Court Opinion

ID: 9530792
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:03:37.107407+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:14.749718
License: Public Domain

CARDINE, Justice,
dissenting.
I cannot concur in the opinion as written for the following reasons:
The court states:
“Obviously, today, two young children cannot be supported and raised adequately on $250 per month.” Maj.op. at 724.
If the statement is limited to this case only, it is less objectionable. But it should be made clear that we are not setting a minimum standard for the support of two children in every case, for we have said in Nuspl v. Nuspl, 717 P.2d 341, 344 (Wyo. 1986) that:
“The fact noticed in the present case was the ‘cost’ of raising one, two and three children. We do not think it arguable that this ‘fact’ can be generally known within the jurisdiction of the trial court, and because such cost varies widely, depending on a myriad of circumstances, we do not find that it is a fact capable of accurate and ready determination by resort to sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned. The cost of raising these children is subject to reasonable dispute; it is not capable of accurate determination by resort to any study. The cost of raising a child is the heart of the controversy in support proceedings, and it will vary in each case depending upon the child’s health, educational needs, age, and a host of other circumstances including, specifically, the economic circumstances of the parents.”
Amounts needed by a mother to raise two children depends upon place of residence— rural or urban — occupation of the mother, living standard, assets and income of parties and other intangibles that factor into the amount.
The court then states:
“The striking problem is medical insurance. We affirm the obligation for the father if it can be acquired within the reasonable allocation of resources that he has, e.g., probably a group policy at his mother’s business. If he cannot (and this record thus far clearly fails to reveal capability), he would be entitled to defend any contempt proceeding on the basis of reasonable efforts to obtain and to maintain insurance.” Maj.op. at 724.
This statement is indefinite, indecisive, and effectively results in no decision at all. The opinion suggests that appellant should pay for and obtain medical insurance if he can; but if he cannot pay for medical insurance, then there will probably be future contempt proceedings which he should defend based upon his reasonable efforts. These meanderings, recommendations, and suggestions invite appellant to a future course of action which will be a problem for this court when the case comes back before us, as the opinion recognizes will surely happen. The statement is no decision at all and demonstrates the need for remand for factual determination of the stated unknowns.
The monetary effect of the sum of child support and the medical insurance award is to allocate more than 50 percent of appellant’s earnings to the wife. I would remand this case to at least require compliance with W.S. 20-6-302(b) which provides:
“A court may deviate from the child support guidelines established by W.S. 20-6-303 and 20-6-304 if it issues written findings that application thereof would be inequitable to the parties or not in the best interests of the child.” (Cum.Supp. 1989)
The trial court has deviated from the child support guidelines, exceeding them by 100 percent, and, pursuant to the above statute, must issue written findings showing that application of the support guidelines would be inequitable, or not in the best interests of the children. With the record before us, we cannot know in this *726case whether there was an abuse of discretion or not in the support order entered by the court.
I would remand for further proceedings consistent with this dissent.