Opinion ID: 1839403
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Appellant states the issues on this appeal:

Text: 1. Whether or not there are such substantial changes of financial condition of one or both of the parties that there should be modification of the Decree. 2. Whether or not the remarriage of the Defendant's (sic) wife, who was awarded only alimony with no children involved is sufficient reason for the Court to say that a decree of Divorce should be modified to eliminate alimony. We consider the issues raised in inverse order. Does remarriage in and of itself terminate alimony? All of the Iowa cases examined on this subject involve child support payments either in the form of alimony or denominated as child support payments as such. In all cases remarriage was considered as a factor along with other facts and circumstances shown by the evidence. The decisions as to whether to eliminate the payments, modify them or leave them untouched vary with the circumstances shown. Dull v. Dull, 188 Iowa 941, 176 N.W. 953 (1920); Kruckman v. Kruckman, 209 Iowa 1218, 229 N.W. 700 (1930); Keller v. Keller, 214 Iowa 909, 243 N.W. 182 (1932); Holesinger v. Holesinger, 252 Iowa 374, 107 N.W.2d 247 (1961). Where no child support is involved a majority of jurisdictions hold a wife's remarriage does not in and of itself terminate her right to alimony. It does constitute a strong ground for termination of the alimony decreed. Annot. 48 A.L.R.2d 270, 283, AlimonyEffect of Remarriage. The annotator has collected a large volume of cases arising under myriad fact situations. The above conclusions appear to be well supported by the cases. We agree. II. The appeal is reviewable de novo. Holesinger v. Holesinger, 252 Iowa 374, 107 N.W.2d 247 (1961). The burden of proof as to propriety of modification is on the person so urging. Holland v. Holland, 260 Iowa 248, 250, 149 N.W.2d 124, 125 (1967). Here the record does not justify elimination of alimony unless it is on the basis of remarriage as a sole ground; a proposition we have already rejected. The complicated and detailed stipulations as to division of property indicate extensive property holdings at the time of divorce. The provision for payment of what amounts to alimony appears to have been an integral part of the agreed settlement. The stipulation provides: 3) That the Plaintiff shall pay no alimony to the Defendant. 4) That the Plaintiff shall pay to the Defendant the sum of $100.00 per month commencing on the first day of the month following entry of the decree of the divorce plus the payment on the date of entry of the divorce of the prorated share of said payment for the remainder of the month in which the divorce decree is entered. Said payments shall continue for the lifetime of the Defendant, provided however that in the event the Plaintiff's earnings, direct or indirect, are different from those presently earned by the Plaintiff at the time of the entry of the decree, each party hereto shall have the right to make application to the Court for adjustment of said support payments in the event the parties cannot mutually agree on the adjustment to be made therein. Under the facts shown here and the original stipulation the court decided a modification of payments from $100 to $80 per month was just. Plaintiff does not argue the modification is unreasonable if the payments must continue; he contends all payments must cease. The trial court disagreed. We affirm. Affirmed.