Kruly v. Superior Court

216 Cal. App. 2d 589, 31 Cal. Rptr. 122, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 2058
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 24, 1963
DocketCiv. 27151
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 216 Cal. App. 2d 589 (Kruly v. Superior Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kruly v. Superior Court, 216 Cal. App. 2d 589, 31 Cal. Rptr. 122, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 2058 (Cal. Ct. App. 1963).

Opinion

BURKE, P. J.

In an action for support by a parent against an adult child, under sections 206 and 243 of the Civil Code, which resulted in a judgment in favor of the parent, may the trial court make an order for support and expenses pending the appeal from such judgment?

This is the basic issue presented in this proceeding by the adult child seeking a writ of prohibition commanding respondent court to desist and refrain from further proceedings in connection with its order for support and expenses pending appeal “or any similar proceedings to award support or expenses pending appeal until further order of this court. ’ ’

Petitioner sought, in the alternative, a writ of supersedeas restraining respondent court from taking any further proceedings whatever pending the determination of the appeal from the judgment “subject to the posting of the undertaking on appeal as heretofore fixed in the sum of $5,000.00.” Subsequent to the filing of the petition and before the hearing of oral argument, petitioner filed the undertaking on appeal from the judgment, thus effectively staying all further proceedings under it.

Plaintiff, the father of defendant, an adult daughter, brought an action under Civil Code section 206 and was *591 awarded judgment whereby defendant was ordered to pay plaintiff $300 per month, commencing January 1, 1963, for his support and maintenance, including his medical costs and expenses, and the sum of $1,000 to meet his costs and expenses of the proceedings. Upon a timely notice of appeal being filed, a motion to fix undertaking on appeal was heard on February 15 at which time the undertaking was fixed in the amount heretofore indicated. There was also noticed for hearing on that same date the motion by the father for support, maintenance and expense money pending appeal. The trial court, having considered the affidavit of the plaintiff and having heard the arguments of counsel, made its order that “defendant pay forthwith to plaintiff the sum of $1,000.00 as expense money to enable him to properly prepare his part of said appeal and the sum of $500.00 per month pending said appeal, the first payment to be made forthwith and on the 15th day of each month thereafter. Failure to comply with this Order shall constitute contempt. ’’ This order is also an appealable order and enforcement thereof would be stayed by perfecting the appeal. (Code Civ. Proc., § 946.) This requires the filing of a stay bond. (Code Civ. Proc., § 942; Curley v. Superior Court, 199 Cal.App.2d 369, 371 [18 Cal.Rptr. 727].) The record shows that, while notice of appeal has been duly given, no bond has yet been filed.

This court issued its alternative writ of prohibition directed to respondent court, ordering it to desist and refrain from any further proceedings or actions in connection with the proceeding until further order of this court and that it show cause at a time and place fixed in the order why it should not be restrained and prohibited from taking any further action or other proceedings in the case.

Petitioner contends that the respondent court acted beyond its jurisdiction in making its order for support and expenses of Feburary 15, 1963, and will act beyond its jurisdiction if it attempts to or does punish petitioner for noncompliance with its order. Petitioner further contends that she should not be required to defend repeated motions for support and maintenance and attorney’s fees pending appeal or subjected to the unnecessary expense of repeated bonds on appeal.

Since there is no showing that the court will attempt to enforce its order of February 15 should the effect of its order be stayed by the filing of an appeal bond, supersedeas would not be proper. Thus, the question before us is whether the *592 trial court exceeded its jurisdiction in making the February 15 order for support and expenses pending appeal.

Petitioner argues that Civil Code section 206, and sections 243 and 248 of the Civil Code (the latter sections being a portion of the Uniform Civil Liability for Support Act), authorize the action for support by a parent from an adult child, but contain no provisions for support or legal costs and expenses pending appeal. The identical argument was made in April 1962 when this petitioner sought to restrain respondent court from hearing an order to show cause in re support, attorney’s fees and costs pendente lite. The application was denied upon the authority of Paxton v. Paxton, 150 Cal. 667, 670 [89 P. 1083], and a hearing by the Supreme Court was likewise denied. Meanwhile, it was stipulated by and between the parties and their respective counsel that the order to show cause be placed off calendar subject to an agreement whereby certain sums should be paid for attorney’s fees and for support until the date of trial, the order to be without prejudice to either party.

In Paxton, supra, an adult child sought support from his parents under section 206, Civil Code. This action, considered in 1907, construed the section as it now exists since no amendments have been adopted during the interim. In that case it was contended that the action could not be maintained because the section did not provide any procedure or machinery for enforcing its provisions. To this contention the court said (pages 670-671) : “But where the right is given by statute without any prescribed remedy, it may be enforced by any appropriate method recognized by the general law of procedure. This principle is crystallized in section 1428 of the Civil Code, which provides that ‘an obligation arising from operation of law may be enforced in the manner provided by law, or by civil action, or proceeding. ’ And a suit in equity is peculiarly an appropriate remedy for the enforcement of the duty imposed by said section. ’ ’

With regard to the power of the court to make a pendente lite order, it is stated (page 672) : “The court having, as we have seen, jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of section 206, it had power to make all orders necessary for that purpose, including the orders for suit money, counsel fees, and maintenance pendente lite; ...”

Petitioner points to the enactment by the Legislature of sections 137.2 and 137.3 of the Civil Code, specifically authorizing orders for support and other costs pendente lite in *593 divorce or separate maintenance actions or for the support of children, and notes that the Legislature could have, but did not, authorize such pendente lite orders in actions by a parent against an adult child for support. Thus, petitioner contends, under the maxim expressio unius est exclusio dlterius, it was the intent of the Legislature to limit the power of the court to provide for such temporary support only in the class of cases expressly mentioned. In Galland v. Galland, 38 Cal. 265, a similar contention was made and rejected by the court. At the time of the Gdlland ease the statute provided that a wife could obtain temporary alimony pending the termination of the divorce action. However, there was no express statutory provision for alimony without a divorce action being filed.

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Bluebook (online)
216 Cal. App. 2d 589, 31 Cal. Rptr. 122, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 2058, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kruly-v-superior-court-calctapp-1963.