Beard v. Beard

750 P.2d 1059, 12 Kan. App. 2d 540, 1988 Kan. App. LEXIS 188
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedMarch 3, 1988
DocketNo. 60,919
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 750 P.2d 1059 (Beard v. Beard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Beard v. Beard, 750 P.2d 1059, 12 Kan. App. 2d 540, 1988 Kan. App. LEXIS 188 (kanctapp 1988).

Opinion

Brazil, J.:

Edwina L. Beard appeals from the district court’s order denying her motion to establish child support. The court found that it was without power to allocate a portion of the support and maintenance paid by James D. Beard as child [541]*541support, or to modify the amount paid, or to establish support independent of the Beards’ property settlement agreement which had been approved by the court at the time of the Beards’ divorce. We reverse and remand.

James D. and Edwina L. Beard were married on August 20, 1961. Two children were born of the marriage: Brenda Kay (d.o.b. April 2, 1968) and Beth Ann (d.o.b October 20, 1972).

On May 28, 1981, Mr. Beard filed for divorce. He was represented by an attorney in the divorce action, but Mrs. Beard was not. Mr. Beard’s attorney drafted a property settlement agreement which was signed by both parties. Mrs. Beard’s lack of representation is not an issue in her appeal.

The parties’ property settlement agreement contains the following provisions regarding support and maintenance of Mrs. Beard and the parties’ children:

“11. James agrees to make the following payments to Edwina for the support and maintenance of herself and the two minor children of the parties, . . . : “a. The sum of $1,050.00 per month . . . ; and
“b. The sum of $2,500.00 in 1981 . . . following the end of the partnership year of Pierce, Faris, Cochran and Sutton . . . ; and
“c. For each year following 1981, the sum of $2,500.00 increased or decreased by a sum equal to the same percentage of increase or decrease in the gross income of James as reflected by his federal income tax return, as filed . . . ;
“d. In the event that any one of the children of the parties hereto attains age of majority, marries, becomes emancipated or dies, then the payments herein specified shall on the happening of each such event be reduced in a sum equal to twenty-five percent of the payments which would thereafter otherwise accrue and be payable in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof;
“e. All payments herein specified shall cease upon the death of James or Edwina;
“f. In the event of the remarriage of Edwina or upon Edwina’s commencing to live with a person of the opposite sex, the payments herein specified shall on the happening of such event be reduced in a sum equal to fifty percent of the payments which would thereafter otherwise accrue and be payable in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof.
“12. The obligation of James to make the payments above provided for, for the support and maintenance of Edwina and the two minor children of the parties shall be subject to modification from time to time during the lifetime of James in accordance with changes in his financial circumstances, subject, however, to the limitation that such payments shall not be subject to increase without his consent; and in the event the parties are unable to agree upon such modification, the District Court of Reno County, Kansas may modify such payments and James [542]*542and Edwina shall be bound by any such modification subject to the limitations above set forth and subject further to the provision that it is the intent of the parties hereto that no decrease in said monthly payments shall be made which shall have the effect of decreasing such monthly payments unless the financial circumstances of James have so changed that James is unable to provide for his reasonable needs, the support of the minor children of the parties and make the payments required by this agreement. In the event that either party hereto requests a modification of said payments as above set forth, the District Court of Reno County, Kansas shall consider the following factors: a. The ability of James to make such payments based upon his income from all sources; b. The reasonable needs of Edwina; c. The reasonable needs of James; d. The reasonable needs of the children of the parties during their minority; e. The intent of the parties as set forth in this agreement.”

For tax purposes the agreement did not explicitly apportion the amount designated as “support and maintenance” between child support and spousal maintenance, which made the entire amount deductible to Mr. Beard and taxable to Mrs. Beard. On August 4, 1981, the court found the property settlement agreement to be valid, just, and equitable and incorporated it into the divorce decree.

On December 9, 1986, Mrs. Beard filed a motion requesting the court to establish child support for the couple’s minor child, Beth Ann. The district court noted that the sum designated as “support and maintenance” for Mrs. Beard and the minor children was not allocated between spousal maintenance and child support and that the court was without power to allocate the payments, to modify alimony set by the agreement, or to establish child support independent of the agreement.

1. Could the district court allocate payments between child support and alimony and then modify the child support?

Mrs. Beard contends that the district court’s conclusions that it could not allocate the support and maintenance payments between herself and the children and could not modify alimony set by agreement are contrary to K.S.A. 1987 Supp. 60-1610(a)(l) and (b)(3). Mrs. Beard also contends that the court’s reliance on Carey v. Carey, 9 Kan. App. 2d 779, 689 P.2d 917 (1984), is misplaced.

The district court retains jurisdiction to modify child support payments when a material change in circumstances is shown. K.S.A. 1987 Supp. 60-1610(a)(l); Carey v. Carey, 9 Kan. App. 2d [543]*543at 781. Even when the parties have entered into a separation agreement which is incorporated into the divorce decree, as in the present case, provisions for the custody, support, or education of the minor children remain subject to the control of the court. K.S.A. 1987 Supp. 60-1610(b)(3). “The parties cannot, by agreement, divest the court of this power.” 9 Kan. App. 2d at 781.

The support and maintenance payment in the property settlement agreement in the present case did not allocate the amount between alimony, which cannot be modified by the district court, and child support, which the district court does have jurisdiction to modify. 9 Kan. App. 2d at 781; K.S.A. 1987 Supp. 60-1610(b)(3). In Carey, the court concluded that, “where a property settlement agreement incorporated in a divorce decree fixes a sum to be paid as ‘family support and alimony,’ with [apportionment between child support and spousal maintenance not indicated,] the trial court has no authority to modify the order in the absence of a provision in the setdement agreement or [by] consent of the parties.” 9 Kan. App. 2d 779, Syl. ¶ 1. See Feldmann v. Feldmann, 179 Kan. 109, 292 P.2d 716 (1956).

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Related

In Re the Marriage of Patterson
920 P.2d 450 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 1996)

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Bluebook (online)
750 P.2d 1059, 12 Kan. App. 2d 540, 1988 Kan. App. LEXIS 188, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/beard-v-beard-kanctapp-1988.