Opinion ID: 1667685
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: D'Agosto

Text: John D'Agosto and his wife divorced in 1976, and the court awarded the wife custody of the child and child support in the amount of $40 semimonthly. In 1984 or 1985, the child came to live with Mr. D'Agosto permanently, but Mr. D'Agosto never acted to have the court modify the divorce decree or to inform the court of the child's new residence. Mr. D'Agosto ceased making child support payments after he took over the custody of the child without the court's permission. Because Mr. D'Agosto did not make his July 10, 1987, payment into the court depository, on August 12, 1987, the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Indian River County sent D'Agosto a certified letter, in accordance with the provisions of section 61.14(5), notifying him that his payments were delinquent and that the provisions of the statute would be applicable to him if he did not make his payment before August 27, 1987. On August 21, 1987, Mr. D'Agosto filed three claims in the circuit court against the clerk, requesting a writ of prohibition, a writ of certiorari, and declaratory relief. He also filed a motion to stay implementation of the statute and a motion to declare the statute unconstitutional, contending that the statute violates both the United States and Florida constitutions. The court dismissed the first two claims and resolved the case on the declaratory relief count by granting summary judgment in favor of Mr. D'Agosto. The trial judge's final summary judgment, quoted extensively by the district court, states: The statute provides that when an obligor is 15 days delinquent in making a payment of support, the local depository (Clerk) shall notify the obligor by certified mail, and upon the satisfaction of the notice requirements, a Final Judgment of Delinquency will be entered and a lien recorded against realty beginning 30 days after the date of such delinquency. During the pendency of the abbreviated time span of receiving notice (presuming the obligor does receive same) and the date the final judgment is rendered, the obligor is not given an opportunity to be heard, to present or confront witnesses against him or to produce evidence pertaining to the matter at hand. The statute violates both substantive and procedural due process in that an obligor will be deprived of a constitutionally protected property right without having an opportunity to be heard on the matter. D'Agosto, 541 So.2d at 168-69 (citations omitted). The trial judge concluded by finding that `[t]he subject statute precludes an obligor from having his ... day in Court to present evidence pertaining to any number of recognized equitable defenses including set-off, acquiescence, laches, estoppel, and waiver.' Id. at 169 (citations omitted). The district court of appeal, in affirming the trial judge, expressly adopted his analysis and findings.