Opinion ID: 1597330
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: This domestic case is appealed from the Chancery Court of Leflore County. After a hearing held on November 24, 1992, the chancellor entered an order dated December 2, 1992, which, among other things, reduced the amount of child support the appellee/complainant, James Henry Ferguson (James), was required to pay to his ex-wife, Shirley Bain Ferguson Shipley (Shirley), from $450.00 per month to $400.00. This order also modified the original divorce decree to allow James to claim the oldest of the couple's two children as a tax exemption so long as his child support payments are not in the arrears more than thirty (30) days. Finally, the chancellor denied Shirley's request for attorney's fees. From this ruling, Shirley now brings her appeal to this Court assigning as error the following: I. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR WAS MANIFESTLY WRONG IN REDUCING FATHER'S MONTHLY CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATION AFTER FINDING THAT NO MATERIAL CHANGE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PARTIES HAD OCCURRED SINCE THE ENTRY OF THE ORIGINAL DECREE. II. WHETHER THE LOWER COURT WAS MANIFESTLY WRONG IN AMENDING THE PRIOR DECREE TO PERMIT THE FATHER TO CLAIM ONE CHILD AS AN EXEMPTION FOR TAX PURPOSES WHERE THE ISSUE WAS NEITHER RAISED BY THE PLEADINGS NOR TRIED BY CONSENT. III. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR WAS MANIFESTLY IN ERROR IN REFUSING TO AWARD ATTORNEY'S FEES TO WIFE. In addition to these assignments of error, Shirley has filed a motion for attorney's fees asking this Court to award her attorney's fees against James in an amount determined by this Court.