Court Opinion

ID: 9591760
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:07:25.124989+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:11.636352
License: Public Domain

Finley, J.
(dissenting)—In Memmer v. Memmer, 27 Wn. (2d) 414, 419,178 P. (2d) 720, this court said:
“The question of allowance of alimony is one upon which there is no fixed rule, and each case must necessarily depend upon its own facts and circumstances.”
In the same case, the court also said:
“Where it appears that the trial court has fully considered all the facts and circumstances of the particular case, and has reached a solution thereof, the decision of that court will not ordinarily be disturbed unless it is clearly erroneous.”
However, in Lockhart v. Lockhart, 145 Wash. 210, 259 Pac. 385 (decided in 1927), and in a number of later cases, this court clearly and positively formulated the rule that the allowance of alimony and the fixing of the amount thereof is dependent upon the necessities of the wife and the *504ability of the husband to pay. In defining or determining what a wife’s necessities are, in terms of what may be necessary for her to maintain herself, the court is not limited to a consideration of what would constitute a bare and frugal minimum standard of health and decency. Reasonable consideration may and should be given to the standard of living generally maintained by the marital community prior to the divorce.
In the instant case, the trial court, in his memorandum decision (quoted in part in the majority opinion), strongly emphasized the difference in the professional training and earning power of the parties to the divorce. On numerous occasions, we have said that a trial judge is not bound by and may change his mind after formulating an oral or written opinion; that is, before entering findings of fact, conclusions of law, and judgment; but we have also said that, where findings of fact are consistent with views expressed in a memorandum decision, the former are. to be read or interpreted in the light of the views expressed in the memorandum decision. Mertens v. Mertens, 38 Wn. (2d) 55, 227 P. (2d) 724.
The trial court’s finding of fact No. IX reads as follows:
“It is proper that defendant be required to pay to plaintiff the sum of $150.00 per month as alimony, which sum is a reasonable sum to be allowed for plaintiff’s support and which sum defendant is able to pay.”
While in the above finding of fact, the trial judge stated that it was proper to allow one hundred fifty dollars per month alimony to the wife, there is no clear indication as to the reasoning of the trial court, or why the court thought it was proper to allow such alimony. There is no inconsistency between finding of fact No. IX and the memorandum opinion of the trial judge. Since the latter clearly emphasized the disparity in earning power, it seems to me that this explains finding of fact No. IX—namely, that the trial judge considered it was proper to allow alimony of one hundred fifty dollars per month, because of the disparity in the earning power of the parties. This is not a proper basis for the allowance of alimony, and would seem to require a re*505versal. Lockhart v. Lockhart, supra; Memmer v. Memmer, supra. On the other hand, it appears to me that there is a close relationship between the matter of álimony and an equitable division of community property, and that without an allowance of alimony the trial court might very well have made a different disposition of the community property of the parties in this case.
It is my best judgment that the cause should be remanded to the trial court for a further consideration of the problem of alimony in the light of the views expressed herein. In conjunction therewith, a remand of the case would provide an opportunity to the trial court to reconsider the problem of an equitable division of the comunity property between the parties in the light of any revision made in the alimony award.
November 22, 1955. Petition for rehearing denied.