In re Marriage of Demosthenes

2020 IL App (4th) 190470-U
Appellate Court of Illinois·Decided March 20, 2020·No. 4-19-0470·Unpublished

Opinion

NOTICE 2020 IL App (4th) 190470-U This order was filed under Supreme FILED

NO. 4-19-0470 March 20, 2020 Court Rule 23 and may not be cited as precedent by any party except in Carla Bender

the limited circumstances allowed IN THE APPELLATE COURT 4th District Appellate under Rule 23(e)(1). Court, IL OF ILLINOIS

FOURTH DISTRICT

In re MARRIAGE OF ) Appeal from the JENNIFER L. DEMOSTHENES, ) Circuit Court of Petitioner-Appellee, ) McLean County and ) No. 14D516 JEAN H. DEMOSTHENES, )

Respondent-Appellant. ) Honorable ) Pablo A. Eves,

) Judge Presiding.

JUSTICE CAVANAGH delivered the judgment of the court.

Presiding Justice Steigmann and Justice Knecht concurred in the judgment.

ORDER

¶1 Held: (1) The trial court abused its discretion in increasing child support upon the emancipation of one of the children using an imputed income for respondent when the court found no other change of circumstances had been proved to justify an increase.

(2) The trial court did not err in finding respondent in indirect civil contempt for his failure to pay certain amounts due.

¶2 In January 2017, the trial court entered a judgment of dissolution of marriage

between petitioner, Jennifer L. Demosthenes, and respondent, Jean H. Demosthenes. The judgment incorporated a September 2015 stipulated parenting agreement, wherein respondent agreed to pay $1355 per month in child support for the parties’ three children. However, the judgment noted respondent had filed a petition to modify his support obligation a week prior to the entry of the judgment, so the amount of support ordered was subject to the pending petition. Respondent’s petition to modify alleged a substantial change of circumstances in that respondent was no longer

employed as of December 6, 2016. After an evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied respondent’s motion on that basis but granted a modification based on the later emancipation of the oldest child. Nevertheless, the court recalculated child support using imputed income for respondent after the court found respondent’s job loss was voluntary and he was underemployed. After the court’s recalculation using imputed income, respondent’s monthly child support obligation increased.

¶3 On appeal, respondent argues the trial court erred in (1) imputing income to respondent, (2) failing to consider petitioner’s income, (3) failing to cap respondent’s obligation for health insurance premiums at 5%, (4) ordering respondent to contribute to extra child-related expenses, (5) ordering respondent to contribute to a child’s vehicle, (6) ordering an impossible purge amount, and (7) allowing for an automatic future finding of contempt without providing respondent with an opportunity to be heard. We reverse in part and affirm in part.

¶4 I. BACKGROUND

¶5 In September 1995, the parties were married in McLean County. Three children were born during the marriage; E.D. in 1999, O.D. in 2001, and I.D. in 2004. In October 2014, petitioner filed a petition for dissolution of marriage. At that time, petitioner was 42 years old and was unemployed. Respondent was 42 years old and employed as a medical device salesman for C.R. Bard, Inc.

¶6 In March 2015, the trial court entered a temporary order, ordering respondent to pay petitioner 32% of his net income beginning January 1, 2015. The court ordered base support in the amount of $1271 per month plus 32% of any bonuses, commission, rental income, or income from any other source. Respondent was also ordered to contribute specific dollar amounts toward (1) expenses related to the marital home where petitioner and the children resided, (2) I.D.’s cell phone, and (3) marital debt. Respondent was also ordered to maintain the children’s health

insurance, pay one half of uncovered medical expenses, and one half of the children’s extra- curricular activities.

¶7 In September 2015, the parties entered into a stipulated parenting and child-support agreement, which addressed issues relating to the children’s extra-curricular activities, health care, vehicle expenses, cell phone expenses, and college tuition. Respondent’s child support obligation was $1355 per month based upon his base annual income of $71,400. Respondent was to pay petitioner 32% of any net income beyond his base salary.

¶8 In September 2016, petitioner filed (1) a motion to modify child support based on respondent’s increase in income and increase in child-related expenses and (2) a petition for a rule to show cause seeking a finding of indirect civil contempt against respondent for his failure to pay certain child-related expenses. In response, in September 2016, respondent filed a petition to reduce child support, asking that the provisions regarding the reimbursement of certain child- related expenses be stricken or, in the alternative, to reduce his monthly obligation. Also, during this time, petitioner was granted an order of protection against respondent.

¶9 Before a ruling on the child-support-related motions was entered, on January 18, 2017, respondent filed a petition to modify child support, alleging he had lost his job and he was “unaware of his future sources of income.” On January 19, 2017, petitioner filed an amended petition for a rule to show cause, seeking a finding of indirect civil contempt against respondent for his failure to pay child support and other child-related expenses.

¶ 10 On January 25, 2017, the trial court entered a judgment of dissolution of marriage, incorporating both the stipulated parenting and child-support agreement and the order directing the equitable distribution of assets. The final judgment acknowledged the existence of the pending motions to modify child support and made the incorporation of the agreement subject thereto.

¶ 11 The trial court conducted hearings on the pending motions on January 16, 2018, February 13, 2018, and May 21, 2018. The following evidence was presented.

¶ 12 A. Respondent’s Testimony

¶ 13 Respondent testified that, at the time he entered into the child-support agreement, he was working for Bard as a medical-device salesman earning a base salary of $71,000 and over $120,000 with commission. He had worked for Bard’s predecessor company, Medtel, since 2009 and throughout Bard’s acquisition in December 2013. In October 2016, for the first time, he was placed on a 90-day probationary period because he was not meeting his sales quota. His manager spoke with him numerous times before October 2016 about the company’s expectations. After the probationary notice, he met with his director weekly about specific goals he needed to attain. Respondent attributed his failure to meet all of his goals due to “[t]he stress of court, the stress of being harassed by the police, [and] the stress of a lot of different things.” He said his “motivation was just not where it needed to be.” He tried his “hardest” but missing work affected his sales.

¶ 14 Respondent lost his job on December 6, 2016, and, as part of his separation agreement, was given a lump-sum severance pay of $14,407.40 plus his commission from the last quarter in the amount of $4917.85. He began receiving unemployment benefits in the net amount of $430 per week. Beginning in May 2017, child support was withheld from his unemployment benefits.

¶ 15 Respondent said he tried to obtain new employment by networking and working with approximately 10 recruiters. He regularly submitted job search affidavits with the trial court and the Department of Employment Security. Respondent said he searched for a job online all day, every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. As a result of his search, he was granted only five interviews,

including interviews in Dallas, Chicago, St. Louis, and Florida. However, he could not recall the name of any of the five companies.

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