Opinion ID: 1931169
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Deficiencies Cured When Attorney Signed Off on Agreed Judgment

Text: ¶ 21. The extent of Cheryl's argument and citation of authority is that an attorney has implied or apparent authority to consent to a decree against his client if he acts in good faith and without collusion. She again provides no argument or authority providing that an attorney's signing off on an agreed judgment entered in accordance with a judgment later voided is somehow rehabilitated. We are unpersuaded by Cheryl's argument on this sub-issue.
¶ 22. In this case, Cheryl is attempting to collect unpaid child support years after her children were emancipated. On the issue of who was the proper party to sue Woodrow, the defaulting parent, we have held either the custodial parent or the child can bring the action: That the child has been emancipated does not pretermit recovery of vested but unpaid child support. Either the child or the former custodial parent may bring an action against the defaulting parent, although the latter receives any recovery in his/her fiduciary capacity subject to all of the duties and strictures thereof. If by reason of the supporting parent's default, the custodial parent is forced to dip into her own resources beyond what would otherwise be expected of her, she may recover and retain amounts so proved, subject to equitable adjustment should the child's prior needs so suggest. Varner v. Varner, 588 So.2d 428, 433 (Miss.1991). See also Vice v. Dep't of Human Servs., 702 So.2d 397, 401-02 (Miss.1997). According to Varner and its progeny, the custodial parent can sue the defaulting parent for unpaid support notwithstanding the child's emancipation subject to her fiduciary duties to the child/children. The custodial parent would be entitled to reimbursement for expending her own resources if she proves such. Cheryl presented no such proof. Rather, she has doggedly sought the unpaid child support on her own behalf. This motivation is evidenced by her attorney's preparing assignments whereby the children joined the action, waived process, and assigned all of their rights to her. ¶ 23. Cheryl notes that the children have the opportunity to assert a claim against her for the money that they feel is rightfully theirs. The only child to be deposed, Darren, indicated that he had no claim against his father. Cheryl undoubtedly has standing to pursue the unpaid support, but as we held in Wilson v. Wilson, 464 So.2d 496, 499 (Miss.1985), The custodial parent is merely the conduit through which the support money passes for the benefit of the children. It is not clear whether Darren knows he has a right to the money. Because of a lack of evidence to the contrary, we find it more believable that Cheryl is trying to collect the money for herself and that she has failed to establish that the chancellor was manifestly in error in ordering the children joined as necessary parties.
¶ 24. Cheryl is correct that the chancellor erred in determining the amount of the arrearage. In computing the overall obligation, the chancellor computed the amount of the arrearage by multiplying the number of months for which Woodrow was obligated to pay (140) by $450 to arrive at a total obligation of $63,000. Actually, the original decree imposed a monthly obligation of $475. This would yield a total obligation of $66,500. For this reason, we reverse the chancellor's computation and, for reasons expressed later as well, remand for recomputation. IV. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED IN HIS FINDING THAT CHERYL LADNER HAD NO RIGHT OR AUTHORITY TO SEEK DELINQUENT CHILD SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF HER THREE OLDEST CHILDREN SINCE THEY WERE EMANCIPATED AT THE TIME THE PETITION FOR CITATION OF CONTEMPT WAS FILED. ¶ 25. Cheryl is correct that she has standing to seek the delinquent support notwithstanding the children's emancipated status. This assignment of error is addressed in Issue II where we address the status of the children as necessary parties.
¶ 26. Cheryl argues that the statute of limitations is not applicable in this case, specifically noting that since the youngest child of four children became emancipated at the time of high school graduation, May of 1995, the statute cannot commence to run against the Plaintiff or any of the children until May of 2002. Miss.Code Ann. § 15-1-43 (Rev.1995) provides for a seven-year statute of limitations for all actions founded on any judgment rendered by any court of record in this state, but Miss.Code Ann. § 15-1-59 (Rev.1995) tolls that period until removal of a disability. The chancellor found that David was emancipated in June of 1988, Kevin in June of 1990, Vincent in May of 1993, and Darren in May of 1995. ¶ 27. Cheryl states that her October 1, 1999, amended complaint related back to the April 3, 1996, DHS petition pursuant to M.R.C.P. 15(c). The chancellor voided and vacated the judgment entered in accordance with the DHS complaint on improper notice grounds. No argument is presented or authority cited to support the proposition that the October 1, 1999, complaint could relate back to the voided April 3, 1996, action, nor is authority cited supporting the proposition that the statute of limitations does not begin to run until the youngest child is emancipated. We find persuasive the Court of Appeals' decision in Brown v. Brown, 822 So.2d 1119 (Miss.Ct.App.2002), where the court applied the statute of limitations to one emancipated child and accordingly reduced the obligation payable in favor of the child whose claim was not barred. This assignment of error is without merit.
¶ 28. Cheryl's sole authority in support of her assignment of error that the chancellor erred in failing to recognize the documents by which the children purport to simultaneously join the action, waive all process, and assign all of their rights to their unpaid child support to their mother is Miss.Code Ann. § 11-7-3 (Supp.2003). Miss.Code Ann. § 11-7-3 does allow for the assignment of choses in action; however, child support benefits belong to the child with the custodial parent serving a fiduciary capacity. Trunzler v. Trunzler, 431 So.2d 1115, 1116 (Miss.1983). This issue is without merit.
¶ 29. Since we find that the statute of limitations had run as to the three oldest children, we necessarily agree with the chancellor's reduction in the amount due to 25% of the outstanding arrearage. Cheryl is correct in citing Varner for the propositions that the emancipation of one child does not reduce the amount of paying spouse's payment and that child support vests as it accrues. 588 So.2d at 433. However, she couches her argument in terms of a credit to Woodrow for the unpaid support but never addresses the fact that the claims of the three oldest children were barred by the statute of limitations as the chancellor found. This issue is without merit.
¶ 30. The chancellor should have awarded interest on the amount owed. As we noted in Tanner v. Roland, 598 So.2d 783, 786 (Miss.1992), The delinquent parent is liable also for the interest which has accrued on each unpaid support payment from the time it was due. See also Brand v. Brand, 482 So.2d 236 (Miss.1986) (holding that chancellor erred in failing to award interest on arrearages and holding that interest accrues on each payment at the legal rate from the date due). We reverse the judgment and remand for an award of interest pursuant to Miss.Code Ann. § 75-17-7.