Finnegan v. Finnegan
Finnegan v. Finnegan
Opinion of the Court
In 1943 plaintiff secured a decree of separate maintenance awarding her all 'of the community property and $100 per month for the support of the minor son of the parties. On defendant’s appeal the decree was affirmed as to these provisions but reversed insofar as it ordered a sale of certain property by a receiver. (Finnegan v. Finnegan, 64 Cal.App.2d 109 [148 P.2d 37].) Thereafter the parties entered into a property settlement agreement, which by stipulation was adopted as the basis for a final judgment of separate maintenance. The stipulation provided that “the provisions of the property settlement agreement between the parties dated April 14, 1944, are intended to be and are in full and complete settlement of the property rights and obligations which are or could be litigated in the above entitled action. . . . [T]he parties have read and are familiar with the judgment attached hereto, are desirous that it be executed and consent that it may be signed by any judge of the Superior Court for Los Angeles County. . . . [S]aid judgment when signed and filed shall be in complete satisfaction of the mutual rights and obligations of the parties hereto respecting all matters litigated in this action whether or not covered by or included in the judgment heretofore and on May 20, 1943 filed and entered herein.” The judgment provided that plaintiff was entitled to live separate and apart from defendant, approved the property settlement agreement, and provided that in conformity with its terms “defendant be and he is hereby ordered to pay to said plaintiff the sums for alimony and support of herself and minor son as provided in Paragraph Five of said Agreement, said payments to be at the rate of Two Hundred Seventy Dollars ($270.00) per month commencing August 5th, 1944, until said monthly sums are reduced as provided in said Agreement. . . The agreement, which was attached to the judgment and incorporated therein in its entirety by reference, recited that the parties were living separate and apart and that they had agreed “upon a mutual property settlement pertaining to all the property of every kind, nature and description, belonging to them, or either of them, and to be a complete and final settlement of their mutual rights and claims of every kind and nature whatsoever. ...” The agreement then listed the property in which one or both of the parties asserted an interest and made detailed provisions for its division. Paragraph five provided for the payment of $270 per month for alimony
If the provision for monthly payments pursuant to the terms of the property settlement agreement had been entered by the court in a divorce action, it is clear that it could not be modified. “A husband and wife may contract with respect to their property (Civ. Code, § 158), and if they are living separate and apart they may provide for the support and maintenance of either of them and their children. (Civ. Code, § 159.) Moreover, as between the husband and wife, if the provisions for support and maintenance have been made an integral or inseverable part of the division of their property, and the court in a divorce action has approved the agreement, its provisions cannot thereafter be modified
Plaintiff contends, however, in reliance on Monroe v. Superior Court, 28 Cal.2d 427 [170 P.2d 473], and Verdier v. Verdier, 36 Cal.2d 241 [223 P.2d 214], that while the parties remain married the court has continuing jurisdiction to modify the support and maintenance provisions of a separate maintenance decree, and that the parties cannot, by making the support provisions an integral part of a property settlement, prevent the court from exercising its power of modification. Neither of the' cited eases supports this contention. In the Monroe case no property settlement agreement was involved, and it was held that the fact that support payments under a separate maintenance decree had terminated according to its terms did not prevent the court from modifying its decree to provide for additional payments in the future. In the Verdier case it was held that the existence of an unperformed separation agreement did not prevent the court from granting separate maintenance under section 137 of the Civil Code on the ground that the husband had wilfully failed to support his wife. In the present case, on the other hand, the parties while living separate and apart entered into a valid contract settling both their property and support rights and secured its approval and adoption by the court. Plaintiff has accepted the benefits of the agreement, and defendant has at all times performed his obligations thereunder. The situation has not been altered by an unaccepted offer of reconciliation (see Cardinale v. Cardinale, 8 Cal.2d 762,
The order denying modification of the judgment to increase the support and maintenance payments to plaintiff is affirmed. The order awarding costs and attorney fees is reversed. Each side shall bear its own costs on these appeals.
Shenk, J., Edmonds, J., Spence, J., and Bray, J. pro tem.,
Assigned by Chairman of Judicial Council.
Concurring Opinion
I concur in the conclusion reached in the majority opinion but my reasons for this conclusion are expressed in my dissents in Monroe v. Superior Court, 28 Cal.2d 427, 432 [170 P.2d 473] ; Verdier v. Verdier, 36 Cal.2d 241, 249 [223 P.2d 214] ; Dexter v. Dexter, ante, pp. 36, 44 [265 P.2d 873] ; Fox v. Fox, ante, pp. 49, 53 [265 P.2d 881] ; Flynn v. Flynn, ante, pp. 55, 62 [265 P.2d 865].
Concurring Opinion
I concur in the judgment and generally in the holdings of the opinion. I expressly disavow, however, the implication, if any such be otherwise eonstruable, that, a valid contract having been entered into, the validity or effect or enforceability of that contract could be in anywise altered by the unilateral act of either party.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- LOUISE M. S. FINNEGAN, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. WILLIAM J. FINNEGAN, Defendant and Appellant
- Cited By
- 11 cases
- Status
- Published