Opinion ID: 2135211
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Support Ordered by the District Court.

Text: Our child support guidelines are to be strictly followed unless their application would lead to an unjust or inappropriate result. Iowa Code § 598.21(4)(a) (1991). There is a rebuttable presumption that the amount of child support determined according to our guidelines is the correct amount of child support to be awarded. In re Marriage of Brown, 487 N.W.2d 331, 333 (Iowa 1992). That amount may be adjusted upward or downward if the court finds an adjustment necessary to provide for the needs of the children and do justice between the parties under the special circumstances of the case. State ex rel. Nicholson v. Toftee, 494 N.W.2d 694, 695 (Iowa 1993). To justify a departure from the guidelines, the court must make written findings that the scheduled amount would be unjust or inappropriate under the criteria established by this court. Iowa Code § 598.21(4)(a) (1991). The district court found that substantial injustice would result to Chris if the guidelines were applied here because of the lapse of time between Nathan's birth and the paternity claim. The district court did not calculate the amount of support that should be awarded under our guidelines and then adjust that amount. Instead, the court set an amount of support that it believed would be fair without any reference to the guidelines. We believe that the preferable procedure is to determine the guideline support amount first. Only when that figure is known can the court decide whether an adjustment of that amount is warranted under the special circumstances of the case. In addition, we agree with the court of appeals that the lapse of time before the claim of paternity was made here is an insufficient reason to deviate from the guidelines. The lapse of time in and of itself does not relate to Chris' ability to pay support. The crucial question is whether enforcement of the guidelines will result in substantial injustice given Chris' financial commitment to other children. See State ex rel. Epps v. Epps, 473 N.W.2d 56, 59 (Iowa 1991). The district court made no written finding that the amount of support calculated under the guidelines would result in injustice due to Chris' financial obligations to his family, although it is possible that this is what the court had in mind when it referred to the delay in bringing this action. Nevertheless, the district court's articulated reason for deviation from the guidelines is not acceptable. Therefore, we cannot approve the district court's rationale for setting Chris' support obligation at $50 per month.