Court Opinion

ID: 9699514
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 20:29:09.790772+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:51.665851
License: Public Domain

*619Dalianis, J.,
concurring specially. I agree with the majority that there was no error of law here and that, because the respondent, Paul J. Lynn (father), did not provide a transcript as part of the record on appeal, we must assume that the record supported the trial court’s findings and that it sustainably exercised its discretion. See Bean v. Red Oak Prop. Mgmt., 151 N.H. 248, 250 (2004). As the appealing party, the father had the burden to provide this court with a record sufficient to decide his issues on appeal. See Rix v. Kinderworks Corp., 136 N.H. 548, 553 (1992); see also Sup. Ct. R. 13. Without a transcript of the trial court hearing, we assume that the evidence supported its decision. See Bean, 151 N.H. at 250. We review the trial court’s order for legal errors only. See Atwood v. Owens, 142 N.H. 396, 397 (1997). Because the father failed to demonstrate that the trial court committed any error of law, we must affirm its decision.
I write separately because I am concerned that this opinion could be misconstrued to entitle a parent to a reduced child support obligation whenever the parent has voluntarily reduced his or her income so as to attend school. This is not so. While the applicable statutes allow the result in this case, they do not require it. There might well be circumstances in a particular case that would compel the trial court to impute income to such a parent (and, accordingly, deny a motion to modify or reduce child support). Without a transcript, we cannot say whether such circumstances existed here.