In Re CZB

151 S.W.3d 627, 2004 WL 2236425
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 6, 2004
Docket04-02-00594-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 151 S.W.3d 627 (In Re CZB) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re CZB, 151 S.W.3d 627, 2004 WL 2236425 (Tex. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

151 S.W.3d 627 (2004)

In the Interest of C.Z.B. and L.M.B., Minor Children.

No. 04-02-00594-CV.

Court of Appeals of Texas, San Antonio.

October 6, 2004.

*629 Per A. Hardy, Law Office of Per A. Hardy, James E. Hoffman, San Antonio, for appellant.

Steven A. Sinkin, Karen L. Marvel, Law Offices of Sinkin & Barretto, P.L.L.C., San Antonio, for appellee.

Sitting: ALMA L. LÓPEZ, Chief Justice, CATHERINE STONE, Justice, PAUL W. GREEN, Justice.

OPINION

Opinion by PAUL W. GREEN, Justice.

This case arises from a dispute over child support. In eight issues, appellant *630 Roger Keith Burns (Burns) complains the trial court incorrectly calculated the amount of arrearage and interest he owes to his ex-wife appellee Diane Anglin (Anglin). He also complains of the trial court's failure to grant a new trial, failure to apply the doctrine of judicial estoppel, and failure to grant a greater possession credit in his favor. Finally, Burns argues the trial court erred in awarding attorney's fees to Anglin and in failing to award attorney's fees to him. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

BACKGROUND

Roger Keith Burns and Diane Anglin were divorced in July of 1985. Under the terms of the divorce, Burns was ordered to pay $500 a month in child support for the couple's two children.[1] Between March 1, 1988 and April 20, 1989, Burns allegedly failed to make his child support payments. Anglin filed a motion for enforcement through the Bexar County Child Support Enforcement Office, and a Master's recommendation was issued on April 20, 1989 but never approved by the district court. Although the record indicates that Burns allegedly paid at least part of the $2550 recommended by the Master's court, there is some dispute as to exactly how much he paid and whether or not he paid any interest due on the arrears.

In July of 2001, Anglin filed a motion for cumulative judgment, seeking past due child support and medical expenses, including reimbursement for her children's past orthodontic bills. Burns counterclaimed, arguing that Anglin's suit was frivolous and requesting attorney's fees as sanctions. Following a trial, an associate judge found in favor of Anglin on the past due child support but denied any orthodontic fees, granted Anglin's motion for attorney's fees and denied Burns's request for attorney's fees. The district court followed the associate judge's recommendation, denying Anglin's request for orthodontic reimbursement but ordering Burns to pay $12,139.26 in past due child support, as well as $10,800.00 in attorney's fees. The trial court also denied Burns's request for attorney's fees. Burns now appeals the district court's decision in eight issues.

SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE

In his first issue, Burns argues there was insufficient evidence to support the amount of arrears awarded by the trial court. We review the award of a judgment for child support arrears under an abuse of discretion standard. Worford v. Stamper, 801 S.W.2d 108, 109 (Tex.1990). When reviewing a question of legal sufficiency, we consider all of the evidence in the light most favorable to the finding, disregarding all evidence and inferences to the contrary. Davis v. City of San Antonio, 752 S.W.2d 518, 522 (Tex.1988). If there is more than a scintilla of evidence to support the trial court's finding, then we must uphold it. Formosa Plastics Corp. USA v. Presidio Eng'rs and Contractors, Inc., 960 S.W.2d 41, 48 (Tex.1998). In reviewing a question of factual sufficiency, we consider and weigh all of the evidence presented at trial in a neutral light, setting aside the verdict only if it is so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be manifestly unjust. Cain v. Bain, 709 S.W.2d 175, 176 (Tex.1986).

At trial, Anglin had the burden of establishing the dollar amount of arrears owed by Burns. Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 157.162 (Vernon 2002); see Curtis v. Curtis, 11 S.W.3d 466, 472 (Tex.App.-Tyler 2000, no pet.); Buzbee v. Buzbee, 870 S.W.2d 335, 339 (Tex.App.-Waco 1994, no writ). She presented evidence of all child *631 support payments due from and paid by Burns by introducing the court orders setting forth Burns's child support obligations, as well as his child support payment history from the Bexar County Child Support Registry and the State Case Disbursement Records. According to the divorce decree, Burns was required to pay $500 a month beginning on August 1, 1985. In addition, under the terms of the decree, Burns was to provide medical and dental insurance for his two children. The decree was later modified, mandating that Burns pay $700 a month from December 1, 1986 until the couple's son reached 18, at which point he was to pay Anglin $550 a month until their daughter reached 18. Using the County's records, as well as her own recollection of payments made, Anglin and the Bexar County Child Support Collection Office compiled a chart which listed payments due, dates payments were made and the total arrears, including interest. Burns did not object to the introduction of this evidence as a general summary of what was owed and what had been paid.[2] The total amount of arrears and interest as contemplated by these records was $26,838.45, giving Burns one month's credit for the period of time when the couple's son lived with him.

Once Anglin presented evidence establishing the amount of child support she believed was still owed her by Burns, the burden shifted to him, as the obligor, to show any amount claimed as an offset against the arrearage. Buzbee, 870 S.W.2d at 341. At trial, Burns introduced several affidavits signed by Anglin, one of which stated the amount of arrears owed in November of 1988 was $2500. The other affidavits listed the amount of arrears owed in 1988 and 1989. He testified that he had paid the original $2500 per the Master's Recommendation by paying a $350 lump sum and an additional $100 a month in child support for the next two years. Burns also testified that his son had lived with him for ten months, not the one month claimed by Anglin, and argued that he was entitled to a $700 credit for each of the ten months. In addition, he presented testimony regarding expenditures made for his son, including a truck and a horse, as well as rodeo fees and living costs for the ten months his son allegedly lived with him. Burns, however, failed to present any documentation showing payments in addition to those listed on the Bexar County Child Support Registry's list. After trial but before the associate judge entered his recommendation, Burns filed a motion for new trial with several additional checks. Although the court denied the motion as premature, it first held a hearing and gave Burns credit in the amount of $2550 for a number of the "new" checks.[3]

Anglin's evidence showed that Burns owed her almost $27,000 in child support and interest. Burns's testimony, on the other hand, advocated a zero balance.

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Bluebook (online)
151 S.W.3d 627, 2004 WL 2236425, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-czb-texapp-2004.