in the Interest of W.J.B. and L.M.B.

294 S.W.3d 873, 2009 Tex. App. LEXIS 6719
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedAugust 27, 2009
Docket09-08-00289-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 294 S.W.3d 873 (in the Interest of W.J.B. and L.M.B.) 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 the Interest of W.J.B. and L.M.B., 294 S.W.3d 873, 2009 Tex. App. LEXIS 6719 (Tex. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinions

OPINION

HOLLIS HORTON, Justice.

Yumara Bolos, the mother of W.J.B. and L.M.B., appeals from the trial court’s denial of her motion to enforce a child support arrearage. In four issues, Yu-mara complains that (1) the evidence concerning the amount of her former husband’s past unpaid child support was not controverted, (2) she never relinquished custody of the children to her former husband for a period in excess of her rights under the parties’ parenting plan, (3) her former husband failed to establish the affirmative defense he asserted under section 157.008 of the Family Code, and (4) the trial court should have awarded her all past unpaid child support. We affirm the trial court’s judgment.

Background

Codrut Bolos and Yumara Bolos were divorced in the State of Washington in 2003. Under an agreed order establishing their final parenting plan, the children are to reside the majority of the time with Yumara, and she also has the right to designate the children’s residence. In addition to specifying certain days on which Codrut is to have possession of the children, the final parenting plan also provides: “The father will come visit the kids whenever possible. As long as he gives the mother notice in advance if it is not on the scheduled parenting plan.”

[876]*876A separate child support order, also entered in connection with their divorce, required that Codrut pay the sum of $798.72 monthly to Yumara beginning August 1, 2002. Yumara acknowledged that Codrut fully paid the court ordered child support between August 2003 and June 2005. Beginning July 1, 2005, Codrut quit paying his monthly child support. At trial, Co-drut stipulated that from July 2005 to October 2007 when he, Yumara, and the children lived together, he had not paid child support in the amount of $22,364.16. Co-drut paid his monthly child support obligations from November 2007 through the date of the trial, which occurred in March 2008.

In July 2005, and while still living in another state, Codrut purchased a house in Montgomery County, Texas. In that same month, Yumara and the children moved in that house. In August 2005, Codrut moved in with them as well, and lived there until July 2007. Yumara and the children resided at Codrut’s house until October 2007, when they moved to a house that Yumara had purchased.

Yumara testified that when Codrut purchased the house in Montgomery County, she expected to pay rent and to live there with the children, but did not expect Co-drut to live there. Yumara also testified that she had agreed to pay $800.00 per month to rent the house. However, after Codrut moved into the house, she never paid rent because Codrut “didn’t pay me child support.” Yumara also testified that after he moved in, she asked him nearly every month about making his child support payment.

During her testimony, Yumara presented a summary of expenses to show that between July 2005 and October 2007, her average child-related expenses had varied between $2,200.00 and $2,700.00 per month. Yumara essentially denied Co-drut’s claim that the living arrangement had resulted from a desire to reunite. According to her, that possibility, after Co-drut moved into the Montgomery County house, was never discussed. Yumara did agree that after moving in together, Co-drut had paid or provided for various specified expenses that benefitted the children. Generally, Yumara explained that she felt obligated to pay the children’s expenses, but did not think the obligation applied “if there’s another adult involved.” She further explained, “[T]he money that he paid for living expenses, you incur whether you have children or not.” In response to a question by the trial court, Yumara admitted that while they were living in the Montgomery County house, Codrut had actual possession of the children that exceeded the Washington State parenting plan. Yumara also told the trial court that during that period, both of them had supported the children and that she had worked for twenty of the twenty-four months as a registered dental assistant.

According to Codrut, he purchased the house in Montgomery County after his parents died with the hope that he, Yu-mara, and the children could live together again as a family. In making that decision, Codrut stated that he did not contemplate that he might be required to continue to pay child support after moving into the house. Codrut considered that he and Yu-mara had a shared custody arrangement that greatly exceeded the time provided to him in the parenting plan. Codrut disputed Yumara’s claim that she periodically requested that he pay child support, and he testified that the question of his paying child support while they lived together was never discussed. Codrut explained that while they lived together, he was a stay-at-home dad who earned income by purchasing properties in tax foreclosure proceedings. After moving back into the house, [877]*877Codrut explained that he was at home every day when the children came home from school, supervised their homework, and considered himself to be a full-time parent.

In testifying about the household expenses during the period in issue, Codrut explained that he paid all of the monthly mortgage payments on the house, which ranged from $851.00 to $870.00 per month, and paid the annual homeowner’s association fees. Codrut further stated that he began paying the utility bills at the house in December 2005 and continued to pay them until Yumara moved. He also paid for the telephone bills and various other specified expenses incurred on behalf of the children, as well as advanced funds to Yumara to purchase a car. Codrut identified a summary of his expenses for the period between August 2005 and October 2007, claimed that it showed the expenses he incurred related to supporting the children, and estimated that his monthly support contributions during that period averaged approximately $2,000.00.

Codrut also testified about his expectations regarding the living arrangement during the period in issue. On cross-examination, Codrut denied that he had ever discussed renting the house to Yumara. Instead, Codrut explained that he understood the living arrangement during this period to be that they “would try to be a family again.” Codrut further agreed that he would have incurred mortgage expenses on the house even if the children had not lived there, but he questioned whether he would have needed a three bedroom house had they not agreed to live together.

On examination by the trial court, Co-drut estimated the fair monthly rental on the home to be $1,200.00 monthly. The record also contains exhibits introduced by both parties including bills, checks, bank statements, and summaries that demonstrate each had incurred expenses for the children’s support.

Codrut and Yumara were the only witnesses who testified during the hearing. In summary, each held a different opinion about whether Codrut had completely met his child support obligation under the Washington court’s order, about how to account for expenses incurred while living together that had benefitted the children, and about the amount of actual support Codrut had provided the children during the period in issue.

Jurisdiction

Yumara appeals from a court order denying her recovery on a claim of unpaid child support. Her pleading is titled “Motion For Enforcement Of Child Support Order And Order To Appear.” In her motion, Yumara sought to confirm the amount of back child support, have a judgment rendered for that amount, and have Codrut held in contempt and confined to jail.

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Bluebook (online)
294 S.W.3d 873, 2009 Tex. App. LEXIS 6719, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-interest-of-wjb-and-lmb-texapp-2009.