Court Opinion

ID: 9709320
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 03:44:43.084253+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:47.648007
License: Public Domain

MORRIS, Judge
(dissenting).
In my opinion the record amply sustains the trial court in his determination that the defendant David Raszler is in contempt. In the original decree of divorce he was ordered to pay for the support of his daughter Edna Raszler the sum of $40 per month during her minority. He appealed to this court and the decree was affirmed. He has completely ignored that provision of the decree with exception of a payment of $100 to Edna. While this payment was not strictly in accordance with the decree, I agree that he should be given credit for that amount. j That however does not excuse his contempt for he has been in default and in contempt of the order since the decree was affirmed in this court. The record also shows that a demand was made upon him for payment after the decree was affirmed. This demand he also ignored. He attempts to excuse his conduct by asserting that he thought he had made payments of temporary alimony to his wife during the pendency of his appeal which he was not required under the law to make in an amount exceeding the payments he was required to make for his daughter’s support. As pointed out in the majority opinion this contention is without merit. He also contends that because he made certain payments to his wife before they were due and paid hospital and medical bills for a minor son these matters should be taken into consideration in justification of his failure to comply with the order for Edna’s support. With this contention I do not agree. He does not show that he acted on advice of counsel and he made no attempt to get the order directing payments modified. He deliberately ignored the order of the trial court as affirmed by this court, took taatters into his own hands and made payments at the times, in the amounts and for the benefit of persons in the manner of his own choosing in total disregard of the order of the court. By a calculation most favorable to him he still owes $340 for Edna’s support. The order of the trial court finding him guilty of contempt and committing him to jail until the amount which he is in default be paid subject to a stay of 15 days for the purpose of giving the defendant an opportunity to make payment should be affirmed with a modification that the amount of payment be fixed at $340.