Court Opinion

ID: 9530844
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:04:09.613458+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:15.953561
License: Public Domain

SHENK, J., Dissenting.
I concur in the reasoning and conclusions of Mr. Justice Carter in his dissenting opinion.
*130I desire to emphasize that this proceeding was commenced by the application by Mrs. Foust for a citation directed to Mr. Foust to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt for failure to pay past due support payments provided for in a property settlement agreement incorporated by reference in the annulment decree. A citation for contempt was signed by a judge of the superior court and the matter was referred to a commissioner. It was doubtless obvious to the trial court that the proceeding was not properly one in contempt for the reason that no order of court had been violated. However, a writ of execution was issued for the amount of the delinquent payments as shown by the affidavit of Mrs. Foust. This amount could be ascertained only by an examination of that document and the property settlement agreement in which Mr. Foust had agreed to pay $50 per month during the life of Mrs. Foust or until her lawful remarriage. Nowhere in the decree is there an order that Foust pay a definite or any sum of money as support or for such other purpose, nor is there any provision in the decree to carry into effect or directing compliance with the property settlement agreement. There was therefore no order or judgment of the court upon which execution could issue, and the order quashing the writ should be sustained.