Opinion ID: 1649918
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Credit for Overpayment of Child Support

Text: Lastly, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in failing to give him credit for the $2,800 excess child support payments made in reliance on the understated birthdates of the children listed in the complaint for divorce. In refusing to give the appellant credit for the $2,800 overpayment the court stated: Now, I have given this some thought . . ., and I think there are several points I have to speak on. Obviously there has been an error made in the computations. As I have already indicated, I'm a little unsympathetic with a rule that the father doesn't have to support these children when they are in high school, even when they are 18 years of age. Since it was a mutual mistake, and voluntarily made by both sides, it seems to me that that twenty-eight hundred dollars the court can ignore. Let's call it the amount that it might cost to support these two children during the next year, if you want an explanation. At least that's the reason the Court is going to call it a mutual mistake, and not credit the defendant with that. (Emphasis supplied.) [10, 11] The court, in explaining its decision in terms of an additional support award for the benefit of the two children in high school, said the amount that it might cost to support these two [adult] children during the next year, it is clear that the court's ruling fails to give credence to the rule that in the absence of a known stipulation to the contrary, a court cannot order the payment of support for children beyond the age of majority. Miller v. Miller, supra . O'Neill v. O'Neill, 17 Wis.2d 406, 117 N.W.2d 267 (1962). The provision for continued support for a child who has reached the age of majority in a divorce judgment, or any modification thereof, is extra judicial and a nullity. O'Neill v. O'Neill, supra . In Bliwas v. Bliwas, 47 Wis.2d 635, 178 N.W.2d 35 (1970), this court recognized that this rule may be harsh with regard to handicapped offspring or unrealistically applied to the expenses incurred in secondary education, but, nevertheless, we have held that it is the responsibility of the legislature and not the courts to change or amend this rule. Thus, it was error for the trial court to treat the $2,800 overpayment as support for two non-minor children, even though they were still in high school, as the court was without authority to order payment of support beyond the age of majority (18). In its decision, the trial court also suggested that the defendant was prohibited and barred from receiving credit for the overpayment because of his mistake in originally stipulating to the children's birthdays (later found to be inaccurate). In Schmitz v. Schmitz, 70 Wis. 2d 882, 888, 230 N.W.2d 657, 661 (1975), this court held that [s]tipulations in court may not be a basis for estoppel when inadvertence or mistake is involved. 31 C.J.S., supra. Equitable estoppel itself requires that the estopped party have knowledge of the facts on the conduct relating to the estoppel. (Emphasis supplied.) Clearly, in this case the defendant-husband unknowingly made a mistake in paying more support than legally required based on the mistaken birthdates of the children listed in the divorce complaint. [12] In Anderson v. Anderson, 82 Wis.2d 115, 261 N.W.2d 817 (1978), this court cited with approval the New York case of Coppo v. Coppo, 140 N.Y.S.2d 603 (N.Y. Supp. 1955), which characterized the receipt of support by a divorced parent after a child had attained majority as unjust enrichment and held that the trial court should have allowed an offset of child support overpayments against alimony arrearage. See also: Foregger v. Foregger, 40 Wis.2d 632, 162 N.W.2d 553, 164 N.W.2d 226 (1968); Chandler v. Chandler, 25 Wis.2d 587, 131 N.W.2d 336 (1964). Therefore, we hold that the defendant is entitled to an offset or credit for the $2,800 overpayment of child support made to the plaintiff and thus that portion of the court's order is modified, consistent with this opinion, and affirmed as modified. By the Court.  Order modified and, as modified, affirmed without costs.