Hogan v. Hogan

465 So. 2d 73
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 11, 1985
Docket84-CA-287
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 465 So. 2d 73 (Hogan v. Hogan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hogan v. Hogan, 465 So. 2d 73 (La. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

465 So.2d 73 (1985)

Maurine Perez, Wife of William J. HOGAN, Sr.
v.
William J. HOGAN, Sr.

No. 84-CA-287.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

February 11, 1985.
Rehearing Denied March 18, 1985.
Writ Denied May 24, 1985.

Robert M. Rosenberg, Leon H. Rittenberg, Jr., Polack, Rosenberg, Rittenberg & Endom, New Orleans, for plaintiff-appellant.

*74 William W. Hall, Hall, Lentini, Mouledoux & Wimberly, Metairie, for defendant-appellee.

Before BOUTALL, C.J., and KLIEBERT and CURRAULT, JJ.

CURRAULT, Judge.

This appeal arises from a judgment on a rule to reduce child support filed by William J. Hogan, Sr. which reduced the child support granted defendant, Maurine Perez Hogan, via contract and consent judgment.

The facts show that the parties were divorced on October 7, 1981, and custody of the three minor children was granted to Mrs. Hogan. Prior to the divorce, for a period of eight to ten months, the parties were in negotiation over the community property settlement. Immediately following the divorce, the Hogans signed the community property agreement which included terms related to permanent alimony for Mrs. Hogan and child support. The child support and alimony terms were incorporated into the divorce decree by consent of the parties. As to child support in the judgment and the agreement, Mr. Hogan agreed to pay Eighteen Hundred Dollars ($1800) per month, all medical bills including hospital, dental, drug and optometrist bills together with all schooling expenses for a period of twelve years from date of judgment except in the event of severe financial reverses, and regardless of the fact that during the period all of the minor children would reach their majority.

This unique arrangement was made in consideration of the settlement of the community property.

On August 17, 1983, Mrs. Hogan filed a rule for contempt and past due alimony for failure to pay the college expenses of Terri, the oldest girl. On August 24, 1983, Mr. Hogan filed a rule to change custody (of the second child William) and for a reduction of child support. The custody of William had been transferred to Mr. Hogan by the juvenile court for the Parish of Jefferson in November, 1982. Mr. Hogan further filed an exception of no right of action as to Mrs. Hogan's rule for educational expenses which exception was denied by the trial court. After trial of the matters on December 15, 1983, the court reduced Mr. Hogan's child support obligation from Eighteen Hundred Dollars to Thirteen Hundred Dollars ($1300) per month, but ordered Mr. Hogan to pay for the oldest child's educational expenses as provided for in the contract and consent judgment.

Both parties thereafter perfected an appeal of the judgment.

Appellant, Maurine Hogan, alleges the following as error:

(1) the trial court committed error in completely ignoring the contractual agreements of Mr. and Mrs. Hogan by reducing the agreed upon in globo child support payments of $1800 per month to $1300 per month.

(2) In the alternative, the trial court committed error by ignoring the testimony at trial that Mr. Hogan suffered no financial reverses and can pay any amount of child support.

(3) Further, in the alternative, the trial court erred in ignoring the testimony that Mrs. Hogan and her children have increased expenses, expenses in excess of her income, and a resultant dramatic decrease in her savings.[1]

Appellant, William J. Hogan, Sr., presents the following assignments of error:

(1) the trial court erred by only reducing the child support payments to $1300 per month for the support of the one remaining minor child;

(2) the trial court erred in making the reduction of child support effective on December 15, 1983, the date of the hearing, instead of November of 1982, when the custody of the minor child was changed to the father by order of the juvenile court for *75 the Parish of Jefferson, or in the alternative to August 21, 1983, when the rule for decrease was filed;

(3) the trial court erred in denying Mr. Hogan's exception of no right of action in finding that the mother had a right of action to seek educational expenses allegedly due to the parties' major daughter.

Appellant—Maurine Hogan

The first issue presented by Mrs. Hogan involves the question of whether a contractual agreement related to child support is enforceable where the terms are not contra bono mores.[2] In this regard, appellant argues that the parties negotiated the terms of the child support and alimony in consideration of an amicable settlement of the community property and as the terms, incorporated into the judgment of divorce, are not in contravention of public policy, the court should bind the parties to the terms of the contract made knowingly and at arms' length. Appellee, Mr. Hogan, argues that as child support awards are always open to modification, the contract is not binding upon the parties; and insofar as the sixteen year old William is concerned, the change in William's custody is a change in circumstances sufficient to entitle Mr. Hogan to a reduction.

A review of the jurisprudence fails to reveal any cases involving the particular type of agreement entered into by the parties herein. However, generally agreements relating to child support are not enforceable where the agreement seeks to limit or restrict the right of the children to support and maintenance as circumstances dictate.

In Lacassagne v. Lacassagne, 430 So.2d 818 (La.App. 5th Cir.1983), this court refused to give effect to an agreement by the parties which specified a fixed amount to remain unchanged until the majority of the child. We stated there that:

"The support payment provided by the contract is contrary to the minor's interest and serves only to frustrate the ultimate goal of support and is therefore unenforceable because the agreement denies modification." At page 821.

On the other hand, agreements meeting the requirements of conventional obligations and which are not adverse to the purpose and intent of child support have been held enforceable. Davis v. Davis, 405 So.2d 594 (La.App. 3d Cir.1981), writ den. 409 So.2d 659 (La.1982); Dubroc v. Dubroc, 388 So.2d 377 (La.1980). In Dubroc, the Louisiana Supreme Court found an agreement enforceable which suspended payments of child support to the custodial mother while the child resided with the father since it promoted the best interests of the child. Applying the Dubroc rationale, the Third Circuit Court in Davis found an agreement enforceable which framed child support as alimony for tax purposes, but which was intended to be child support. Citing Dubroc, the court noted that:

"the primary interest of the court is to insure the uninterrupted maintenance and support of the parties' children. Therefore, if the bilateral agreement does not thwart the purpose and intent of the judgment, then there is no reason why such an agreement should not be enforced." Davis, at page 598.

In this case the community property settlement recited that:

"The parties further acknowledge and declare that one of the prime considerations given in considering the division and settlement of the community previously existing between them was that they were able to partition the community amicably and amicably agree upon appropriate alimony and child support payments to be made by appearer, William J. Hogan, Sr., unto Maurine Perez, the divorced wife of William J. Hogan, Sr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
465 So. 2d 73, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hogan-v-hogan-lactapp-1985.