Raff v. Raff, Unpublished Decision (2-20-2007)
Raff v. Raff, Unpublished Decision (2-20-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} The parties agreed to the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities. The outstanding issues were distribution of property and marital debt and child and spousal support. A hearing was held on May 28, 2004. By judgment entry filed July 8, 2004, the trial court divided the parties' property and debt, and awarded appellee child support in the amount of $800.00 per child per month and spousal support in the amount of $400.00 per month for five years.
{¶ 3} Appellant filed an appeal and this court reversed the trial court's decision for a child support worksheet and additional findings on the division of property and debt. Raff v. Raff, Stark App. No. 2004CA00251,
{¶ 4} Upon remand, the trial court held a hearing on November 14, 2005. The parties agreed to a division of all marital property and debt except for the marital residence and the two liens attached to said residence. By judgment entry filed December 14, 2005, the trial court awarded the marital residence and the liens to appellee, ordered appellant to pay the original child and spousal support order from July 8, 2004 to November 14, 2005, and awarded appellee child support in the amount of $438.83 per child per month and spousal support in the amount of $800.00 per month for four years beginning November 15, 2005.
{¶ 5} On January 11, 2006, appellant filed an appeal and assigned the following errors: *Page 3
{¶ 9} On January 18, 2006, appellee filed a cross-appeal and assigned the following cross-assignments of error:
{¶ 14} This matter is now before this court for consideration.
{¶ 16} Appellee argues because appellant prepared the worksheet, the omission constitutes invited error. We disagree. It is the trial court's responsibility when adopting a proposed worksheet to see that there are no omissions. Marker v. Grimm (1992),
{¶ 17} Upon review, we find the trial court erred in omitting the spousal support award from the child support worksheet. *Page 5
{¶ 18} Assignment of Error I is granted.
{¶ 20} The trial court left the original order in place from July 8, 2004 to November 14, 2005. The modified amounts took effect on November 15, 2005. Appellant argues the start date for the modified amounts should be July 8, 2004 because there was no worksheet in place to support the trial court's calculations for that sixteen month period. We agree. Although we note no stay was placed on the child and spousal support order, this court reversed the order because it did not include a worksheet justifying the amounts. This court's reversal in effect voided the order, therefore, the trial court cannot rely on the amounts therein from July 8, 2004 to November 14, 2005. The trial court's modified amounts must start from the original decree date, July 8, 2004.
{¶ 21} Upon review, we find the trial court erred in setting the effective dates for the modified amounts.
{¶ 22} Assignment of Error II is granted.
{¶ 27} Trial courts have broad discretion in fashioning a division of marital property. Berish v. Berish (1982),
{¶ 28} The parties agreed to the debt allocation save for the marital residence and the two liens thereon. In its December 14, 2005 judgment entry, the trial court awarded appellee the residence, and ordered her to "pay both liens and refinance within *Page 7
four (4) years to remove Husband's name." Based upon the factors in R.C.
{¶ 29} As for the bills appellant is responsible to pay, the parties stipulated to the allocation and any name changes should have been included in the agreement.
{¶ 30} Cross-Assignment of Error III is denied.
{¶ 31} The judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Stark County, Ohio, Domestic Relations Division, is affirmed in part and reversed in part.
By Farmer, J.
Boggins, P.J. and
Edwards, J. concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.