MacHaterre v. Looker, Unpublished Decision (1-17-2003)
MacHaterre v. Looker, Unpublished Decision (1-17-2003)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} "The trial court erred in denying the Plaintiff/Appellant's Motion brought under Civ.R. 60(B) which denial was based on lack of jurisdiction over child support, lack of entitlement to relief under Civ.R. 60(B) and not being filed within a reasonable time."
{¶ 3} On August 18, 1994, the lower court filed a judgment entry of divorce, granting Machaterre and defendant-appellee, Keith Looker, a divorce. In pertinent part, the order granted Machaterre custody of the parties' minor child Brian, born February 21, 1985, and ordered that Looker pay monthly child support of $420.25 through wage withholding.
{¶ 4} On January 12, 2001, Looker filed a request with the Lucas County Child Support Enforcement Agency ("LCCSEA") for a hearing pursuant to former R.C.
{¶ 5} On April 4, 2001, the lower court filed a magistrate's decision with permanent order in which it found that the domestic relations court's jurisdiction over Brian terminated effective December 22, 2000, and that Looker's duty of support under the court's prior order also terminated as of December 22, 2000.
{¶ 6} On April 2, 2002, the LCCSEA on behalf of Machaterre filed a motion for relief from judgment pursuant to Civ.R. 60(B). The motion asserted that the April 4, 2001 order was made in error in that Machaterre was not properly represented at the hearing and had not been properly advised of Brian's expenses during his detention. Appellant further asserted that Brian was at that time residing at the Youth Treatment Center but that Machaterre was required to provide clothing, laundry and personal hygiene supplies. Appellant then asserted that Brian would soon be ready for in-home visits in preparation for his return to Machaterre. Appellant therefore requested relief from the earlier judgment, an order reinstating Looker's support obligation, effective December 22, 2000, and an order that Looker be responsible for all of Brian's medical, dental, surgical, hospital and optical expenses.
{¶ 7} In a judgment entry of April 29, 2002, the lower court denied appellant's motion for relief from judgment. In pertinent part, the court held that jurisdiction over Brian lay with the juvenile court and as such the prior order terminating Looker's support obligation on the basis that Brian was no longer living in Machaterre's home was proper. The court further held that appellant failed to demonstrate that she was entitled to relief under any of the five grounds enumerated in Civ.R. 60(B) and that the motion was not filed within a reasonable time as it was filed nearly one year after the date of the prior decision. It is from that judgment that appellant now appeals.
{¶ 8} In her sole assignment of error, appellant challenges the denial of her motion for relief from judgment. Specifically, appellant asserts that the lower court had jurisdiction over the child support issue, that she was entitled to relief under Civ.R. 60(B) and that the motion was filed within a reasonable time given the circumstances of this case.
{¶ 9} It is well established that a motion for relief from judgment pursuant to Civ.R. 60(B) is left to the sound discretion of the trial court, and that the court's ruling will not be disturbed on appeal absent a showing of an abuse of discretion. Griffey v. Rajan (1987),
{¶ 10} Civ.R. 60(B) provides in relevant part: "On motion and upon such terms as are just, the court may relieve a party or his legal representative from a final judgment, order or proceeding for the following reasons: (1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise or excusable neglect; * * * (4) * * * it is no longer equitable that the judgment should have prospective application; or (5) any other reason justifying relief from the judgment. The motion shall be made within a reasonable time, and for reasons (1), (2) and (3) not more than one year after the judgment, order or proceeding was entered or taken." In order to obtain relief from judgment pursuant to Civ.R. 60(B), a movant must demonstrate that: "(1) the party has a meritorious defense or claim to present if relief is granted; (2) the party is entitled to relief under one of the grounds stated in Civ.R. 60(B)(1) through (5); and (3) the motion
{¶ 11} is made within a reasonable time, and, where the grounds for relief are Civ.R. 60(B)(1), (2) or (3), not more than one year after the judgment, order or proceeding was entered or taken." GTE AutomaticElec., Inc. v. ARC Indus., Inc. (1976),
{¶ 12} Initially, we are compelled to address the issue of the domestic relations court's jurisdiction under the circumstances of this case. In its order of April 4, 2001, the lower court held that jurisdiction over Brian terminated upon his juvenile commitment on December 22, 2000 and that pursuant to that commitment, the prior support order also terminated. In its ruling on appellant's motion for relief from judgment, the lower court affirmed this holding. That holding, however, was in error.
{¶ 13} R.C.
{¶ 14} We believe that the reasoning of In re Poling is equally applicable to the circumstances of the present case and find that where a domestic relations court has previously entered a support order in a divorce case and the child who is the beneficiary of that support order is subsequently found to be delinquent in a juvenile court, the domestic relations court and the juvenile court have concurrent jurisdiction to entertain motions regarding that support order. Moreover, there is nothing in the Revised Code that provides for the automatic termination of a support order entered in a divorce case upon a juvenile court's determination of delinquency. Rather, R.C.
{¶ 15} Nevertheless, we must conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Machaterre's motion for relief from judgment. It is not clear from Machaterre's motion under which section of Civ.R. 60(B) she claimed relief. Accordingly, it is further unclear which time limits apply to the motion. Although the motion was filed within one year from the date of the April 4, 2001 order, it is not clear that appellant was proceeding under Civ.R. 60(B)(1), (2) or (3). Similarly, if she was proceeding under Civ.R. 60(B)(4) or (5), she failed to support the motion with any evidentiary material to establish the timeliness of the motion. This was clearly her burden. Youssefi v. Youssefi (1991),
{¶ 16} In light of the inadequacies of Machaterre's motion for relief from judgment, we cannot say that the trial court erred in denying the motion and the sole assignment of error is not well-taken.
{¶ 17} On consideration whereof, the court finds that substantial justice has been done the party complaining and the judgment of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, is affirmed. Court costs of this appeal are assessed to appellant.
JUDGMENT AFFIRMED.
Peter M. Handwork, P.J., Mark L. Pietrykowski, J., George M. Glasser,J., CONCUR.
Judge George M. Glasser, retired, sitting by assignment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.