Court Opinion

ID: 9737896
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 19:36:35.517224+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:02.421679
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Justice,
concurring specially.
I am uncomfortable with the apparent inconsistency in refusing to reach the issue raised by Caroline concerning the trial court’s failure to make findings justifying the variance in support payments from the child-support guidelines but reaching the issue of the validity of the guidelines which neither party raised below nor on appeal until requested to do so by this Court.
However, as the opinion notes, there are inconsistent results being reached among the trial courts and among panels of the Temporary Court of Appeals. I believe that fact justifies the extraordinary action we have taken in the majority opinion to resolve the conflict and prevent further inconsistent results. Insofar as the procedure may appear unfair to Caroline, i.e., to refuse to consider an issue she failed to raise below while considering an issue not raised by either party, she should nevertheless not prevail on the basis of rules which have no legal effect, notwithstanding the application of the “Sunburst Doctrine.”