Opinion ID: 1449931
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Mother Should Have Received Interest On Unpaid Maintenance

Text: Mother argues in her cross-appeal that the trial court erred in failing to award interest on the delinquent maintenance owed her by Father in that section 454.520 makes the award of interest on delinquent maintenance mandatory. Mother sought a declaratory judgment that Father owed her for delinquent maintenance and interest thereon and asked the trial court to enter a judgment determining the interest due. While the trial court did award Mother $28,693 in unpaid maintenance, it did not award Mother interest on that sum. The standard of review for the denial of a declaratory judgment is governed by Murphy v. Carron, 536 S.W.2d 30, 32 (Mo. banc 1976); Opponents of Prison Site, Inc. v. Carnahan, 994 S.W.2d 573, 577 (Mo.App.1999). This Court will affirm the decision of the trial court unless there is no substantial evidence to support it, unless it is against the weight of the evidence, unless it erroneously declares the law, or unless it erroneously applies the law. Murphy, 536 S.W.2d at 32. Section 454.520 governs the accrual of interest on delinquent maintenance: 2. All delinquent child support and maintenance payments which have accrued based upon judgments or orders of courts of this state entered after September 28, 1979, but prior to September 1, 1982, shall draw interest at the rate of nine percent per annum through August 31, 1982, and thereafter at the rate of one percent per month.