In Re Guidelines for Child Support Enf.

784 S.W.2d 589, 301 Ark. 627, 1990 Ark. LEXIS 761
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedFebruary 5, 1990
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 784 S.W.2d 589 (In Re Guidelines for Child Support Enf.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Guidelines for Child Support Enf., 784 S.W.2d 589, 301 Ark. 627, 1990 Ark. LEXIS 761 (Ark. 1990).

Opinion

784 S.W.2d 589 (1990)

In re GUIDELINES FOR CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.

Supreme Court of Arkansas.

February 5, 1990.

*590 PER CURIAM.

The Arkansas General Assembly enacted Act 948 of 1989, amending Ark.Code Ann. § 9-12-312(a) (Repl.1987), and providing in part for guidelines for child support enforcement.

"9-12-312(a)(1) When a decree is entered, the court shall make such orders concerning the alimony of the wife or the husband and care of the children, if there are any, as are reasonable from the circumstances of the parties and the nature of the case.
(2) In determining a reasonable amount of support initially or upon review to be paid by the noncustodial parent, the court shall refer to the most recent revision of the family support chart. It shall be a rebuttable presumption for the award of child support, that the amount contained in the family support chart is the correct amount of child support to be awarded. Only upon a written finding or specific finding on the record that the application of the support chart would be unjust or inappropriate as determined under established criteria set forth in the support chart, shall the presumption be rebutted.
(3) The family support chart shall be revised at least once every four (4) years by a committee to be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court to ensure that the support amounts are appropriate for child support awards. The committee shall also establish the criteria for deviation from use of the chart amount.
(4) The Arkansas Supreme Court shall approve the family support chart and criteria upon revision by the committee for use in this state and shall publish same through per curiam order of the court."

Subsequent to the enactment of this legislation the Chief Justice appointed a committee to examine and revise the family support chart previously utilized by the trial court as prescribed by section 9-12-312(a)(2). In addition, the committee was charged with the responsibility to establish the criteria for deviation from the use of the chart.

The following persons were appointed to the committee: Honorable Ellen Brantley, Larry Carpenter, Esq.; Hon. Fred D. Davis; Hon. Jim Gunter; Don Hollingsworth, Esq.; Hon. Warren Kimbrough; Rep. Jodie Mahony; Harry Truman Moore, Esq.; Hon. Andre McNeil; Jeff Pence, Esq.; Hon. Judith Rogers; and Ben Rowland, Esq.

The Committee members met and filed a formal report establishing child support guidelines and deviation criteria.

In accordance with this Court's rule making authority, Act 948 of 1989 and Family Support Act of 1988, Pub.L. No. 100-485 (1988), this Court adopts the formal report of the Committee and as a result, provisionally adopts the Family Support Chart, which was established by a Family Law section committee of the Arkansas Bar Association effective July 1, 1987, pursuant to section 9-12-312(a)(2). A copy of this chart is attached to this per curiam and made a part hereof.

In adopting this per curiam, the Court creates a rebuttable presumption that the amount of child support calculated pursuant to the most recent revision of the Family Support Chart is the amount of *591 child support to be awarded in any judicial proceeding for dissolution of marriage, separation, or child support.

It shall be sufficient in a particular case to rebut the presumption that the amount of child support calculated pursuant to the Family Support Chart is correct, if the court enters in the case a written finding or specific finding on the record that the amount so calculated, after consideration of all relevant factors, is unjust or inappropriate.

Relevant factors to be considered by the court in determining appropriate amounts of child support shall include:

1. Food;
2. Shelter and utilities;
3. Clothing;
4. Medical expenses;
5. Educational expenses;
6. Dental expenses;
7. Child Care;
8. Accustomed standard of living;
9. Recreation;
10. Insurance;
11. Transportation expenses; and
12. Other income or assets available to support the child from whatever source.

Additional factors may warrant adjustments to the child support obligations and shall include:

1. The procurement and/or maintenance of life insurance, health insurance, dental insurance for the children's benefit;
2. The provision or payment of necessary medical, dental, optical, psychological or counseling expenses of the children (e.g. orthopedic shoes, glasses, braces, etc.);
3. The creation or maintenance of a trust fund for the children;
4. The provision or payment of special education needs or expenses of the child;
5. The provision or payment of day care for a child; and
6. The extraordinary time spent with the non-custodial parent, or shared or joint custody arrangements.

Weekly take home pay, as it relates to the Family Support Chart, refers to the definition of income in the federal income tax laws, less proper deductions for:

1. Federal and state income tax;
2. Social security (FICA) or railroad retirement equivalent;
3. Medical insurance; and
4. Presently paid support for other dependents by Court order.

In addition to the award of child support, the court order shall provide for the child's health care needs, which would normally include health insurance if available to either parent at reasonable cost.

In publishing its per curiam, this Court recognizes that the trial court has continuing jurisdiction to modify child support orders to advance the welfare of the child when there is a material change in circumstances. See Hitt v. Maynard, 265 Ark. 31, 576 S.W.2d 211 (1979); Lively v. Lively, 222 Ark. 501, 261 S.W.2d 409 (1953). Approval of the Family Support Chart by this Court does not per se create a material change in circumstances. In determining requested modifications of child support orders entered prior to the effective date hereof, the trial court should consider the totality of the present circumstances of the parties and avoid modifications that would work undue hardship on the parties or any persons presently dependent thereon.

Inasmuch as this is a provisional order of the Court, the Court directs the Chief Justice and the Committee on Child Support to continue its charge to study, and revise where necessary, the guidelines for child support to ensure the proper enforcement of child support awards in this state.

GLAZE, J., concurs.

HICKMAN and NEWBERN, JJ., dissent.

*592

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Bluebook (online)
784 S.W.2d 589, 301 Ark. 627, 1990 Ark. LEXIS 761, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-guidelines-for-child-support-enf-ark-1990.