross-petitioned for custody and child support. The parties then, through mediation, entered into a parenting plan reestablishing a schedule for joint custody. The parenting plan was not memorialized by the court at that time, nor was the decree modified. On October 14, 2003, Alan petitioned to modify the decree, alleging, for a number of reasons, that circumstances had changed since the parenting plan and previous court orders and that he should be awarded sole custody and child support. On November 19, the court modified the decree to reflect the previous parenting plan. On November 21, Kathleen cross-petitioned for sole custody and child support. The case was not tried until September and October 2005. On March 7, 2006, the court entered an order modifying the decree, awarding Kathleen sole custody, and establishing a visitation schedule. The court ordered Alan to pay child support in the amount of $1,100 per month commencing the first month after the signing and entry of this Order and continuing until the minor child reaches majority, marries, is emancipated, dies, or until further order of the Court. The order did not address a credit against the child support award, and there is no indication in the record that Alan raised the issue of a credit at that time. Alan appealed from the March 7 order, assigning error only to the district court's failure to award him sole custody. In a memorandum opinion filed December 12, the Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's custody award. On March 29, 2007, Alan filed a declaratory judgment action in the district court, seeking a declaration with respect to the $14,000 credit provision of the March 14, 2000, order. In response, Kathleen alleged that the credit provision was (1) void as a conditional order, (2) void as against public policy, (3) void as impermissibly contracting away the right of the child to receive child support, and (4) barred by res judicata. Kathleen also alleged that the $14,000 payment has been expended in maintaining and supporting the parties' minor child and that she was unable to return it. At trial, Kathleen testified that she had cut back her work hours, because I thought I was going to have this money coming in. And now that it's not in, we're struggling. The district court rejected each of Kathleen's arguments. The court reasoned that the credit provision had not bargained away the right to receive child support, but was in effect a negotiated settlement provision in which Alan had agreed to pay a sum of money that was to be used in supporting the child. The court concluded that the March 14, 2000, order was valid and enforceable, and declared that Alan was entitled to a credit of $14,000 to be applied to the March 7, 2006, child support award.