Rockey v. Rockey, 08ca4 (12-8-2008)

2008 Ohio 6525
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 8, 2008
DocketNo. 08CA4.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 2008 Ohio 6525 (Rockey v. Rockey, 08ca4 (12-8-2008)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rockey v. Rockey, 08ca4 (12-8-2008), 2008 Ohio 6525 (Ohio Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This case is unpublished as indicated by the issuing court.]1 We note that the trial court entry spells appellee's last name as "Rocky." However, the record reflects the last name should be spelled "Rockey."

DECISION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY
{¶ 1} Defendant-Appellant Terry Rockey appeals from the February 8, 2008 decision and judgment entry of the Highland County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations, which ordered Terry to pay specified amounts in child support to Plaintiff-Appellee Dawn Heinzl and ordered him to obtain health insurance coverage for their two minor children. For the following reasons, we affirm.

I. FACTS
{¶ 2} Terry and Dawn were divorced on January 12, 2001. The parties' Separation Agreement, which the court adopted, required Terry to pay child support in the amount of $188.40 per week, not including processing fee, for support of their two minor children and required him to maintain health insurance for the children. The trial *Page 2 court also issued an order pursuant to former R.C. 3113.217 and specifically ordered Terry to provide health insurance coverage for the children.

{¶ 3} On October 22, 2007, the Highland County Child Support Enforcement Agency ("CSEA") conducted a review of the court's support order and recommended that the child support be modified to $993.42 per month, not including processing fee, effective November 1, 2007. CSEA also recommended that Terry provide health insurance for the parties' minor children. An administrative modification hearing was then held on November 20, 2007. Dawn failed to appear. Following this hearing, the CSEA hearing officer recommended that the child support be modified to $816.15 per month, including processing fee, effective November 1, 2007. The hearing officer found that Dawn's mother provides child care for the children, but disallowed the child care claim of $100 per week, absent a notarized statement given under oath from the mother. The hearing officer also recommended that Terry provide health insurance for the children, so long as such insurance is available at a reasonable cost through an employer.

{¶ 4} Dawn timely requested a court review of the administrative hearing.2 The review hearing was held before a magistrate of the trial court on January 31, 2008. Both Terry and Dawn appeared at the hearing unrepresented, and Dawn's mother, Janice Roy, testified on Dawn's behalf. Following the presentation of evidence, the magistrate made an oral pronouncement of her decision. Specifically, the magistrate stated: "It would be my recommendation that there be a modification of the figures contained in the worksheet, that she should be given credit for $100 for child care as *Page 3 reflected in this worksheet that I've been presented by the Agency and that child support should be adjusted to $1,013.29." Moreover, finding that there was no objection to the issue of medical support, the magistrate made that recommendation as well, i.e., that Terry be required to provide health insurance coverage for the children.

{¶ 5} Thereafter, both parties signed an entry styled "Waiver of 14-Day Objection Period and Magistrate's Decision." The entry, which was filed on February 8, 2008, stated:

We have been advised that we have a right to a separate Magistrate's Decision in this matter. We have further been advised that we have the right to file an objection to the Magistrate's Decision within fourteen (14) days of filing of said Decision.

We hereby waive our right to a separate Magistrate's Decision and we waive our right to the fourteen (14) day objection period and consent to the filing of a final entry that shall be immediately approved and entered as a matter of record by the Court.

{¶ 6} On February 8, 2008, the trial court issued its judgment entry, which was also signed by the magistrate. In its entry, the trial court found as follows:

1. The Court FINDS that the Obligee was contesting the fact that the administrative hearing officer did not include child care paid by the Obligee in the calculation of support.

2. The Court FINDS that at the administrative hearing the Obligee did not appear and the amount of child care had only been established by written statement.

3. The Court FINDS that at this hearing the Obligee appeared as well as her mother, the child care provider (Janice Roy). Janice Roy testified that she is paid by her daughter $100.00 per week for the two children of this Order. She further testified that she claims this amount on her tax returns.

4. The Court has recalculated child support and FINDS that beginning November 1, 2007, Terry Rockey shall pay child support to Dawn Heinzl in the amount of $1013.29 per month plus processing fee.

*Page 4

Moreover, the trial court ordered Terry to obtain health insurance coverage for the children. At no time did either party file any objections with the trial court.

II. ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR
{¶ 7} In this appeal, Terry presents three assignments of error:

Assignment of Error No. 1:

The trial court erred in entering an amended child support order based on oral evidence to the detriment of Appellant and not in accordance with Rule 1002 O.R. Evidence.

Assignment of Error No. 2:

The trial court erred to the detriment of Appellant by not properly applying the law to the facts of the case and erroneously computing the child support without consideration of the requirement that there be a substantial change in circumstances sufficient to justify a modification. Section 3119.79(C) of the Ohio Revised Code. The trial court erred in ruling without a preliminary finding that there was a substantial change in circumstances pursuant to Section 3119.79(C) of the Ohio Revised Code.

Assignment of Error No. 3:

The trial court abused its discretion and thereby erred to the detriment of Appellant by not considering or applying the requirement of Section 3119.79 of Ohio Revised Code regarding the cost of health insurance to the obligor, Appellant herein as required.

III. LACK OF OBJECTIONS
{¶ 8} Initially, we address Dawn's argument that Terry waived any error concerning child support and/or health insurance coverage for purposes of appeal because he failed to object to the magistrate's decision, waived the 14-day objection period, and consented to the immediate entering of the judgment.

{¶ 9} Pursuant to Civ. R. 53(D)(3), after conducting proceedings in a referred matter, a magistrate is required to file with the clerk a written decision that is identified as a magistrate's decision and signed by the magistrate. The rule also requires the *Page 5 clerk to serve copies of the magistrate's decision on all parties or their attorneys no later than three days after the filing of the magistrate's decision. Finally, the rule provides:

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

Related

Tackett v. Gunnels
2023 Ohio 3611 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2023)
Petrikas v. Petrikas
2021 Ohio 3577 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2021)
Fairland Assn. of Classroom Teachers v. Fairland Local Bd. of Edn.
2017 Ohio 1098 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2017)
Hannah v. Hannah
2016 Ohio 1538 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2016)
Brown v. Allala
2014 Ohio 4917 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2014)
In re K.M.D.
2012 Ohio 755 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2012)
In re M.O.
2011 Ohio 2011 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2011)
Eastley v. Volkman
2010 Ohio 4771 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2010)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2008 Ohio 6525, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rockey-v-rockey-08ca4-12-8-2008-ohioctapp-2008.