Court Opinion

ID: 9668940
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 02:32:47.507508+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:50.243257
License: Public Domain

ALMON H. MAUS, Senior Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the principal opinion upon the basis expressed therein. I would also affirm the Judgment of the trial court upon the following basis.
Section 452.335, RSMo 2000 provides that a trial court, in awarding maintenance at the time of a dissolution, shall consider all relevant factors, including the comparative earning capacity of each spouse, the standard of living established during the marriage, the duration of the marriage and the ability of the spouse from whom maintenance is sought to meet his needs while meeting those of the spouse seeking maintenance.
Section 452.370, RSMo 2000, which governs the modification of maintenance in subsequent proceedings, includes the following limitation:
[T]he provisions of any judgment respecting maintenance or support may be modified only upon a showing of changed circumstances so substantial and continuing as to make the terms unreasonable.... [T]he Court, in determining whether or not a substantial change in circumstances has occurred, shall consider all financial resources of both parties ....
(emphasis added).
Common sense requires the court, in determining the amount of maintenance, should balance the ability of a spouse to pay against the needs of the other spouse. That is the mandate of the statutes. Laffey v. Laffey, 72 S.W.3d 143 (Mo.App. W.D.2002); In re Marriage of Baker, 986 S.W.2d 950 (Mo.App. S.D.1999). If the Appellant had the wealth of Bill Gates, he should not be heard to complain about the maintenance originally awarded the Respondent.
*63It is obvious that a trial court cannot adequately balance the ability to pay against need unless each party discloses his or her assets and income. By not doing so, the Appellant prevented the Respondent from adequately considering if she should seek an increase in maintenance. To approve the Appellant’s position is to permit him to create a new category of privileged information. It prevented the court from considering “all financial resources of both parties” as mandated by Section 452.370, RSMo 2000.
Had the Respondent appealed, I would, because the Appellant prevented the court from considering all the assets of both parties as required by the statute, reverse the judgment reducing maintenance. She did not. So, I concur in affirming the judgment continuing maintenance in a reduced amount.