Court Opinion

ID: 9601915
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:50:41.652629+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:59.897345
License: Public Domain

Hill, Presiding Justice,
concurring specially.
I concur in the judgment of the court, which is that where custody of minor children has been awarded to their father without requiring the mother to pay child support, a mother can be required to pay for the support of her children when the necessity therefor arises.
However, in order for a father to obtain modification of an alimony award under Code Ann. § 30-222, there must have been a periodic child support requirement imposed upon the mother in the divorce or alimony judgment.
On the other hand, at common law a father had a duty to support his minor children. This duty was codified in § 74-105 of the Code of 1933: “Until majority, it is the duty of the father to provide for the maintenance, protection, and education of his child.”
This duty is now imposed on both parents: “Until majority, it is *571the joint and several duty of each parent to provide for the maintenance, protection, and education of the child, except to the extent that the duty of one parent is otherwise or further defined by court order.” Code Ann. § 74-105, as amended by Ga. L. 1979, pp. 446, 492.
In my view, a father with custody of minor children not receiving support from their mother can require her to provide child support under Code Ann. § 74-105 when the necessity therefor arises. See Quarles v. Quarles, 237 Ga. 703 (229 SE2d 452) (1976). The important thing is that child support can be required from their mother. Whether it be under Code Ann. § 30-222 or Code Ann. § 74-105 is of lesser significance. I therefore concur in the judgment.