Court Opinion

ID: 9445487
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:30:28.156272+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:17.289973
License: Public Domain

WILBUR K. MILLER, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
In the divorce proceeding the husband was ordered to pay the wife the sum of $43,671.30 in settlement of her interest in the partnership between them and in adjustment of other matters, and also was ordered to pay maintenance in the) sum of $500 per month. He paid the judgment debt and immediately moved the court to terminate or substantially reduce the amount of maintenance on the ground that, because of the payment of the debt, the wife was no longer in need of support from him. The husband appeals from the denial of this motion.
In support of his motion the husband had the burden of showing such a change in circumstances as would justify the termination or reduction of the maintenance allowance. The mere payment of a debt, unrelated to maintenance, did not warrant the relief sought, particularly in view of the fact that the money paid to the wife will not produce an annual yield which even approaches the allowed maintenance, and in view also of the fact that the wife contended that her own outside income had been greatly diminished.
Since Posnick failed to support his motion, I think it was correctly denied. Whether the district judge misconstrued our former opinion as requiring that result seems to me to be immaterial; for his order was right, even though he may have given the wrong reason for it. I would affirm.