STATE EX REL., WILCOX v. Strand

442 N.W.2d 256, 1989 S.D. LEXIS 106, 1989 WL 67525
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJune 21, 1989
Docket16326, 16345
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 442 N.W.2d 256 (STATE EX REL., WILCOX v. Strand) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
STATE EX REL., WILCOX v. Strand, 442 N.W.2d 256, 1989 S.D. LEXIS 106, 1989 WL 67525 (S.D. 1989).

Opinions

MORGAN, Justice.

The South Dakota Department of Social Services, Child Support Enforcement Division (Department) appeals from an order denying its request to modify a child support determination between Raymond Wilcox (Raymond) and Judy Strand (Judy). We affirm.

This action appears to be the latest in a series of disputes between the biological parents of a male child (Child) born on August 1, 1978. Litigation began with a hotly contested paternity suit. The result was a determination of Raymond’s paternity of Child and the imposition of the result[257]*257ant requirement for support. Shortly thereafter, Raymond sought termination of Judy’s parental rights and permanent custody of Child. He also sought to change Child’s surname. After trial in that action, Judy was awarded custody subject to Raymond’s right to reasonable visitation. In 1982, at Raymond’s instigation, Judy signed a stipulation agreeing to permanent custody in Raymond, with reasonable visitation rights in her. It also authorized change of Child’s surname. The stipulation further provided that Raymond would be “solely and exclusively financially liable and responsible for the temporal welfare” of Child and that “[Judy] shall owe no child support to [Raymond].” Although the stipulation was filed, it was not presented to the court for approval. Nevertheless, the parties apparently abided by it for several years.

In 1986, however, Raymond petitioned the trial court to require Judy to make child support payments. Judy’s response was a request that the court enforce the earlier judgment vesting custody in her. Following an adversarial hearing at which both parties were represented by counsel, the trial court determined that Child’s best interests were served by continuing custody with Raymond. The trial court further found that Raymond was financially able to support Child at a high standard of living; that Judy, on the other hand, was a full-time housewife and mother, with no income, and that Judy’s financial condition was such that she was unable to make a financial contribution to Child’s support beyond that which she made during his visits with her. The trial court denied Raymond’s request for child support beyond the requirement that Judy pay the costs of travel for Child’s visits with her.

That judgment was entered on September 21, 1987. Almost immediately thereafter, on October 18, 1987, Raymond sought the aid of Department to overturn the judgment. By means of an affidavit signed by a Special Assistant Attorney General, Department secured an order to show cause why Judy should not pay child support. The basis for the order was the allegation in the affidavit that the trial court had violated SDCL 25-7-7. Judy sought dismissal of the order to show cause upon statutory and constitutional grounds. After a hearing, the trial court determined that Department had statutory authority to appear in this matter, SDCL 28-7-17.2, but nevertheless entered an order denying Department’s motion.

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Schmidt v. Schmidt
444 N.W.2d 367 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1989)
STATE EX REL., WILCOX v. Strand
442 N.W.2d 256 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1989)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
442 N.W.2d 256, 1989 S.D. LEXIS 106, 1989 WL 67525, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-wilcox-v-strand-sd-1989.