Powell v. Powell, 2007ca00295 (7-28-2008)
Powell v. Powell, 2007ca00295 (7-28-2008)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} In a judgment entry filed January 26, 2007, the trial court ordered appellant to pay $340.39 per month per child in child support. On April 27, 2007, following an investigation, the Child Support Enforcement Agency (hereinafter "CSEA") issued a notice terminating child support for Dustin as of June 3, 2007, the date Dustin graduated from high school.
{¶ 3} Appellee filed a motion for hearing on the CSEA order. A hearing before a magistrate was held on June 26, 2007. By decision filed June 29, 2007, the magistrate reversed the CSEA order. Appellant filed objections. A hearing was held on September 17, 2007. By judgment entry filed same date, the trial court adopted and approved the magistrate's decision.
{¶ 4} Appellant filed an appeal and this matter is now before this court for consideration. Assignments of error are as follows:
{¶ 8} The trial court is provided with broad discretion in deciding what is equitable in domestic relations matters, including issues of child support, upon the facts and circumstances of each case. Booth v.Booth (1989),
{¶ 9} R.C.
{¶ 10} "(A) Notwithstanding section
{¶ 11} "(1) The duty of support to a child imposed pursuant to a court child support order shall continue beyond the child's eighteenth birthday only under the following circumstances:
{¶ 12} "(b) The child's parents have agreed to continue support beyond the child's eighteenth birthday pursuant to a separation agreement that was incorporated into a decree of divorce or dissolution."
{¶ 13} In overturning the CSEA's decision, the trial court relied on the following specific provision contained in the Delaware separation agreement at ¶M:
{¶ 14} "This amount shall be subject to re-evaluation should there be any change of circumstances. Said support shall continue until each child reaches the age of eighteen years at which time child support will be re-evaluated to cover college expense for said child." *Page 5
{¶ 15} During the June 29, 2007 hearing, the magistrate stated the following at 13:
{¶ 16} "THE COURT: * * * So, I'm just issuing a recommendation today, and the Judge will ultimately decide the matter, if objections are filed. But, in my view, we had a very narrow focus today, as to whether or not the agency issued valid recommendations, regarding the termination of the support of Dustin. And focusing on that, I find that the agency acted erroneously because of the provision in the decree, which I have constructed or construed as the parties agreeing to continue the support obligation beyond Dustin's eighteenth (18th) birthday. And that being the case ah . . . either party. The Court retains, continuing jurisdiction, over the support obligation, as to Dustin and either party may file a Motion of . . . pertaining to the future support of Dustin."
{¶ 17} We agree the clear and unequivocal meaning of the child support provision agreed to by the parties in their separation agreement retained the trial court's jurisdiction to order child support beyond emancipation if conditions warrant it.
{¶ 18} Upon review, we find the trial court did not abuse its discretion, and the decision is neither contrary to law nor against the manifest weight of the evidence.
{¶ 19} Assignment of Error I is denied.
{¶ 21} As pointed out by the magistrate during the June 29, 2007 hearing at 13-14, the narrow scope of the hearing was not to re-evaluate the issue of child support, but to determine only if CSEA's termination of child support was correct:
{¶ 22} "Ah . . . I wasn't here today to entertain the amount of support, if any that should be paid for Dustin. I was here today, to make a determination as to whether the agency issued valid findings of (sic) recommendations and I found that they did not issue valid findings and recommendations, because of the language in the divorce decree. So, it's not my place here today, to say, you know, what the support amount should be. There is an existing order, which will continue to be enforced. So, if either party, wishes to alter that existing order in any way, that will (sic) party will need to file a Motion with the Court. That will be all."
{¶ 23} Based upon the very limited scope of the matter sub judice, we deny the arguments under this assignment of error. Because of the trial court's continuing jurisdiction granted in the divorce decree, a future motion requesting "re-evaluation" of the child support amount would be consistent with this opinion.
{¶ 24} Assignment of Error II is denied. *Page 7
{¶ 25} The judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Stark County, Ohio, Domestic Relations Division is hereby affirmed.
*Page 8Farmer, J. Gwin, P.J. and Wise, J. concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.