Opinion ID: 1745643
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: In re Marriage of Thompkins

Text: Donald and Jackie Thompkins were married on July 24, 1982. A child had been born to the couple on January 29, 1982. The record suggests that Donald was separated from Jackie for approximately four years. The record further suggests that at some point during the separation Jackie applied for and began receiving benefits through the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Donald filed a petition for divorce from Jackie on November 14, 1986. On December 22, 1986, a deputy family court commissioner for the Racine County Child Support Agency filed a motion to compel Donald to pay support for his minor child. The motion alleged that Donald owed support arrearages to the state of Wisconsin in the amount of $4,292.00. On January 9, 1987, the circuit court entered an order requiring Donald to pay child support. On November 3, 1987, the circuit court issued an order requiring Donald to show cause why he should not be held in contempt for his failure to pay child support in the amount of $4,658.00. On January 28, 1988, Donald filed a motion to modify the arrearage, alleging that he had experienced a significant change in financial circumstances during the period in which the arrearage accrued and that the arrearage should be modified retroactively to reflect his reduced ability to pay support during that period. On February 11, 1988, a family court commissioner rendered a decision denying the motion. On March 2, 1988, Donald filed a motion with the circuit court for review of the decision of the family court commissioner. The circuit court heard the motion on April 6, 1988. At the hearing, Donald argued that sec. 767.32(1m), Stats., should not be applied retroactively to prohibit the court from modifying or expunging a child support arrearage which accrues, or has accrued, pursuant to an order for support entered prior to August 1, 1987, the effective date of the statute. The circuit court ruled that sec. 767.32(1m) prohibited the court from retroactively modifying the support arrearage and dismissed Donald's motion by order entered May 10, 1988. Donald appealed to the court of appeals, which affirmed. The court of appeals held that after August 1, 1987, sec. 767.32(1m), Stats., operated to deprive the circuit court of competency to modify the amount of child support due prior to the date that notice of a petition to revise support is given to the custodial parent. Donald then petitioned this court for review of the decision of the court of appeals, which we granted.