Low v. Low

299 P.2d 1022, 143 Cal. App. 2d 650, 1956 Cal. App. LEXIS 1649
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 3, 1956
DocketCiv. 21536
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 299 P.2d 1022 (Low v. Low) 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
Low v. Low, 299 P.2d 1022, 143 Cal. App. 2d 650, 1956 Cal. App. LEXIS 1649 (Cal. Ct. App. 1956).

Opinion

VALLÉE, J.

Defendant Seth Low, referred to as the husband, appeals from parts of an order made on application of plaintiff in an action for divorce. Defendant Naneo, Incorporated, appeals from the entire order. The cause is here on a settled statement.

On March 31, 1955, plaintiff applied for alimony pendente lite, an allowance for support of two minor children, for their custody, and for an order restraining defendant husband and Naneo, Incorporated, from disposing of any community property. The application was supported by two affidavits of plaintiff. An order to show cause issued. The husband filed a counteraffidavit.

Counsel for plaintiff and counsel for the husband stipulated that the matter be heard by a judge pro tempore, and an order was made to that effect. Naneo had been served with process and had made an appearance by its attorney. Counsel for Naneo did not join in the stipulation for the appointment of a judge pro tempore.

After a hearing an order was made in part as follows: The husband “to pay $500.00 on account of expenses of accountants to assist plaintiff in examination of the records of Naneo Incorporated,” and “to pay all bills listed in Plaintiff’s exhibit 1 except” certain specified items; and restraining both parties “from disposing or encumbering community property except for payment of legal fees, costs, except in the ordinary course of business or for the necessities *652 of life.” The husband appeals from the parts of the order directing him to pay the bills listed in exhibit 1, to pay accountants’ fees, and enjoining him from disposing of or encumbering community property.

The Appeal of the Husband

The first contention is that the order is void for want of jurisdiction insofar as it orders the payment of bills and accountants’ fees because none of the moving papers on which defendant stipulated to the hearing of the matter by a judge pro tempore contained any application for the payment of bills or for accountants’ fees; because there was no evidence supporting the implied finding of the necessity for the payment of bills or for accounting services; and because accounting services are not money “reasonably necessary for the cost of maintaining” the action within the meaning of Civil Code, section 137.3. It is also urged the order is ambiguous and unintelligible in that it does not specify which bills defendant is to pay, the sums ordered, or to whom they are to be paid. And it is claimed the part of the order restraining the husband from disposing of or encumbering community property is without support in the evidence.

The bills. In plaintiff’s first affidavit, sworn to March 25, 1955, in answer to the question “Here state additional material facts if any,” she stated she had incurred indebtedness to various persons in the approximate sum of $6,500 for “doctor bills, groceries, laundry, clothing, mise, household bills and money borrowed by her from various persons”; and in answer to the inquiry “Based upon the foregoing facts I declare that the following sums are reasonably necessary, are within the ability of my husband to pay, and that it will be fair and equitable to require him to pay them, ’ ’ she stated “Indebtedness incurred by plaintiff, to date, approx, sum of $6500.” In the second affidavit of plaintiff, sworn to April 21, 1955, in answer to the same questions she stated the amount was $3,400. The order directed the husband to show cause why he should not provide reasonable support for plaintiff and the children. The affidavits of plaintiff which were received in evidence by stipulation showed that plaintiff had incurred the bills for the necessities of life. Plaintiff testified as to each item, giving the person or firm to whom the money was owing, why and for what it had been incurred, and that each was due and owing. Many of the items had been incurred before the parties separated. Some of the *653 creditors were pressing plaintiff for payment and threatening suit.

We find no uncertainty compelling a reversal of this part of the order. It says defendant shall pay all bills listed in exhibit 1, with specified exceptions. Exhibit 1, a part of the record here, lists the names of a number of persons and firms and the amount owed each. They are mostly well-known business houses. We cannot conceive that Low would have any difficulty locating them. The evidence shows he has not had any difficulty in the past. In the course of the hearing defendant agreed to pay the bills that had been incurred before the separation. Further it appears he has paid most of them since the order was made, reserving his rights on appeal. He complains particularly of an item, “Misc. Bills $175.00.” Of course either the order or the exhibit should have specified the persons or firms and the amount owed each making up the miscellaneous items. However, plaintiff testified as to each item of miscellaneous bills, giving the name of the person or firm to whom the money was owed, what it was for, and the amount owed each. Further it appears that since the order was made, the miscellaneous items have been paid by the husband. Under the circumstances the record sufficiently identifies the bills ordered to be paid. There was no evidence that the bills were not incurred in good faith. The husband is in no way prejudiced. The payment of the bills is part of the support and maintenance granted to plaintiff and the children. The court did not err in ordering the husband to pay the bills listed in Exhibit 1, with the exceptions noted in the order. (See Wilson v. Wilson, 76 Cal.App.2d 119 [172 P.2d 568]; Wilson v. Wilson, 33 Cal.2d 107 [199 P.2d 671]; Reed v. Reed, 40 Cal.App. 102, 106 [180 P. 43].)

The expenses of accountants. We find nothing in the record to justify the award of “$500.00 on account of expenses of accountants to assist plaintiff in examination of the records of Naneo Incorporated.” Naneo is a corporation the stock of which is wholly owned by the husband and is his separate property. He was not ordered to show cause why he should not be required to provide funds for an examination of the records of Naneo. There was and is no question respecting his ability to pay whatever amount the court might find to be reasonably necessary for the support and maintenance of plaintiff and the children and for attorney’s fees and *654 costs. 1 No expense for accountants had been incurred. There was much evidence to the effect that Naneo, both before and after the parties separated, had paid household and other expenses of the Low family. But all of such evidence was for the purpose of showing the husband’s ability to pay, about which he raised no question. It was not until the end of a protracted hearing that the subject of accountants’ expense Avas mentioned. At that time counsel for plaintiff requested an allowance for accountants, stating that $500 might be the cost thereof. There was no evidence of any necessity for an examination of the records of Naneo at this time. The court erred in ordering the husband to pay plaintiff $500 on account of expenses of accountants.

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Bluebook (online)
299 P.2d 1022, 143 Cal. App. 2d 650, 1956 Cal. App. LEXIS 1649, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/low-v-low-calctapp-1956.