Moffett v. Moffett

253 P.3d 764, 151 Idaho 90, 2011 Ida. App. LEXIS 27
CourtIdaho Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 27, 2011
Docket37383
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 253 P.3d 764 (Moffett v. Moffett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Moffett v. Moffett, 253 P.3d 764, 151 Idaho 90, 2011 Ida. App. LEXIS 27 (Idaho Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

LANSING, Judge.

In this divorce case, Jana Moffett appeals from the district court’s appellate decision affirming the magistrate court’s rulings regarding spousal maintenance, child support, community property division, and attorney fees. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand to the magistrate court for further proceedings.

I.

BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURE

Brian and Jana Moffett were married in 1990, and three children were born of the marriage. In July of 2003, Jana filed for divorce. By her amended complaint she sought division of the community property, primary physical custody of the children, an award of child support, and an award of spousal maintenance. Pursuant to the parties’ pretrial stipulation, and pending adjudication on the merits, the magistrate ordered Brian to pay $1,200 monthly temporary child support.

On July 26-27, 2004, trial was held. On July 28, 2004, the magistrate court entered a written decree of divorce stating that “all other (trial) issues” were reserved. On August 11, 2004, the magistrate filed an order which contained the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law. Therein, the magistrate granted Jana primary physical custody of the children, directed an equal division of the community property with each party receiving a total equity award of approximately *93 $98,000, denied Jana’s request for maintenance, and ordered Brian to pay $1,925 per month in child support. The magistrate’s child support award was inclusive of $165 per week in child care costs that were, at the time of trial, being incurred by Jana. Because this order resolved all of the remaining trial issues, it was effectively a final judgment or decree.

Both parties filed post-judgment motions requesting changes in the judgment. Jana’s motion sought equal division of an omitted asset, Brian’s 401(k) retirement account. The magistrate, however, effectively denied Jana’s motion by awarding the 401(k) account solely to Brian. Brian’s motion requested a recalculation of the child support amount. Specifically, he sought to eliminate the child care costs as a component of child support and to replace this provision with one ordering a pro rata sharing of these costs, whatever they may be, in proportion to guideline income. Before this request was heard on the merits, Jana filed a motion for contempt against Brian for failure to pay child support. Following a hearing, the court granted Brian’s motion.

Jana appealed to the district court, which affirmed the magistrate’s rulings. Jana now appeals to this Court.

II.

ANALYSIS

Jana contends that the magistrate erred by: denying her request for spousal maintenance; modifying the child support amount while Brian was in contempt or, alternatively, improperly receiving post-trial evidence that resulted in the reduction of the monthly child support award; awarding the 401(k) account solely to Brian; and denying her request for attorney fees.

On review of a decision of the district court, rendered in its appellate capacity, we review the decision of the district court directly. Losser v. Bradstreet, 145 Idaho 670, 672, 183 P.3d 758, 760 (2008). We examine the magistrate record to determine whether there is substantial and competent evidence to support the magistrate’s findings of fact and whether the magistrate’s conclusions of law follow from those findings. Id. An abuse of discretion will be found if the magistrate’s findings of fact are not supported by substantial evidence or if the magistrate does not correctly apply the law. Nicholls v. Blaser, 102 Idaho 559, 561-62, 633 P.2d 1137, 1139-40 (1981).

A. Idaho Code § 32-705 Spousal Maintenance

We address first Jana’s assertion that the magistrate erred by denying her request for spousal maintenance. Such requests are governed by Idaho Code § 32-705(1), which provides:

1. Where a divorce is decreed, the court may grant a maintenance order if it finds that the spouse seeking maintenance:
(a) Lacks sufficient property to provide for his or her reasonable needs; and
(b) Is unable to support himself or herself through employment.
2. The maintenance order shall be in such amounts and for such periods of time that the court deems just, after considering all relevant factors which may include:
(a) The financial resources of the spouse seeking maintenance, including the marital property apportioned to said spouse, and said spouse’s ability to meet his or her needs independently;
(b) The time necessary to acquire sufficient education and training to enable the spouse seeking maintenance to find employment;
(c) The duration of the marriage;
(d) The age and the physical and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance;
(e) The ability of the spouse from whom maintenance is sought to meet his or her needs while meeting those of the spouse seeking maintenance;
(f) The tax consequences to each spouse;
(g) The fault of either party.

Whether to award spousal maintenance under this statute is discretionary and “requires the court to give due consideration *94 to each party’s financial needs and abilities.” Stewart v. Stewart, 143 Idaho 673, 679, 152 P.3d 544, 550 (2007). The Stewart Court further stated that “‘reasonable needs,’ under Idaho law, account for the standard of living established during the marriage.” Id. at 680, 152 P.3d at 551. Jana asserts that the magistrate court erred in denying maintenance because it did not expressly consider the standard of living established during the marriage and misapplied other statutory factors, including the financial needs and abilities of the parties. We conclude that Jana has failed to present an adequate record to demonstrate error by the magistrate.

In order to be eligible for spousal maintenance under subsection (1) of the statute, Jana was required to establish that in light of the community property division, she lacked sufficient property to provide for her reasonable needs and that she was unable to support herself through employment. Id. Jana presumes that because the judgment identified Brian’s income as $66,000 per year for child support purposes, this amount necessarily established the parties’ standard of living during the marriage.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
253 P.3d 764, 151 Idaho 90, 2011 Ida. App. LEXIS 27, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/moffett-v-moffett-idahoctapp-2011.