Opinion ID: 2581621
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Failure to Request Child Support Modification at the Custody Modification Proceeding.

Text: [¶ 19] Mother claims the district court erred when it denied her petition for child support modification, in part, because she did not raise the issue during the prior custody modification proceedings. She also asserts that any change in circumstances should be measured from the time the divorce decree establishing child support was entered, not from the time custody was modified. In response, Father argues the district court determined there have been no significant changes in custody or income so the issue is res judicata. [¶ 20] The district court determined that because child support was not addressed at the 2000 custody modification proceeding, and because no significant changes in custody or income occurred from that proceeding until Mother's petition to modify child support, the court would not now modify child support based on a change of custody that could have been addressed when the change occurred. [¶ 21] Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-2-311(a) (LexisNexis 2003) provides that an action to modify a child support order based upon a substantial change of circumstances may be brought by a party at any time. See also Watson v. Watson, 2002 WY 180, ¶ 5, 60 P.3d 124, ¶ 5 (Wyo. 2002). In the interests of judicial economy, changes in custody and child support modification, if warranted, would ideally be considered at the same time. However, nothing in the law requires that be done. Thus, a party is not precluded from addressing child support subsequent to a change in custody. When . . . support obligations are either not asserted or not determined, subsequent judicial consideration may be invoked for decision on all facts elicited at a subsequent hearing. Warren v. Hart, 747 P.2d 511, 513-14 (Wyo. 1987). [¶ 22] To the extent the district court's decision to deny Mother's petition was based upon her failure to request child support modification at the same time the change in custody was requested, it is in error.