Opinion ID: 1367095
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: modification of the trust provisions

Text: The plaintiff argues that the remedy of partition was beyond the court's power to order since there was no action before the court brought pursuant to AS 09.45.260 [12] by one or more parties holding land as tenants in common. She also argues that since the partition order modified the 1967 decree to the extent that the trust res was converted from proceeds to real estate per se, it was unlawful. Finally, the plaintiff contends that insofar as the relief of partition went beyond the nature of the relief requested by the defendant in his motion to modify, the order was improper. [13] We shall not labor this opinion with a discussion of all of the arguments raised to justify the court's modification of the decree. We uphold the modification under the court's inherent power to enforce its judgments. [14] This inherent power to enforce its decrees may at times justify the court to go beyond the parties' requests. [15] There is particular justification for such action by a court, when necessary to preserve the rights of children who are not represented in the proceedings. [16] Goodsell v. Goodsell, 38 Wash.2d 135, 228 P.2d 155 (1951), suggests that a court not only has inherent power to enforce its decrees, but it also has a duty to do so. [17] The Supreme Court of Washington in Goodsell, in disposing of the appellant's jurisdictional argument which was quite similar to that raised by Mrs. Johnson in the instant case, held that a court has the power to enforce executory parts of its decree even after it has become final. It was considered inconceivable that a court in a divorce case could divide the property between the parties and yet not have the power to make the division effective. We concur in the Washington court's statement that: A court not only has the right, but it is its duty to make its decrees effective and to prevent evasions thereof. [18] Judge Taylor did not really modify the 1967 decree in any essential respect. He made alterations necessary to obtain a result altogether consistent with the original decree. In the intervening seven years, nothing had been done to implement the sale of the Richardson Highway property so that the proceeds could be placed in trust for the children. In addition, plaintiff had transferred title to the Badger Road property to her father without permission of the court. We hold that the court's appointment of a new trustee and its appointment of a guardian ad litem are modifications encompassed within the court's inherent power to enforce its decrees. Since it was apparent neither party had moved to activate the trust nor to protect the interests of the children, such appointments were entirely proper. The order of partition may also be classed in this category. Since the educational purpose of the trust could no longer be attained due to the change in circumstances with regard to the three older children, and since the court evidently felt Collette's educational opportunities would not be endangered by such a division, the transfer of a portion of property outright to the three others would be one means of compensating those who had heretofore been deprived of any of the benefits of the trust established in their favor. The decision of March 8, 1974 likewise attempted to enforce the payment of the alimony and child support payments that had accrued, insofar as it ordered the trustee to do all things necessary to collect the arrearages. A more difficult problem is presented by the portion of the order that required those sums to be paid to the children to the extent necessary to offset the loss to the trust estate from the unlawful sale of the 1/4 Mile Badger Road property. The plaintiff had been ordered by the original 1967 decree to sell that property with the monies to be deposited in trust for the education of the minor children of the parties. Instead, the plaintiff transferred title to the property to her father without first seeking permission of the court. Plaintiff contends that the transfer was made because she was unable to meet payments on the property due her father under a purchase agreement. Our decisions have indicated an abhorrence of forfeitures in land purchase agreements, [19] and the court, presented with the opportunity, might well have entered an order preventing any such forfeiture here. Moreover, plaintiff has set forth no reason why she did not attempt to sell the property for a sum more than sufficient to pay the balance due on the purchase agreement or attempt to sell her equity in the property. In requiring that the trust be reimbursed for any loss caused by plaintiff's improper action, the court was doing no more than providing a procedure for enforcement of its original decree. It will be necessary for the trial court to determine what loss, if any, was caused by the improper transfer  that is the amount if any by which the net fair market value [20] of the property at the time of the transfer exceeded the balance due on the purchase agreement. The amount would bear interest from the date of the transfer. It is only to this extent that the amounts otherwise due plaintiff are to be utilized for reimbursement to the trust res. [21] We hold that Judge Taylor did not err in providing for partition of the property and for reimbursement to the trust res for losses incurred by reason of the sale of the Badger Road property.