In re Marriage of Krier

2022 IL App (3d) 210148-U
Appellate Court of Illinois·Decided June 10, 2022·No. 3-21-0148·Unpublished

Opinion

NOTICE: This order was filed under Supreme Court Rule 23 and is not precedent except in the limited circumstances allowed under Rule 23(e)(1).

2022 IL App (3d) 210148-U Order filed June 10, 2022 IN THE

APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS THIRD DISTRICT

2022

In re MARRIAGE OF ) Appeal from the Circuit Court ) of the 12th Judicial Circuit, ) Will County, Illinois.

CHRISTINE KRIER, )

)

Petitioner-Appellee, ) Appeal No. 3-21-0148 ) Circuit No. 11-D-324 and )

)

JOSEPH KRIER, ) Honorable ) Dinah Lennon Archambeault, Respondent-Appellant. ) Judge, Presiding.

JUSTICE HAUPTMAN delivered the judgment of the court.

Justices Lytton and Schmidt concurred in the judgment.

ORDER

¶1 Held: The circuit court did not err by entering the orders, relating to respondent’s child support and sanctions under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 137 (eff. Jan. 1, 2018), that underlie the order finding respondent in indirect civil contempt. However, the circuit court failed to comport with minimal due process during the indirect civil contempt proceedings. Therefore, the order finding respondent in indirect civil contempt, pursuant to petitioner’s three petitions for rule to show cause, is partially vacated. The matter is remanded for further proceedings.

¶2 Over several years of postdissolution of marriage proceedings, petitioner, Christine Krier, and respondent, Joseph Krier, disputed many issues, including Joseph’s child support. Christine sought sanctions against Joseph under Rule 137, resulting in an order for Joseph to pay $7500 in

fees to Christine’s attorney. Christine also filed three petitions for rule to show cause, seeking orders directing Joseph to show cause why he should not be held in indirect civil contempt for, inter alia, failing to comply with child support orders and the Rule 137 sanctions order. The circuit court held Joseph in indirect civil contempt and imposed certain penalties, subject to purge. Joseph, a self-represented litigant, appeals.

¶3 I. BACKGROUND

¶4 Christine and Joseph were married on February 19, 2005. One child, A.K., was born of the marriage. On February 18, 2011, Christine petitioned for dissolution of the marriage and, on August 8, 2012, the circuit court entered a judgment.

¶5 Over the next six years of postdissolution of marriage proceedings, the parties disputed Joseph’s child support. The judgment for the dissolution of marriage provided for Joseph to pay $666.66 per month in child support, but these postdissolution proceedings resulted in reductions of child support in multiple amounts. While the reason is unclear from the record, child support issues were reserved and repeatedly continued from March 28, 2014, to September 5, 2016.

¶6 On September 6, 2016, Joseph withdrew a pending motion to reduce child support with prejudice. That same day, Christine filed a petition to increase Joseph’s child support under section 505 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (Act) (750 ILCS 5/505 (West 2016)), arguing there was a substantial change in Joseph’s income. In addition, on October 4, 2016, Christine filed a petition for contribution to fees and costs under section 508(a) and (b) of the Act (750 ILCS 5/508(a), (b) (West 2016)) and Rule 137, alleging, inter alia, Joseph obtained unwarranted reductions of his child support by knowingly and falsely misrepresenting his income to the circuit court. Christine argued Joseph committed perjury, failed to fully comply with discovery related to his income, and caused unnecessary litigation.

Christine supported her petition with the affidavit of her attorney, which indicated the services and attorney fees necessitated by Joseph’s unwarranted requests for child support reductions.

¶7 On February 25, 2019, the circuit court held a hearing on Christine’s motion to increase child support and petition for attorney fees and costs under section 508(a) and (b) and Rule 137. A report of proceedings from that hearing is not contained in the record. However, at the hearing, Joseph was in attendance and represented by an attorney. After the hearing, the circuit court entered an order with “both parties in agreement with *** [its] recommendations.” The agreed order increased Joseph’s child support to $600 per month, retroactive to September 6, 2016, and ordered Joseph to pay Christine’s attorney $7500 within 90 days “pertaining to 137 sanctions.”

¶8 On March 26, 2019, Joseph, through his attorney, filed a motion to vacate the February 25, 2019, agreed order. Joseph argued Christine’s income was higher than the amount indicated by her attorney, such that the circuit court’s recommendations on his child support and contribution to attorney fees would have been different if based on Christine’s actual income.

¶9 In response, Christine argued Joseph’s income, not her income, was in dispute on February 25, 2019. Christine stated the circuit court’s ruling was based on fairness and an effort to settle the dispute. Christine also noted each party agreed with the circuit court’s recommendations. Nevertheless, Christine denied withholding information about her income.

¶ 10 On June 4, 2019, Christine filed two petitions for rule to show cause, seeking orders for Joseph to show cause why he should not be found in indirect civil contempt. The first petition related to Joseph’s failure to pay a share of A.K.’s medical bills, health insurance, school fees, daycare fees, and extracurricular activity fees. The second petition related to Joseph’s noncompliance with the parties’ allocated parenting time.

¶ 11 On August 27, 2019, the circuit court held a hearing on Joseph’s motion to vacate the February 25, 2019, order and Christine’s two petitions for rule to show cause. A report of proceeding for that hearing is not contained in the record. In an order entered after the hearing, the circuit court denied Joseph’s motion to vacate, finding that motion was “not sufficient to warrant a re-hearing.” The circuit court noted the February 25, 2019, order was agreed to by the parties. The circuit court also issued the rules to show cause against Joseph.

¶ 12 On September 25, 2019, Joseph filed a pro se motion to reconsider the denial of his motion to vacate the February 25, 2019, order. Joseph again argued Christine failed to provide her correct income. Further, for the first time, Joseph argued the Rule 137 sanctions, requiring him to pay Christine’s attorney $7500, were imposed without an explanation by the circuit court. The circuit court subsequently denied Joseph’s motion to reconsider on December 23, 2019.

¶ 13 On November 26, 2019, Christine filed a third petition for rule to show cause, seeking an order requiring Joseph to show cause why he should not be found in indirect civil contempt. This petition related to (1) Joseph’s failure to comply with orders to pay child support and accrued interest, totaling $21,250 and $6764.96, respectively, (2) Joseph’s abuse of the parties’ allocated parenting time, and (3) Joseph’s noncompliance with the order to pay Rule 137 sanctions by transmitting $7500 to Christine’s attorney. On December 4, 2019, despite no rule being issued, Christine’s third petition for rule to show cause was set for a hearing on January 8, 2020.

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