Straub v. Straub

163 N.E. 590, 29 Ohio App. 373, 1928 Ohio App. LEXIS 444
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 21, 1928
StatusPublished

This text of 163 N.E. 590 (Straub v. Straub) 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
Straub v. Straub, 163 N.E. 590, 29 Ohio App. 373, 1928 Ohio App. LEXIS 444 (Ohio Ct. App. 1928).

Opinion

Hamilton, P. J.

The plaintiff in error here, Sophia Straub, brought an action in the court of common pleas of Butler county against Cleophas Straub, on the following allegations in her petition:

*374 “Plaintiff says that she and the defendant are husband and wife, having been married October 10, 1899, but that they are living separate and apart since on or about July 24, 1917; that there were born to said parties three children, Cleve Straub, who died on May 26,1921, Eugene Straub, and Priscilla Straub; that Eugene Straub is now 19 years of age and Priscilla Straub 12. Plaintiff says that ever since the separation of these parties as above set forth, all of said minor children until they were self-supporting lived with this plaintiff in the city of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, and by a decree of the common pleas court of Butler county, Ohio, in cause No. 28888, between these parties, said decree being entered February 1, 1923, this plaintiff was awarded the care, custody, and control of said minor children. That on'or about the 26th day of July, 1918, the juvenile court of Butler county, Ohio, made an order requiring the defendant to pay to this plaintiff, for the support of these minor children, $6 per week, beginning August 3, 1918. Plaintiff says defendant has wholly failed, neglected, and refused to comply with said order, and that the same has continued in full force and effect up to January 1, 1926. That during all of said time, this plaintiff has furnished all,the support and maintenance for said children entirely by her own efforts and out of her own means, and she is entitled to recover the reasonable value thereof from the defendant, said defendant willfully and unlawfully neglecting to support said children from the time of said separation, January 24, 1917, until January 1, 1926, at which time the court of common pleas of Butler county, Ohio, made an order providing for the support of said *375 minor child Priscilla Stranb. Plaintiff says that a reasonable value for the support of said minor children during all of said time since said separation July 24, 1917, up to January 1, 1926, is at the rate of $6 per week, or a total amount of $2,718.
“Wherefore, plaintiff prays judgment against said defendant for said sum of $2,718, with interest from and after the day of filing this petition. ’ ’

The defendant admits the marriage, that they are living separate and apart, and the birth- of the children; but denies that there was any order requiring the defendant to pay $6 per week for the support of minor children, denies that he has failed and neglected or refused to comply with the order, denies his ability to pay, denies that plaintiff furnished the support and maintenance of the children by her own efforts, and denies the reasonableness of the value of the support, and as a second defense pleads as follows:

“Defendant for his second defense- says that in cases No. 28888 and No. 32779 in the court of common pleas of Butler county, Ohio, by petition and supplementary petitions and answers thereto, and in cases No. 226 and No. 380 in the Court of Appeals of Butler county, Ohio, all between plaintiff and defendant herein, all matters in issue in this case have been fully and completely ^settled and determined * * * according to existing and valid judgments in said cases.”

The case was submitted to the trial court upon the second defense, and, upon hearing, the court of common pleas found in favor of the defendant on that defense, and dismissed the action. From that judgment error is prosecuted to this court,

*376 The hill of exceptions presents the judgments and records of the former cases, which defendant in error contends, and the trial court found, are res judicata as against the claim in plaintiff’s petition.

The action as disclosed by the pleadings is to recover from the father for the maintenance and support of minor children, rendered by the mother prior to January 1, 1926.

The bill of exceptions discloses the following proceedings and judgments:

The first is a petition filed in case No. 28888, in which the plaintiff sought a divorce on the ground of habitual drunkenness, gross neglect of duty and extreme cruelty, charging in detail many acts and averments concerning the conduct of the defendant and praying for reasonable alimony, temporary and permanent; sought the care, custody, and control of the minor children, there being three at that time, and for proper maintenance for said children; and asked an injunction against the transfer or incumbrance of property. In the same case, No. 28888, an amended petition was later filed, differing only in that plaintiff omitted a plea for divorce and described property in which it is claimed the husband had certain interests.

Later, a supplemental petition was filed, claiming additional property interest in the husband, and asking an increase of alimony for her support and the support of the children. To the supplemental petition the defendant filed an answer in which he denies generally and specifically the facts set up in the supplemental petition, and puts in issue the averments in the supplemental petition.

A second supplemental petition was filed asking *377 increased allowance of alimony and support of the children. Defendant filed an answer to the second supplemental petition in which he set up that plaintiff recovered a judgment for $1,200, and alleged payment of $300 on that judgment. Whereupon the following entry was made by the trial court in case No. 28888:

‘ ‘ This day this cause came on to be heard upon the supplemental petition filed by the plaintiff herein Séptember 23, 1924, and upon the answer of the defendant to said supplemental petition, which answer was filed August 20, 1925, and upon the second supplemental petition of the plaintiff filed January 21, 1926, and the answer of the defendant thereto filed February 8, 1927, and same was submitted to the court upon the evidence and argument of counsel.
“Upon consideration thereof the court finds that the plaintiff because of changed financial circumstances of the defendant is entitled to an amount in addition to the $1,200 heretofore decreed to the plaintiff as permanent alimony herein in the sum of $400 as additional permanent alimony, and it is therefore considered, ordered, and adjudged that plaintiff recover from the defendant said sum of $400 as additional permanent alimony herein.
“It is also considered, ordered and adjudged by the court that the plaintiff should be allowed an additional amount on account of the support of minor children, in this cause in the amount of $25 per month from and after January 21, 1926, and amounting now to $325, and it is therefore considered, ordered, and adjudged by the court that plaintiff have judgment against said defendant for said *378 sum of $325 on account of said support of minor children by the plaintiff.
“ It is ordered that the costs of this action amounting to $108.22 be paid by the defendant, Cleophas Straub.

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Bluebook (online)
163 N.E. 590, 29 Ohio App. 373, 1928 Ohio App. LEXIS 444, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/straub-v-straub-ohioctapp-1928.