Court Opinion

ID: 9739136
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:09:23.610474+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:10.228316
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Justice,
concurring and dissenting.
I agree with the opinion written for the Court by Justice Johnson except the portion of the opinion holding that the statute of limitations begins to run against each installment from the time fixed for its payment. With regard to that issue I agree with Justice Levine’s dissent.
I do so because to require a suit on each installment or to face the possibility of the obligation being time barred, seems to me a theoretical, but impractical, legal concept in an essentially equitable matter.
In this respect, I am troubled by the enactment of section 14-08.1-05, NDCC, but the enactment was obviously for the purpose of aiding collection of support, not restricting or limiting the options available to the obligee.
This position appears to be inconsistent with Richter v. Richter, 126 N.W.2d 634 (N.D.1964) [right to enforcement of alimony payments accrues upon each installment as it matures and statute of limitation begins to run against each installment from time fixed for its payment.]
However, I would distinguish that case on the ground that the payments for alimony were to continue indefinitely, i.e., “until the further order of the court,” and there would be no time limit on an action without holding each payment a separate obligation to which the statute of limitation applies. In most instances of child support payments, the payments do cease at a specific date, usually maturity of the child or earlier, as here, when the obligation ceased when the children were adopted.
Thus, there is a time limitation on child support payments. I agree there should be. I would reach the same conclusion where alimony is limited to a specific time and would distinguish Richter accordingly should the issue arise.