Court Opinion

ID: 9521579
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 02:07:53.801896+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:49:57.692699
License: Public Domain

SULLIVAN, Judge,
concurring.
In the case before us, the trial court clearly indicated that it thought it had no discretion in the matter. The court was of the view that, absent a formal modification of the in gross support order, credit could not be given Father for having actual custody of one or the other of the children at various times. The expressions of the court also clearly indicated that if such discretion existed, some relief might well be afforded Father.
In my view, the unique cireumstances of this case give rise to justification for some relief to Father from an award of the total amount of the support as calculated under the 1996 decree. The case falls within the contemplation of the line of cases cited in the lead opinion and which afford a narrow exception to the general rule.
As noted in Isler v. Isler, 425 N.E.2d 667 (Ind.Ct.App.1981), the trial court may in its discretion afford relief from an unmodified support order if the non-custodial parent has by agreement with the custodial parent, assumed custody and has provided food, clothing, shelter, medical attention, and school expenses and has exercised parental control for an extended period. In this regard I find Ogle v. Ogle 769 N.E.2d 644 (Ind.Ct.App.2002) clearly distinguishable.
Although the parties did not enter into an express written contract concerning the custodial arrangement, the conduct of the parties created an agreement by implication. The law creates the benefits and obligations of contract in order to promote justice and equity. Timothy F. Kelly & Assocs. v. Illinois Farmers Ins. Co., 640 N.E.2d 82 (Ind.Ct.App.1994).
As stated in Retter v. Retter, 110 Ind. App. 659, 40 N.E.2d 385 (1942):
"An implied contract, that is, one wherein an agreement is arrived at by the acts and conduct of the parties, is equally as binding as an express contract, wherein the agreement is arrived at by their words, spoken or written. In either case it grows out of the intention of the parties to the transaction." 110 Ind. App. at 663-64, 40 N.E.2d at 386.
Father and Mother clearly evidenced their intention by their conduct and by the fact that Father undertook custody and financial responsibility for one or the other of the two children during the period from 1996 to 2001, when the eldest child reached her majority.
I concur in the reversal and remand for further proceedings in order to permit the trial court to exercise discretion and to determine whether or not to grant a degree of relief from the full amount of the arrearage as computed and, if so, the amount of the adjustment to the arrear-age.