Opinion ID: 2064000
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: award of support payments

Text: Walter's third assertion is that the award of support was clearly erroneous. In State v. Unterseher, 255 N.W.2d 882 (N.D. 1977), we held that the applicable standard of review of an award of support under Section 14-17-14(5), N.D.C.C., was abuse of discretion. 255 N.W.2d at 891. In the later case of State of Or. ex rel. Krueger v. Krueger, 292 N.W.2d 60 (N.D.1980), we said: The district court's determination on the matter of child support is treated as a finding of fact and will not be set aside by this court on appeal unless it is clearly erroneous under Rule 52(a) of the North Dakota Rules of Civil Procedure. 292 N.W.2d at 61. We conclude that we applied the correct standard of review in the latter case and thus that the award of support is a finding of fact and Rule 52(a), N.D.R.Civ.P., is applicable. Therefore, the proper standard of review is whether or not the finding is clearly erroneous. A finding is `clearly erroneous' only when, although there is some evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made. United States v. United States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 68 S.Ct. 525, 92 L.Ed. 746 (1948). In re Estate of Elmer, 210 N.W.2d 815, 820 (N.D.1973). Section 14-17-14(5), N.D.C.C., provides: 5. In determining the amount to be paid by a parent for support of the child and the period during which the duty of support is owed, a court enforcing the obligation of support shall consider all relevant facts, including: a. The needs of the child; b. The standard of living and circumstances of the parents; c. The relative financial means of the parents; d. The earning ability of the parents; e. The need and capacity of the child for education, including higher education; f. The age of the child; g. The financial resources and the earning ability of the child; h. The responsibility of the parents for the support of others; and i. The value of services contributed by the custodial parent. In this case, the trial court had before it a great deal of evidence indicating Walter was a wealthy man. Including the evidence previously listed in section I., evidence was received that Walter had previously supported Cheryl by paying her $600 per month, that he had shortly before gone on a vacation trip to Africa, and that he had income of $100,000 in the years 1971 and 1972. The only evidence indicating that Walter could not afford child support was his own letter to the court. Under these circumstances, it was not clearly erroneous for the court to award child support in the amount of $300 per month preceding the trial and $200 per month thereafter.