Ex parte Boddie

229 So. 3d 255
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Alabama
DecidedFebruary 24, 2017
Docket2160228
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 229 So. 3d 255 (Ex parte Boddie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ex parte Boddie, 229 So. 3d 255 (Ala. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

DONALDSON, Judge.

Bobbie B. Boddie (“the father”) seeks our review of an order entered by the Shelby Circuit Court (“the trial court”), finding that no common-law marriage existed between him and Shelia C. Boddie (“the mother”) in the period after their divorce. Although the’ order was certified by the trial court as final pursuant to Rule 54(b), Ala. R. Civ. P., the father did not appeal. Instead, the father sought permissive review of the order under Rule 5, Ala. R. App, P., or, alternatively, a writ of mandamus directing the trial court to vacate that order. For the reasons below, we deny the requested relief.

Facts and Procedural History

' The materials submitted by the parties indicate the following. The parties have three children, all born on June 26, 2001. On January 4, .2007, the trial court entered a judgment divorcing the father and the mother. The divorce judgment incorporates an agreement between the parties, According to the parties’ agreement, the parties were to share custody of the children, “meaning] shared parental responsibility” for “major decisions, affecting the health and welfare of the children,” and [257]*257the mother had “primary physical custody” of the children. The father was ordered to pay $2,500 a month in child, support in accordance with the parties’ agreement.

On November 26,2014, the father filed a petition to modify the divorce judgment, seeking a reduction in his monthly child-support obligation. The parties filed in the trial court an- agreement to reduce the father’s child-support obligation to $1,176 a month, and the trial court entered a modification judgment based on that agreement.

On July 24, 2015, the father married another woman.

On November 23, 2015, the mother filed a petition seeking a finding of contempt against the father and seeking to modify the divorce judgment. The mother alleged that the father owed her an arrearage in the sum of $169,591 for deficient child-support payments spanning from January 2007 through August 2015. She also alleged that the father had failed to pay for one-half of the medical expenses for their children as ordered in the divorce judgment. The mother also sought to modify the father’s visitation rights and her obligation to maintain life insurance for the children under the divorce judgment.

On March 29, 2016, the father filed a “Request for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive' Relief.” According to the father’s allegations, from the time of the divorce until they separated in 2012, he and the mother had a common-law marriage, which, he said, had never been legally dissolved. The father alleged that he did not realize that he was still married at common law to the mother when he purportedly married another woman in 2015. The father sought a judgment declaring the existence of the parties’ common-law marriage and declaring that the mother is not entitled to the relief requested in her petition. ■ .He also- sought to enjoin the mother from pursuing, her petition. .

Oh October 18, 2016, the trial court entered an order, stating: ■ ■ ' ■

“This cause came before the court May 3, 2016, for hearing on [the father’s] Request for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief. The Court received testimony'in this cause,'1 both parties being present in open court and represented by their respective counsel of record. The Court has considered the pleadings and the proof, including ore tenus testimony by the parties, evidence presented and witnesses testimony, together with the demeanor of the parties, and upon close scrutiny thereof finds that [the father] has failed to meet his burden of proving the existence of a common law marriage, between the parties by clear and convincing evidence, which has been defined as:
“ ‘ “[e]vidence that, when weighed against evidence in opposition, will produce in 'the mind of the trier of fact a firm conviétion as'to each essential element of the claim and a high probability as to the correctness of the conclusion. Proof by clear and convincing evidence requires a level of proof greater than a preponderance of the evidence or the substantial weight of the evidence, but less than beyond a reasonable doubt.” ’ § 6—11—20(b)(4), Ala. Code 1975. ■ 1
“The evidence presented does not rise to the level required for finding that a common-law marriage existed. The law as it relates to judicial recognition of a common-law marriage requires proof of the following elements: (1) capacity; (2) present, mutual .agreement'to permanently enter the marriage relationship to the exclusion of all other relationships; and (3) public recognition of the relationship as a marriage and public assump[258]*258tion of marital duties and cohabitation. Gray v. Bush, 835 So.2d 192, 194 (Ala. Civ. App. 2001). In this cause, the only element established by clear and convincing evidence is that of capacity; the evidence is not clear and convincing that the parties had a present, mutual agreement to enter into the marriage relationship to the exclusion of all other relationships, nor that there had been public recognition of their, relationship as a marriage and public assumption of marital duties.
“Wherefore, the Court hereby finds that there is no marriage in this case. Accordingly, [the father’s] relief requested is hereby DENIED.'All remaining issues in the instant case will be set for trial via separate order.” ■ :

(Capitalization in original.)

Upon the father’s motion and over the mother’s objection, the trial court entered an order on November 11, 2016, certifying the October 18, 2016, order as a final judgment pursuant to Rule 54(b), Ala. R. Civ. P. On November 11, 2016, the father filed a motion to amend the language in that order, and, on November 15, 2016, the trial court entered an order, stating, in relevant part:

. “This cause is before the court on [the father’s] MOTION FOR CERTIFICATION OF FINAL JUDGMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 54(B) filed by [the father] and the objection thereto filed by [the mother]. Based on due consideration thereof, the motion is hereby GRANTED. The court expressly determines that there is no just reason for delay, and hereby expressly directs entry of judgment against [the father] in connection with its October 18, 2016, order. The court hereby certifies such order on [the father’s] REQUEST FOR DECLARATORY JUDGMENT AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF as a Final Judgment pursuant to Rule 54(b), Ala. R. Civ. Pro.”

On November 29, 2016, the father filed in the supreme court a petition for permission to appeal pursuant to Rule 5, Ala. R. Civ. P., and, in the alternative, a petition for a writ of mandamus. On January TO, 2017, the supreme court transferred the petition to this court pursuant to § 12-3-10, Ala. Code 1975.1

Discussion

The father requested permission to appeal the October 18, 2016, order pursuant to Rule 5, Ala. R. App. P. Rule 5(a) provides:

“A party may request permission to appeal from an interlocutory order in civil actions under limited circumstances. Appeals of interlocutory orders are limited to those civil cases that are within the original appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. A petition to appeal from an interlocutory order must contain a certification by the trial judge that, in the judge’s opinion, the interlocutory or[259]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
229 So. 3d 255, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ex-parte-boddie-alacivapp-2017.