Opinion ID: 1805514
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did the trial court err in holding McIntosh in contempt for failure to pay child support?

Text: ¶ 10. McIntosh argues he should not have been held in contempt because the burden of proof was on DHS to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he was not able to pay the judgment; he further argues that DHS failed to meet this burden. This argument contradicts our established case law. ¶ 11. In contempt actions involving unpaid child support, a prima facie case of contempt has been established when the party entitled to receive support introduces evidence that the party required to pay the support has failed to do so. Guthrie v. Guthrie, 537 So.2d 886, 888 (Miss.1989). At this point, the burden shifts to the paying party to show an inability to pay or other defense; this proof must be clear and convincing and rise above a simple state of doubtfulness. Shelton v. Shelton, 653 So.2d 283, 286-87 (Miss.1995). Whether a party is in contempt is left to the chancellor's substantial discretion. Id. at 286. Moreover, the chancery court should be affirmed unless manifest error is present and apparent. Premeaux v. Smith, 569 So.2d 681, 683 (Miss.1990). ¶ 12. Without a doubt, DHS established a prima facie case of contempt. The agency submitted evidence that showed McIntosh had never paid any support payments, in direct contradiction of court order. At that point, the burden shifted to McIntosh to show his inability to pay. ¶ 13. McIntosh contends that he lacked the financial capability to pay his support obligation. He relies upon our decision in Hooker v. Hooker, 205 So.2d 276, 278 (Miss.1967), where we held that a husband may exonerate himself from failure to make alimony or child support payments because of his inability to pay. Yet while a husband may exonerate himself from failure to make ... child support payments as ordered, because of his inability to pay ... his evidence must be made with particularity and not in general terms. Id. at 278; see also Bailey v. Bailey, 724 So.2d 335, 337 (Miss.1998) . In Hooker, the husband provided documents showing that his business and property had been foreclosed, that there were judgments for over $87,000 entered against him, [2] and that he was unable to find employment. Hooker, 205 So.2d at 277. Such a dramatic change in circumstances was sufficient to protect Hooker from contempt of court. Id. at 278. [3] ¶ 14. In contrast with Hooker, McIntosh provided no evidence of his inability to pay but merely described in general terms that he had no income or assets. McIntosh provided no medical records to support his alleged disability. He also provided no evidence to sustain his continued inability to seek employment. Willful refusal to support one's children is not the same as inability to pay. Bailey, 724 So.2d at 337. Therefore, the chancery court did not err in finding McIntosh in contempt. ¶ 15. As a state and as a society we have determined that it is imperative that those who have fathered children provide financial support for their well-being. Children are too valuable to be simply cast aside. Jeffrey M. Williams, Guidelines: Need, Process and Review, 70 Miss. L.J. 1065, 1070-71 (2001). The world was not asked of Gerald W. McIntosh  only $112 a month. Because he refused to pay even that modest sum in support of the child he fathered and because he had absolutely no evidence to show why he could not pay that amount, the chancery court did not err in finding him in contempt.