Opinion ID: 2102509
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the alimony awarded

Text: The original monthly alimony award of $100.00 was low. Wife urges us to apply the rationale of Kolb v. Kolb, 324 N.W.2d 279 (S.D.1982), to the facts herein. Kolb, held that when child custody is based upon a stipulation and agreement, evidentiary facts concerning custody have not been litigated and are not deemed adjudicated in a modification hearing. Child custody, however, involves the rights of third persons who were not parties to the action or participants in the stipulation and agreement. Here the property and alimony agreement was between two responsible adults, both of whom were represented by counsel. We are not inclined to extend the Kolb rationale to alimony and property matters. See Ramsay v. Ramsay, 305 Minn. 321, 233 N.W.2d 729 (1975); Kaiser v. Kaiser, 290 Minn. 173, 186 N.W.2d 678 (Minn.1971). A trial court's determination of alimony must stand absent a clear abuse of discretion, Herndon v. Herndon, 305 N.W.2d 917 (S.D.1981); and we will not put trial courts in the position of relieving parties of an initial bad bargain, nor look behind the original decree on an appeal of a modification decision. See Jameson v. Jameson, 90 S.D. 179, 239 N.W.2d 5 (S.D.1976). However, the authority to modify an alimony award is not affected by the fact that the original divorce judgment was based on an agreement between the parties. Blare v. Blare, 302 N.W.2d 787 (S.D.1981); Connolly v. Connolly, 270 N.W.2d 44 (S.D.1978); Simmons v. Simmons, 67 S.D. 145, 290 N.W. 319 (1940). The only issue before the trial court therefore was whether circumstances had changed between the 1977 divorce decree and the 1983 modification hearing which warranted alimony adjustment. Herndon, supra . See also, Guindon v. Guindon, 256 N.W.2d 894 (S.D.1977); Jameson, supra . Wife is unemployed and suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, inhalent allergies and a hearing loss. Although she submitted no expert medical testimony, husband did not dispute her health problems or her inability to work. The trial court found wife was not a malingerer. She was forced to sell the home awarded to her in the divorce decree because she could not maintain the payments. The record further reveals she was receiving unemployment insurance benefits and food stamps. Conversely, husband's income from his insurance business had substantially increased, as had his military retirement pay. Husband contends his income increased at a percentage rate lower than wife's. He argues, therefore, that wife's circumstances have actually improved. This reasoning does not fairly reflect the facts. We cannot countenance a percentage comparison of two individual's incomes when one party spent twenty-six years building an income base while the other spouse was not employed, thereby having no base. To do so would produce results clearly against reason and evidence. Herndon, supra . Upon review of the changed circumstances, we find the trial court insufficiently increased wife's alimony. Guindon, supra; Guinter v. Guinter, 72 S.D. 554, 37 N.W.2d 452 (1949); Lines v. Lines, 69 S.D. 299, 9 N.W.2d 705 (1943). The court included wife's earnings, which had ceased, and her temporary unemployment insurance benefits in her 1983 income. That distorted her true financial condition. Adjusting the alimony based on inflation alone only reflected one important changed circumstance. The trial court's increase should also have accounted for her deteriorated health which impaired, or totally precluded, future employment. Husband contests the trial court's attorney fee award to wife. The record shows that the trial court adequately considered all factors and did not abuse its discretion by awarding attorney fees. Peshek v. Peshek, 297 N.W.2d 323 (S.D.1980); Lien v. Lien, 278 N.W.2d 436 (S.D.1979). We accordingly hold the trial court abused its discretion by inadequately increasing the alimony, but we affirm in all other respects. The case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. No attorney fees were requested on appeal. WOLLMAN, MORGAN and HENDERSON, JJ., concur. WUEST, Circuit Judge, acting as Supreme Court Justice, concurs.