Opinion ID: 2116756
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Alimony Payments.

Text: The same analysis applies to the perceived conflict between SDCL 25-7A-22 (requiring a change in circumstances) and SDCL 25-7-6.6 and -6.7. [5] Again, the latter statutes are part of what was originally included in SDCL 25-7-7 as it appeared in 1987. 1986 S.D. Laws Ch. 218, § 11. That statute specifically recognized the change in circumstances requirement. There is, in reality, no conflict between the rules governing the circuit court in determining child support obligations, which take into account income and any deductions, and the rules governing the referee, which require a change in circumstances before a party can obtain a modification. Therefore, in order to obtain a reduction of his child support obligation, Husband was required to show circumstances had changed in the time between entry of the supplemental judgment and his petition for modification. Here, Husband, an attorney, voluntarily negotiated for and entered into an agreement regarding child support. The very same agreement contained the alimony payments and the visitation schedule, including the extended visitation (which portion was drafted by Husband himself). Husband testified during cross-examination, as a result of statutory factors, which I considered when I entered into that agreement, and the fact that, yes, I've met my obligation, that I'm entitled to a modification. Husband further testified, I had looked at the law before that. I understand that I would be entitled to an abatement and that's why I'm here today.... I took into consideration the law in existence at the time, and the right to an abatement and the right to a decrease as a result of ... alimony payments made. There is no indication the income level of either party has changed since entry of the supplemental decree. The only changes were the payment of alimony and the extended visitation of two of the three children with Husband, both of which were contemplated by the stipulation. This case reduces itself to a situation where Husband entered into a harsh bargain contemplating, through his own interpretation of the child support guidelines, an escape from the bargain a short time later. The situation was similar in Jameson v. Jameson (Jameson I), 90 S.D. 179, 239 N.W.2d 5 (S.D.1976) where the husband, with the advice of an attorney and tax experts entered into a harsh divorce stipulation which left little for himself. Id. 90 S.D. at 183, 239 N.W.2d at 7. There, we refused to construe the husband's subsequent realization that he could not carry out the terms of the stipulation as a change justifying a modification of child support. Id. Likewise here, we cannot say there has been a change in circumstances sufficient to support a modification. It was incumbent on Husband to protect himself at the time he entered into the stipulation. Husband further argues part of the stipulation which reads Plaintiff (Husband) will pay to defendant (Wife) as support for the minor children ... $800 per month ... as set forth at SDCL 25-5-18.1 and the Child Support Guidelines of the State of South Dakota should be interpreted to include reductions in accordance with SDCL 25-7-6.6 (definition of gross income) & SDCL 25-7-6.7(6) (deductions for other support and maintenance orders) and SDCL 25-7-6.14 (abatement for extended visitation). A petition for modification is not a proper method of achieving this interpretationat least absent a change in circumstances. The referee and the circuit court were correct in refusing to modify the support obligation. [6]