Jason S. Williams v. Stephanie Williams

CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedMarch 2, 2022
DocketA21A1552
StatusPublished

This text of Jason S. Williams v. Stephanie Williams (Jason S. Williams v. Stephanie Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jason S. Williams v. Stephanie Williams, (Ga. Ct. App. 2022).

Opinion

FIRST DIVISION BARNES, P. J., GOBEIL and MARKLE, JJ.

NOTICE: Motions for reconsideration must be physically received in our clerk’s office within ten days of the date of decision to be deemed timely filed. https://www.gaappeals.us/rules

March 2, 2022

In the Court of Appeals of Georgia A21A1552, A21A1553. WILLIAMS v. WILLIAMS (two cases).

MARKLE, Judge.

Following a bench trial, the trial court entered a divorce decree, and awarded

child support and alimony to Stephanie Williams (“the Wife”), as well as attorney

fees, pursuant to OCGA § 9-15-14 (b). We granted Jason Williams’s (“the Husband”)

applications for discretionary appeal and these appeals followed. In Case No.

A21A1552, the Husband argues the trial court abused its discretion in awarding

attorney fees. In Case No. A21A1553, he argues that the trial court abused its

discretion by (1) deviating from the statutory child support guidelines without making

the requisite findings or attaching the child support worksheets to the final decree;

(2) awarding an excessive amount of alimony; and (3) awarding credit card travel points to the Wife without first classifying them as separate or marital property.1 As

set forth below, in Case No. A21A1553, we reverse the child support award, but

affirm the trial court’s order as to alimony and the equitable division of the travel

points. In Case No. A21A1552, we vacate the attorney fee award.

In the appellate review of a bench trial, this Court will not set aside the trial court’s factual findings unless they are clearly erroneous, and this Court properly gives due deference to the opportunity of the trial court to judge the credibility of the witnesses. The standard by which findings of fact are reviewed is the “any evidence” rule, under which a finding by the trial court supported by any evidence must be upheld.

Lockhart v. Lockhart, 361 Ga. App. 499 (863 SE2d 174) (2021).

So viewed, the record shows that, prior to their divorce in December 2020, the

Wife and Husband had been married for 17 years and had 4 children together. The

Wife was a stay-at-home mom for the greater portion of the marriage. At the time of

the divorce, the Husband was employed as a corporate director, earning a base yearly

salary of $200,000 and an annual bonus in excess of $2,000,000.

1 During the pendency of this appeal, the Husband abandoned as moot his argument regarding the trial court’s alleged delegation of its authority to determine visitation rights to the children’s therapist.

2 Following a bench trial, the trial court entered a final order and parenting plan

awarding the Wife primary physical custody of the four minor children, and joint

legal custody. The trial court also ordered the Husband to pay the Wife $3,825 in

monthly child support; $4,000 in monthly alimony; and an additional lump sum

alimony award of 10 percent of his annual bonus. As additional child support, the

Husband was ordered to pay for the children’s private school tuition; an outstanding

charitable pledge to the school for 2020; annual contributions to the children’s

college savings accounts; 80 percent of their extracurricular activities; and their

medical insurance, as well as 80 percent of any uncovered medical expenses.

Although the trial court expressed an intention to attach a child support worksheet to

its final order to support the deviations, no such worksheet or any corresponding

schedules appear in the record. Additionally, the trial court awarded the Wife 50

percent of the Husband’s 2020 bonus and all of the parties’ accrued credit card travel

points. Finally, the trial court awarded the Wife $129,520 in attorney fees, pursuant

to OCGA § 9-15-14 (b). The Husband filed applications for discretionary review,

which this Court granted, giving rise to these appeals.

3 Case No. A21A1553

1. Child support.

(a) As a threshold matter, the Husband contends that the trial court abused its

discretion by entering a child support award that deviated from the statutory

guidelines without making the necessary findings of fact or attaching the child

support worksheets to the final order. We agree.

Georgia’s child support guidelines are set out in OCGA § 19-6-15 and provide a detailed scheme for determining the amount of child support to be awarded by the court, and compliance with the statute’s terms is mandatory. The guidelines establish a presumptive amount of child support calculated principally in proportion to the adjusted gross income of each parent.

(Citations and punctuation omitted.) Park-Poaps v. Poaps, 351 Ga. App. 856, 866 (6)

(833 SE2d 554) (2019).

Under OCGA § 19-6-15 (i) (1) (B), when a trial court orders a deviation from

the presumptive amount of child support, it must make

certain specific findings of fact . . . in the child support order, including the reasons for the deviation, the amount of child support that would have been required if no deviation had been applied, how the application of the presumptive amount of child support would be unjust or inappropriate considering the relative ability of each parent to provide

4 support, and how the best interest of the child who is the subject of the child support determination is served by a deviation from the presumptive amount.

Spruell v. Spruell, 356 Ga. App. 722, 727 (3) (848 SE2d 896) (2020). If the trial court

fails to make all of the required findings, we must reverse the child support award,

and remand the case to the trial court to make the necessary findings. Fladger v.

Fladger, 296 Ga. 145, 149 (2) (765 SE2d 354) (2014); Brogdon v. Brogdon, 290 Ga.

618, 623 (5) (b) (723 SE2d 421) (2012) (noting that it is well-settled that the written

findings required under OCGA § 19-6-15 (i) (1) (B) are “mandatory”) (citations

omitted). Additionally, under OCGA § 19-6-15 (m) (1), the trial court is required to

attach the child support worksheets and corresponding schedules to the final

judgment.

Here, in addition to the presumptive amount of child support, the trial court

directed the Husband to pay for (1) the children’s yearly school tuition; (2) an

outstanding charitable pledge to the school; (3) annual payment to the children’s

college savings plans; (4) 80 percent of the children’s extracurricular activities; and

(5) 80 percent of all the children’s medical expenses not covered by his health

insurance. However, the trial court did not attach the worksheets or any schedules it

5 used to calculate child support to its final order,2 as required by OCGA § 19-6-15 (m)

(1).3 See also OCGA § 19-6-15 (b) (8) (requiring the completion of schedule E when

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Bluebook (online)
Jason S. Williams v. Stephanie Williams, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jason-s-williams-v-stephanie-williams-gactapp-2022.