Court Opinion

ID: 9668246
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 02:07:17.394929+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:44.072594
License: Public Domain

SABERS, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent. I agree with the circuit court’s findings and conclusions as noted in the conference opinion that “because father has custody during the school year and mother has custody during summer vacations, mother is responsible for her child support obligation only for the time the child actually resides with father ... [and] father is responsible for his child support obligation only for the time the child actually resides with mother[.]” This reasoning on the part of the circuit court is supported by the 1986 Order cited in the majority opinion which granted “the parties joint legal custody of the child. Father was awarded actual physical custody during the school year' and mother was awarded actual custody during summer vacations.” * (Emphasis added.)
Under the majority’s erroneous reasoning:
1. Mother is considered the non-custodial parent throughout the year. During the summer months when Child resides with her she is merely exercising “visitation rights.”
2. Mother continues to be obligated to Father for $118.00 per month in child support during the summer, subject only to a partial abatement.
3. Father is considered the custodial parent throughout the year.
4. During the summer months when Child resides with Mother, Father maintains his custodial status, retaining his share of the child support obligation as well as that portion of Mother’s not subject to abatement.
The majority’s decision results in an overcharge of child support to Mother of approximately $1182.00. This result leaves Mother without the financial resources necessary to support Child and could actually prevent her from asserting her custody rights, all to the detriment of Child.
Such a holding is in error and in direct opposition to the 1986 Order which granted Mother and Father joint legal custody. According to the Order, Mother is the custodial *824parent and Father is the non-custodial parent during the summer months. Therefore, Mother, as the custodial parent during the summer, is entitled to an order directing Father to pay her $276.00 per month child support while Child is in her custody. SDCL 25-7-6.2 (“The share of the noncustodial parent establishes the amount of the child support order.”) And Father, as the custodial parent during the school year, is entitled to an order directing Mother to pay him $118.00 per month child support while Child is in his custody. Id. The Order should simply be remanded for a redetermination of monthly payments consistent with this dissent.

 Mother -and Father were awarded joint custody at the time of their divorce in 1983 pursuant to a Child Custody and Property Settlement Agreement.