Court Opinion

ID: 9721756
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:08:09.950924+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:28.522898
License: Public Domain

PRESIDING JUSTICE HARRISON, dissenting: I respectfuüy dissent. I agree with the majority that the judgment of the trial court should be modified by vacating the provisions that hold respondent responsible for the medical and dental expenses of the children after they attain majority and that escalate child support payments on an annual basis, but I must dissent from that portion of the order of the majority that holds that the trial court committed a “breach of discretion” in fixing the amount of child support and reduces the child-support payments to be made by respondent to $650 per month per child. The amount of an award of child support is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court, and the award will not be disturbed on appeal absent an abuse of discretion. Such an abuse of discretion occurs only when no reasonable man would take the view adopted by the trial court. (In re Marriage of Dwan (1982), 108 Ill. App. 3d 808, 812, 439 N.E.2d 1005, 1008-09.) Under the facts of the case sub judice, I cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in awarding $12,000 per year per child as child support. Absent an abuse of discretion, a reviewing court should not substitute its discretion for that of the trial court. In re Marriage of Johnson (1982), 106 Ill. App. 3d 502, 508, 436 N.E.2d 228, 232. Therefore, I would affirm the child-support award entered by the trial court.