Court Opinion

ID: 9883748
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 02:15:31.114282+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:30.069035
License: Public Domain

WOZNIAK, Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. Trial courts are afforded broad discretion in determining child support matters. DuBois v. DuBois, 335 N.W.2d 503, 507 (Minn.1983). Here, however, the trial court, as it indicated in its memorandum, assumed that it had no discretion to forgive the arrearages. The trial court erroneously interpreted our decision in Tell v. Tell, 359 N.W.2d 298 (Minn.Ct.App.1984), pet. for rev. granted, 366 N.W.2d 103 (Minn.1985), as holding that forgiveness of arrearages is not allowed where there has been a de facto modification of custody. In so doing, the trial court, as the majority does today, overlooked the fact that the trial court in Tell did exercise its discretion and forgave a *579portion of the arrearages owed. Id., 359 N.W.2d at 301. In affirming the trial court, this court did not question the partial forgiveness, but merely held that “the trial court did not err in assessing arrearages based on the provisions of the decree.” Id.
This court in Tell based its decision on Dent v. Casaga, 296 Minn. 292, 208 N.W.2d 734, 737 (1973), in which the supreme court stated that, absent a judicial modification of custody, the original decree “is entitled to enforcement as originally entered” (emphasis added). This language is permissive; while it allows enforcement of the original support provisions in the context of a de facto custody modification, it does not mandate it. As the majority correctly points out, in Dent the supreme court affirmed the forgiveness of arrearages for the period in which there was a de facto change of custody.
I submit that a trial court still has the discretion to forgive arrearages in the context of a de facto custody modification where the facts are such that forgiveness is required in the interest of fairness and justice. This is such a case. The trial court erred in basing its decision on the assumption that it had no discretion to forgive any arrearages.
The majority also bases its decision on Minn.Stat. § 518.64, subd. 2 (1984), which provides that a trial court “may ” forgive support arrearages as long as the failure to pay was “not willful.” A reasonable reading of the statute compels the conclusion that it was intended to apply to cases in which the de jure and de facto custodial parent did not receive payments necessary to the support of the children due to a willful failure of the noncustodial parent to fulfill his support obligations. It was not intended to preclude the forgiveness of ar-rearages in a case such as this, where, by mutual agreement of the parties, there has been an extrajudicial custody modification and the de facto custodial parent did not make the payments because he was providing the day-to-day financial support of the children for a considerable period of time.
To award respondent the arrearages in this case would not further the children’s well-being; it is difficult to see how the money would be used for the children’s support when respondent did not have the children during the long period in question. The majority correctly points out that, as we stated in Gordon v. Gordon, 356 N.W.2d 436 (Minn.Ct.App.1984), child support payments are not only to be used for daily living expenses, but are also intended for such long-term expenses as housing and its associated expenses. Each case must, however, be decided on its own facts. This case is one in which there was no residence on which the respondent had to keep up expenses. During the period for which arrearages are claimed, the children were in appellant’s custody and respondent was living in a college dormitory. While respondent was awarded the parties’ lake home, the children have spent very little time there and it is not being used as a full-time residence by respondent.
Fairness dictates that appellant be forgiven at least a portion of the arrearages. He has already provided de facto support of the children for an extended period of time, including the period for which arrear-ages are claimed. He has provided the actual physical care and custody of the two sons since June of 1982 and of the daughter since May of 1983. The fact that the trial court modified the custody of the two boys, awarding custody to appellant, indicates that they are already well integrated into appellant’s home. See Minn.Stat. § 518.18(d)(iii) (1984).
The trial court had the discretion to forgive the child support arrearages for the period during which appellant was the de facto custodial parent. Because its decision was based on the erroneous assumption that it had no discretion, I would reverse and remand for a determination of the amount of arrearages that should be forgiven in the interest of fairness.
ORDER
CERTIFICATION AND REQUEST
WHEREAS, the above-entitled appeal is now pending in this court; and
*580WHEREAS, this court has determined that certification of the matter to the Supreme Court for accelerated review pursuant to Minn.Stat. § 480A.10 subd. 2(b) (1984) is appropriate for the following reasons:
(1) The question presented is an important one upon which the court has not, but should rule,
(2) The Supreme Court has pending before it the case of Tell v. Tell, 359 N.W.2d 298 (Minn.Ct.App.1984), pet. for rev. granted, 366 N.W.2d 103 (Minn.1985), which involves the same issue presented by this case,
(3) For the reasons and analysis as contained in the attached opinion.
IT IS HEREBY REQUESTED that the Supreme Court approve the certification of this matter. Counsel for any party may file a response to this request with the Supreme Court Commissioner, 322 State Capitol, St. Paul, MN 55155 within ten days of the date of this document.