Plumb v. Plumb

372 S.W.2d 771, 52 Tenn. App. 267, 1962 Tenn. App. LEXIS 135
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedDecember 6, 1962
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 372 S.W.2d 771 (Plumb v. Plumb) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Plumb v. Plumb, 372 S.W.2d 771, 52 Tenn. App. 267, 1962 Tenn. App. LEXIS 135 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

CARNET, J.

The defendant below, Mrs. Mary Stephanie Plumb, has appealed from a decree of the County Court of Cumberland County, Tennessee, reducing from $200.00 per month to $165.00 per month the amount of child support which the complainant below, Ralph Hylon Plumb, was ordered to pay for the support of their minor 15-year-old daughter, Beverly Ann Plumb.

By decree dated October 30, 1961, and entered of record on the minutes of the County Court on November 10, 1961, the complainant husband, Ralph Hylon Plumb, was awarded an absolute divorce from the defendant, Mary Stephanie Plnmb, on the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment. The defendant wife was granted the custody and control of their minor child, Beverly Ann Plumb, aged 15. The husband was ordered to pay the sum of $200.00 per month for the support and maintenance of said minor child beginning November 5, 1961. Their son, Ralph Henry Plumb, was in the Hniversity of Tennessee and his custody, of course, was not determined in the case.

The defendant wife was granted all the household furniture along with a 1956 Chevrolet station wagon. The husband was ordered to pay the attorney for defendant, [270]*270Mr. Sabine, the sum of $100.00 payable $20.00 per month beginning November 15, 1961.

The decree contained the following paragraph:

“This canse is retained in court for any further action which the court may desire to the best interest of the minor child, with the right of either party to apply to the court by a proper petition.! ’

The complainant husband was also taxed with the costs of the divorce proceeding.

The present record does not contain a transcript of the evidence heard before the County Judge on the original divorce proceedings, but the answer of the defendant wife indicates that it was- a contested divorce proceeding.

On November 11, 1961, the day after the final divorce decree was entered on the minutes of the County Court the defendant wife filed a petition for attachment for contempt against the husband averring that he had stated that he did not intend to comply with the orders of the-court to pay the $200.00 per month support for their minor daughter. The husband was arrested and put in jail. Later he made bond for his appearance in court and was released. The husband is employed as a forester for the Tennessee Department of Conservation. His salary is $470.00 per month. His take-home pay is $383.00 per month.

On December 1,1961, the husband, Ralph Hylon Plumb, filed his petition to modify the decree entered of record on November 10, 1961. The petition averred that he had paid the first payment of $200.00 child support as required by the decree and $20.00 on the attorney’s fee for [271]*271the wife; that after the decree was entered he had learned of a number of obligations incurred by his wife and daughter amounting to approximately $200.00 which were unknown to him at the time of the trial; that petitioner had paid $96.50 during the month of October on said bills; that his personal living expenses were going to be more than he had anticipated at the time of the divorce trial and that in addition his son, Balph H. Plumb, III, who is a first year student at the University of Tennessee was about out of money and would be calling on him for money shortly and that he wanted his son to §tay in college if at all possible; that his son had inherited some $900.00 from his grandmother and that the son had spent about all of the $900.00 inheritance.

Petitioner averred that he still had books, tools, clothing and other personal belongings in the defendant’s possession and he requested permission of the court to obtain possession of these items of personal property along with an orthopedic mattress, a picnic table which he constructed himself, a bed given him by his deceased mother, his canceled checks and personal papers. Also the petitioner asked the court to amend the former decree so as to award him the 1956 Chevrolet station wagon which was awarded to the defendant in the divorce. The petition also prayed that the court reduce the monthly child support payment of $200.00 to a more reasonable and moderate amount monthly.

The defendant filed a demurrer which averred that all the matters had been adjudicated and taken care of in the divorce case and also specifically answered certain allegations contained in the petition.

[272]*272The petitioner husband, Ralph Plumb, amended his petition so as to aver that there has been a change in his financial circumstances since the original divorce decree. Further, the amendment averred that the award of personal property to the defendant in the divorce decree was in reality alimony and was void under Section 36-826. The defendant again demurred to the amended petition. The demurrer was overruled by the court. The defendant then answered denying practically all of the charges set out in the original and amended petition.

On January 23, 1962, after a full trial on the petition for modification of the decree and after hearing testimony both from the petitioner and the defendant, the Judge sustained the petition of Mr. Plumb and modified the former decree as follows: (1) He reduced the monthly support and maintenance for the minor daughter, Beverly Ann, from $200.00 to $165.00. (2) The court decreed that the petitioner might have a bed given him by his deceased mother, a picnic table, his college diploma and transcript of college records, canceled checks, personal papers and all personal belongings now at the home of the defendant and the defendant was ordered to deliver the items to the petitioner. (3) The petitioner was ordered to pay to defendant’s attorney the sum of $50.00 as compensation for his services in representing the defendant in the hearing regarding the modification. The defendant, Mary Stephanie Plumb, has appealed to this court from the order of the County Judge modifying the former decree and she has assigned twenty-four assignments of error.

Further, the record shows that on April 13, 1962, the defendant Mrs. Plumb sued out a writ of attachment [273]*273before tbe County Judge of Cumberland County averring that the petitioner husband, Ralph Hylon Plumb, -was in contempt of court because he had paid three monthly support payments of only $165.00 each whereas the original decree required him to pay $200.00 per month and that in substance the order permitting him to pay only $165.00 per month was void; and she prayed that the writ of attachment issue for the body of Ralph Hylon Plumb to the end that he show cause why he should not be held in contempt and why he should not be instanter placed in the common jail until he complied with the decree by making payment of the alleged default of $35.00 per month for three months. The writ was issued, the defendant made bond, filed answer and there was a hearing before the County Judge on this contempt proceeding.

Before the hearing the defendant Mrs. Mary Stephanie Plumb filed a motion that Judge Mark W. Tucker, the County Judge, disqualify himself to sit in judgment and hear the cause on the grounds that the County Judge was highly prejudiced in favor of the respondent, Ralph Hylon Plumb, and could not adjudicate the issues with fairness, justice; the affiant made oath that she could not get justice in the cause. In addition, her solicitor, Mr.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Alexander C. Wells v. Tennessee Board of Regents
Court of Appeals of Tennessee, 2004
Mitchell Lynn Roberts v. Beverly Jean Roberts
Court of Appeals of Tennessee, 2000
Young v. Young
Court of Appeals of Tennessee, 1997
Smith v. Smith
643 S.W.2d 320 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1982)
Zwick v. Jones
589 S.W.2d 664 (Court of Appeals of Tennessee, 1979)
Johnson v. Johnson
499 S.W.2d 268 (Court of Appeals of Tennessee, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
372 S.W.2d 771, 52 Tenn. App. 267, 1962 Tenn. App. LEXIS 135, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/plumb-v-plumb-tennctapp-1962.