Court Opinion

ID: 9786877
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 00:03:59.992935+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:36:49.460116
License: Public Domain

BOUDREAU, J.,
concurring in part; dissenting in part:
¶ 1 I agree with the majority opinion to the extent it allows the mother an equitable ered-it against her child support obligation, in the amount of social security disability payments which the Social Security Administration paid directly to the child as a consequence of the mother's disability.1 The majority opinion need not have gone farther than that. Instead, the majority opinion proceeds to make a hyper-global pronouncement by way of obiter dicta that child support judgments are subject to the equitable defenses of waiver, estoppel and laches.
¶ 2 In Hedges v. Hedges, 2002 OK 92, 66 P.3d 364, our most recent decision concerning the availability of equitable defenses to child support judgments, we restrained from making a pronouncement about the availabili*885ty of equitable defenses to child support judgments because no such pronouncement was necessary to the holding. See also Myers v. Lashley, 2002 OK 14, ¶ 17, 44 P.3d 553, 561 (not making global pronouncements). In exercising this restraint in Hedges, we said: "We need not globally address ourselves today to the continued invocability of laches as an equitable defense in arrearage enforcement proceedings. This is so because, on this record, we hold that it does not avail in this case." Hedges, 66 P.3d at 369 (emphasis in original). Contrary to what we did in Hedges, the majority opinion in this case makes an across-the-board pronouncement on an issue that was neither necessary to the holding nor clearly framed by the parties.
[ 3 If the holding of the majority opinion in this case is indeed that child support judgments are subject to the equitable defenses of waiver, laches and estoppel, then I dissent. In 1987 the Legislature enacted a statute that says a child support obligation becomes a judgment by operation of law on the date it becomes past due. 48 0.98.2001 § 137(A).2 The result of that statute was to transform an order in equity for the payment of continuing child support into a judgment by operation of law as each installment falls due and remains unpaid. Hedges, 66 P.8d at 373 n. 41. When § 187(A) is viewed in connection with subsequent enactments, I am con-vinceed that the Legislature intended to eliminate the equitable defenses of waiver, laches and estoppel to the enforeement of child support judgments.
WAIVER
¶ 4 It need hardly be repeated that 48 ©.8.2001 § 112 eliminated the equitable doe-trine of waiver as a defense to the enforcement of child support judgments. In Hedges we recognized that with the enactment of § 112, parents have statutory authority to mutually agree to relinquish payment of all or a portion of past due child support. Noting that the effect of § 112 was to eliminate the equitable defense of waiver in this context, we said: "[TJhe latter defense characterized by the parties and by the trial court as 'waiver' is [now] statutorily declared ... its effectiveness stands to matured and unpaid installments either reduced or relinquished by mutual agreement." Hedges, 66 P.3d at 369 (emphasis in original). Waiver as a defense to child support judgments is now restricted to the terms of § 112(A)(8).
LACHES
1 5 We have held that laches is an affirmative defense to stale claims not yet barred by limitations. Hedges, 66 P.3d at 369; Sooner Federal Sav. & Loan Ass'n. v. Smoot, 1995 OK 31, 894 P.2d 1082. Laches is defined as delay that disadvantages another. Hutchinson v. Pfeil, 105 F.3d 562, 564 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 522 U.S. 914, 118 S.Ct. 298, 139 L.Ed.2d 230 (1997). In 1996 the Legislature enacted new laws concerning delay in asserting child support claims. The new statutes provide, among other things:
A child support judgment is not subject to a statute of limitations:
Court-ordered child support is ... not subject to a statute of limitations. 12 0.8.2001 § 95(9).3
A child support judgment never becomes dormant:
A child support judgment shall not become dormant for any purpose, except that it shall cease to be a lien on real property five (5) years from the date it is filed.... 48 0.8.2001 § 137(B).4
A child support judgment is enforceable until paid in full:
*886Except as otherwise provided by court order, a judgment for past due child support shall be enforceable until paid in full. 48 0.8.2001 § 137(B)(1).5
A child support judgment is owed until it is paid:
Court-ordered child support is owed until it is paid.... 12 0.98.2001 § 95(9).6
T6 Because these statutes are in derogation of common law, they must be liberally construed to effect their purpose. Finnell v. JEBCO Seismic, 2003 OK 35, ¶ 15, 67 P.3d 339, 345; see also 25 0.8.2001 § 29.7 The purpose of these statutes is to ensure that delay on the part of the obligee in seeking to enforce child support obligations does not in any way affect his or her entitlement to those obligations. Construing these statutes liberally to effect their purpose, I am convinced the Legislature, in enacting these various statutes, intended to eliminate the equitable defense of laches to the enforcement of child support judgments.
ESTOPPEL
T7 Equitable estoppel holds a person to a representation made, or a position taken, where otherwise inequitable consequences would result to another who in good faith relied upon the representation or position. Oxley v. General Atlantic Resources, Inc., 1997 OK 46, 936 P.2d 943, 947. Estoppel and waiver are closely akin and their legal effect is much the same. Grant v. Norris, 249 Iowa 236, 85 N.W.2d 261 (Iowa 1957); First National Bank of Hastings v. Davis, 123 Neb. 304, 242 N.W. 655 (1932); Woodmen of the World Life Ins. Soc. v. Greathouse, 242 Ala. 529, 7 So.2d 89 (1942). Although there are well recognized distinctions between the two doctrines, both are based on acts, conduct or declarations of the party against whom the defenses are asserted. In my view, 43 0.8.2001 § 112, which prohibits (with a single exception) waiver of "payment of all or a portion of the past due amount [of child support]" applies to all acts, conduct or declarations relating to child support obligations, whether denominated waiver or es-toppel. I am convinced the Legislature, in enacting this statute, intended to eliminate the equitable defense of estoppel to the enforcement of child support judgments.
THRASH v. THRASH
¶8 The majority opinion relies on Thrash v. Thrash, 1991 OK 32, 809 P.2d 665, for the across-the-board proposition that equitable defenses may be invoked against the enforcement of child support judgments. - In Thrash, the parties' divorcee decree provided that father was to pay $220 per month child support until his gross salary reached $1,500, at which time he was to pay child support in an amount equal to 15% of his gross salary. In 1987, mother filed an application for contempt citation alleging that father was in arrears for child support in the amount of $31,876.80, based upon his income tax returns for the years through 1986. The trial court found father not guilty of indirect civil contempt, but entered judgment against father for the arrearage. On appeal, father argued that since mother made no attempt to enforce the automatic increases in child support based on his gross salary from the time the parties were divorced until 1987, the equitable doctrines of waiver, laches and es-toppel barred mother's recovery of the ar-rearage. We disagreed, saying: "No set of facts has been stated for this Court to conclude that the appellant may in this case defeat the claim for the arrearage by interposing equitable defenses." Thrask, 809 P.2d at 668. In reaching this decision, we made a gratuitous comment regarding the availability of equitable defenses,. We said:
*887"The appellant is correct in concluding that equitable defenses may be invoked to bar the recovery of delinquent child support payments." - Id. This comment was certainly not essential to our holding in the case and is mere obiter dicta.
9 More importantly, Thrask was decided in 1991, and was based on pre 1987 child support arrearages. Thus, it was decided before 48 0.8. § 137(A) transformed an order in equity for the payment of continuing child support into a judgment by operation of law as each installment falls due and remains unpaid, and before the Legislature made child support judgments enforceable until paid in full, with no statute of limitations and no dormaney.
CONCLUSION
10 I agree with the majority opinion to the extent it allows the mother an equitable credit against her child support obligation, in the amount of social security disability payments which the Social Security Administration paid directly to the child as a consequence of the mother's disability. However, I dissent to that portion of the opinion that holds that the equitable defenses of waiver, estoppel and laches are available as defenses to the enforcement of child support judgments because the pronouncement was not necessary to the holding and because I think it is wrong.
T 11 If this Court is going to declare that these equitable defenses may be invoked as defenses to the enforcement of child support Judgments, we should do it in a case in which such declaration is essential to the holding of the case, and our opinion should include a reasoned discussion of all relevant statutory enactments subsequent to 1986.

. This is consistent with the holding of McNeal v. Robinson, 1981 OK 43, 628 P.2d 358. In McNeal, we held that the non-custodial father should receive an equitable credit for his alternative compliance with the child support order. He received credit for the payments made by him during the time his children lived with him.

. This provision became effective October 1, 1987, codified at 12 0.8. § 1291(A). Laws 1987, c. 230, § 16. In 1989, 12 O.S. § 1291 was renumbered to 43 O.S. § 137. Laws 1989, c. 333 § 1. Section 137 was amended again in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000, but none of the amendments altered § 137(A).

. This provision became effective September 1, 1996. Laws 1996, c. 233 § 1. Section 95 was amended again in 2002, but the amendment did not alter § 95(9).

. This provision became effective November 1, 1996 and was codified at 43 O.S. § 137(C). Laws 1996, c. 233 § 3. Section 137 was amended again in 1998 and 2000. Neither the 1998 nor the 2000 amendment altered the quoted language, but the 1998 amendment renumbered § 137(C) to § 137(B). Laws 1998, c. 323 § 12.

. This provision became effective November 1, 1996 and was codified at 43 O.S. § 137(C)(1). 1996 Laws c. 233 § 3. Section 137 was amended again in 1998 and 2000. Neither the 1998 nor the 2000 amendment altered the quoted language, but the 1998 amendment renumbered § 137(C)(1) to § 137(B)(1).

. This provision became effective September 1, 1996. Laws 1996, c. 233 § 1. Section 95 was amended again in 2002, but the amendment did not alter § 95(9).

. "The rule of the common law, that statutes in derogation thereof are to be strictly construed, has no application to the laws of this state, which are to be liberally construed with a view to effect their objects and to promote justice." 25 O.S. 2001 § 29.