Ackerson v. Ackerson

24 Ohio Law. Abs. 684, 1937 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1060
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 3, 1937
DocketNo 2744
StatusPublished

This text of 24 Ohio Law. Abs. 684 (Ackerson v. Ackerson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ackerson v. Ackerson, 24 Ohio Law. Abs. 684, 1937 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1060 (Ohio Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

OPINION

By BARNES, PJ.

The above-entitled cause is now being determined on plaintiff’s appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations, of Franklin County, Ohio, finding plaintiff guilty of contempt for failure to pay alimony as per the final order of the tr'al court in Case No. 9191 in such court.

The following summary of facts will render understandable the nature of the present controversy and the manner in which ihe claimed errors arise:

On January 19, 1.934, the plaintiff, Deli W. Ackerson, commenced an action in the Common Pleas Court of- Franklin County, Ohio, praying for a divorce against his wife, the defendant, Minnie R. Ackerson.

On January 23 thereafter, defendant, filed an answer and cross-petition, in which the answer denied the complaint set out in the petition, and the cross-petition prayed for temporary and permanent alimony.

On February 9, 1934, upon hearing, the defendant was granted an allowance for temporary alimony in the sum of $80.00 per month, payable bi-monthly. The transcript of docket and journal entries presents a history of citation in contempt for failure to pay the temporary alimony, as per order; application for modification of former order and judgments and orders relative thereto.

On January 28, 1935, the plaintiff withdrew his petition for divorce, the cause then standing in the court on defendant’s cross-petition for permanent alimony.

On February 15, 1935, the cause came on for hearing on the cross-petition. Thereafter it was the holding of the court that plaintiff was delinquent in his payments of temporary alimony in the sum of $230.00. The court ordered that the plaintiff pay defendant, as permanent alimony, $65.00 per month, payable bi-monthly, on the 2nd and 17th day of each month; also that the delinquent payment of $230.00 be paid $10.00 per month, payable bi-monthly, on the 2nd and 17th of each month, until such delinquency was fully paid.

On March 5, 1.935, on application of the defendant, a capias was issued for the plaintiff by reason of his having failed to pay the delinquencies.

On September 1, 1936, the defendant, by proper proceedings, caused a citation to be issued against the plaintiff for a claimed failure to pay the permanent alimony charges, as per the former order of the court.

On October 28, 1936, the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations, found that the plaintiff had failed to pay the installment payments and the arrearages, as [686]*686per the former order of the court, and ordered that plaintiff purge himself of contempt by the payment of $220.00, the amount of such arrearages as found due October 17, 1936, on or before the 6th day of November, and upon failure to pay said arrearages he be confined in the county jail until the same was paid and a warrant issued for such commitment.

This is the final order from which plaintiff filed his notice of appeal on November 4, 1936.

On November 6, 1936, on motion of plaintiff, the trial court ordered that final judgment on the order in contempt be stayed until the determination of this case by the Court of Appeals of Franklin County, upon plaintiff giving bond to the defendant in the sum of $1000.00, with sureties to the satisfaction and approval of the Clerk of Courts, same to contain the usual provision and that if judgment .was not paid upon final affirmance, judgment may be entered against the sureties thereon upon the mandate of affirmance from the Appellate Court being filed in the trial court.

On the 27th day of July, 1935, articles of separation were entered into between Dell W. Ackerson and Minnie R. Ackerson, the same being in writing. This article of separation was very lengthy, comprising more than three pages of typewritten matter. Only certain portions thereof are pertinent to the present inquiry.

In the agreement it was stated that Dell W. Ackerson was in default in the amount of $550.00 through his noncompliance with the former order of the court. Provision was made for conveyance by Dell W. Ackerson to his wife, 'Minnie R. Ackerson, of all his interest in two residence properties in Columbus, both heavily mortgaged. Through these findings a credit of $300.00 was allowed to Dell W. Ackerson on his delinquency of $550.00 above referred to. The balance of $250.00 was to be paid as follows: $60.00 on the execution of the contract; $40.00 within thirty days, and the balance of $150.00 before final hearing in .the divorce action which was thereafter to be filed by Mrs. Ackerson. It was further stipulated that the full amount of the $550.00 back alimony was to be paid before the hearing on the divorce action thereafter to be filed. There also was turned over to Minnie R. Ackerson all the household furniture. The bi-monthly payments, as provided in case No. 9191. of $65.00 per month, were reduced to $50.00 per month, payable bi-monthly on the 5th and 20th of each month thereafter, the same to continue until the further agreement of the parties or the modification of the present permanent decree in said action No. 9191, or until the said Minnie R. Ackerson remarries. The agreement relative to the installment payments also contained the following, which we quote in full:

“It is further stipulated and agreed that this contract, in no degree, is to modify or lessen the force and effect of the said decree in the case of Dell W. Ackerson, plaintiff, against Minnie R. Ackerson, defendant, in Case No. 9191 on the docket of the Court of Common Pleas, Franklin County, Ohio, Division of Domestic Relations, as entered therein on February 15, 1935, but, instead, this agreement is for a present arrangement and is to remain in full force so long as-the said Dell W. Ackerson complies with the provision of this agreement, and in the event said Dell W. Ackerson fails and refuses to comply with the provisions of this contract, then the said Minnie R. Ackerson is authorized, without any qualifications, to exercise all her rights under said decree in said action No. 9191 as • entered February 15, 1935.”

On August 2, 1935, Minnie R. Ackerson filed her petition in the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio, being cause No. 12238, against Dell W. Ackerson, praying for divorce from defendant and “all other decrees as are just and proper.” Summons was issued and returned, showing personal service on August 3, 1935. The defendant, Dell W. Ackerson, in this case, No. 12238, filed no answer or other pleading. In this case, No. 12238, the plaintiff, Minnie R. Ackerson, was granted a divorce on October 21, 1935. The decree contained the further pertinent provision:

“It further appears to the court that the parties hereto entered into a written agreement of separation on July 27, 1935, a copy of which separation agreement, marked- Exhibits A, B, C and D, is hereto attached. It is further ordered and adjudged by the court that the marriage contract heretofore existing between the said Minnie R. Ackerson and Dell W. Ackerson be, and the same hereby is, dissolved, and both parties are released from the obligations of same, and that the written contract entered into between said parties on July 27, 1935, as aforesaid, be, and the same hereby is, affirmed.”

[687]*687The agreement marked A, B, C and D is attached to the entry.

The exhibits as marked A, B, C and D, referred to each of the separate pages of the four page agreement.

Appellant’s assignment of errors is set forth in full, as follows:

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Related

Traylor v. Traylor
187 N.E. 722 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1933)
Creek v. Creek
22 Ohio Law. Abs. 142 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1936)

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Bluebook (online)
24 Ohio Law. Abs. 684, 1937 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1060, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ackerson-v-ackerson-ohioctapp-1937.