Court Opinion

ID: 9687110
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 16:16:20.495667+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:24.334525
License: Public Domain

OXBERGER, Chief Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. In our de novo review I would award physical custody of Ashley to Beth.
I also disagree with the district court’s calculations of the parties’ monthly income. First, the alimony awarded to Beth was deducted from Jon’s monthly income. While the uniform child support guidelines established by the Supreme Court do not include alimony as a deduction in present decrees, alimony may be deducted “in an attempt to do justice between the parties”. In re Marriage of Lalone, 469 N.W.2d 695, 697 (Iowa 1991). I do not believe justice requires deduction of alimony in this case. I would add $500.00 to Jon’s monthly income.
In addition, Beth’s income, as determined by the district court, included an earning capacity of $7.00 per hour for a 40-hour work week. However, at the time of trial Beth was not employed outside the home, nor had she been since she became pregnant with Ashley. She was awarded rehabilitative alimony for the express purpose of re-education or retraining in order that she may become self-supporting. I find it unrealistic for Beth to work full-time earning $7.00 per hour during the time she must become re-educated or retrained. An award of rehabilitative alimony coupled with the requirement that Beth work full-time runs counter to the purpose of rehabilitative alimony. In In re Marriage of Francis, rehabilitative alimony was characterized as:
[A] way of supporting an economically dependent spouse through a limited period of re-education or retraining following divorce, thereby creating incentive and opportunity for that spouse to become self-supporting.
Because self-sufficiency is the goal of rehabilitative alimony, the duration of such an award may be limited or extended depending on the realistic needs of the economically dependent spouse, tempered by the goal of facilitating the economic independence of the ex-spouses.
442 N.W.2d 59, 63-64 (Iowa 1989) (citations omitted).
I believe it would be virtually impossible for Beth to receive re-education or re-training while being expected to work 40 hours per week. I would not include potential but presently non-existent earnings in calculating Beth’s monthly income.
In all other respects I concur with the majority opinion.
SCHLEGEL, J., joins this dissent.