Mocher v. Rasmussen-Taxdal

180 So. 2d 488, 1965 Fla. App. LEXIS 3875
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedDecember 3, 1965
DocketNo. 5935
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 180 So. 2d 488 (Mocher v. Rasmussen-Taxdal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mocher v. Rasmussen-Taxdal, 180 So. 2d 488, 1965 Fla. App. LEXIS 3875 (Fla. Ct. App. 1965).

Opinion

ALLEN, Chief Judge.

This is a timely interlocutory appeal from ’’ a dismissal of appellant’s complaint with leave to amend.

Appellant, plaintiff below, filed a complaint under Section 742, Fla.Stats., F.S.A., Bastardy. Attached to the complaint is a certified copy of a valid California decree adjudging the appellee the father of appellant’s illegitimate child and ordering the father to pay $75.00 a month for the child’s support. The complaint shows that the mother and child reside in California and that the father now lives in Florida. Also, the complaint avers that the California decree of paternity is res judicata and asks the chancellor to take jurisdiction to enter its decree increasing the amount of child support.

The appellant contends that because Section 742 authorizes the lower court to modify a filiation decree of that court it also authorizes modification of a support order of a sister state.

Appellee explains that the complaint clearly asks for modification of a decree of a California court which retained jurisdiction to modify the future unaccrued support payments on a showing of the changed circumstances of the parties. He argues that the California decree is not final because of the reservation of jurisdiction to modify and it is therefore not entitled to full faith and credit in Florida. Appellee further contends that the proper jurisdiction for modification of the California decree is California where the mother and child reside.

This appeal presents two questions for our determination.

I. Can a Florida chancellor take cognizance of a California paternity and support decree in order to increase the child’s support payments where the mother and child reside in California and the father is now a Florida resident?

II. Does the complaint make sufficient averments and prayers to permit the chancellor to grant relief?

(I) There is no doubt that Florida courts have the power to modify a custody award of a sister state on a hearing to determine the best interests of the child and the fitness of the parties. Florida is not barred from modifying a custody decree by reason of full faith and credit or comity. Digirogio v. Digirogio, 1943, 153 Fla. 24, 13 So.2d 596; Tom v. State ex rel. Tom, Fla.App. 1963, 153 So.2d 334. One reason for not according full faith and credit to a sister state’s determination of custody is that such an award is not a final judgment because it is subject to change by the rendering court

[490]*490In Peterson v. Paoli, Fla.1950, 44 So.2d 639, 16 A.L.R.2d 1094, the Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Roberts, held that under a New York statute the order of filiation, requiring the payments of weekly sums for the support of children, was a final judgment as to past-due unpaid installments. The power of the New York court to modify its decree extended only to future unac-crued installments. The New York decree as to future unaccrued installments was not final and could not, therefore, be accorded full faith and credit in Florida. The suit was filed to recover the arrearages only. The court said:

“We are confronted, then, with the question of whether or not the power to increase or decrease the amount fixed by the Order of Filiation applies to past-due installments, as well as to future installments. If such power extends to all installments, both past-due and future, then the Order is not such a final judgment as to be entitled to full faith and credit in our courts. If, however, the Order is not subject to modification as to installments which are already due, then the judgment as to such installments is final and must he given full faith and credit here. 31 Am.Jur., Judgments, Section 558, page 167.”

The effect of this decision is to accord full faith and credit to that part of a filiation decree that is final. There was no attempt to have the New York decree concerning future payments modified and the court did not discuss its modification. Therefore, that part of the California decree adjudging appellee the father of appellant’s child is final and Florida will accord it full faith and credit.

Appellee’s argument that the lack of finality of the California decree as to future unaccrued payments prevents a Florida court from recognizing and later modifying the decree is answered in Sackler v. Sackler, infra, and Lopez v. Avery, infra.

In a later opinion, written again by Justice Roberts, Sackler v. Sackler, Fla.1950, 47 So.2d 292, 18 A.L.R.2d 856, the wife obtained a divorce in New York and was awarded custody of the children and $20.00 a week for their support. The wife filed a bill, after the husband took up residence in Florida, praying that he be required to pay her all sums of money due under the New York decree and that the New York decree be established and enforced by the equity courts of Florida. The husband argued that the provisions of the New York decree respecting support money could be modified by the New York court from time to time and that accordingly the decree was unenforceable in Florida. The chancellor decreed that the wife have a money judgment for the amount of arrearages reduced to judgment in New York but denied further relief. On appeal, the Supreme Court held that the lower court erred in denying the wife equitable remedies, including contempt proceedings for the enforcement of the New York judgment for arrearages; and that the New York decree, as regards future unaccrued installments could be established as a local decree and enforced by all appropriate equitable remedies.

The Supreme Court recognized that the New York court could modify the decree as to all installments and sums to become due thereafter. It reasoned that, when a wife comes into a Florida equity court and requests that the decree of a foreign court be established as a local decree, the husband has sufficient opportunity to present any equitable defenses that he may have had. The opinion- added that our equity courts could entertain a request by the husband to modify a foreign decree established as a local decree, inasmuch as Section 65.15, Fla. Stats., F.S.A., relating to modification, alimony decrees, agreements, etc., authorizes modification of decrees “of any court of competent jurisdiction,” requesting support. This case originated the “establishment” principle in Florida. Thus, the California decree in respect to future support payments, can be established in Florida as a [491]*491local decree and enforced by the appropriate equitable measures. The opinion permits modification of the decree as to future payments after its establishment here, but only by the father.

The rendering of Lopez v. Avery, Fla. 1953, 66 So.2d 689, permitted the mother to ask for modification of a sister state’s support decree when the requirements of due process are fulfilled. The action was brought to modify child support payments granted pursuant to a Missouri divorce and settlement agreement. The wife and child resided in Florida and the defendant husband was personally served while he was temporarily in Florida on vacation. The prayer of the amended complaint was that the court establish the Missouri final decree as a Florida decree, and after its establishment, that the Circuit Court of Duval County modify the terms and conditions thereof by increasing the amount to be paid by the defendant to the plaintiff for the support of the child. The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court dismissing the complaint.

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Bluebook (online)
180 So. 2d 488, 1965 Fla. App. LEXIS 3875, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mocher-v-rasmussen-taxdal-fladistctapp-1965.