Michael Nelson v. Bobbie Robinson

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REL: 06/30/2011 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2010-2011 2100268 M i c h a e l Nelson v. Bobbie Robinson Appeal from Monroe C i r c u i t (DR-96-50.02) Court THOMPSON, P r e s i d i n g J u d g e . Michael Nelson ("the f a t h e r " ) appeals from a judgment ordering him t o pay h a l f o f the p a r t i e s ' c h i l d ' s p o s t m i n o r i t y educational expenses. Bobbie Robinson ("the m o t h e r " ) was 2100268 ordered to pay educational The the filed a petition school that on of J u n e 2, asked the ability agreed the child's following. for the The 2010. On and remained married, child who the father's educational graduated reached to go to the from age of a hearing 2010, college, was and trial child had both requisite ability parties and desire. c o u r t a l s o asked the f a t h e r whether, i f the p a r t i e s t h e y w o u l d have " s u p p o r t e d [ t h e o r h e l p e d h e r w i t h c o l l e g e e x p e n s e s ? " The have a s s i s t e d w i t h t h o s e e x p e n s e s . t h e m o t h e r had met ( A l a . 1989), d i s c u s s e d that had point, not The child] f a t h e r s a i d he w o u l d t r i a l court found t h a t t h e b u r d e n u n d e r Ex p a r t e B a y l i s s , 550 l a t e r i n t h i s opinion, to c h i l d to receive postminority father the postminority June 23, c h i l d possessed the had At of 2010, At the o u t s e t of the h e a r i n g , the desire trial the 6, p a r t i e s whether they b e l i e v e d the The 2d 986 postminority On May modification parties' child, spring. h e l d on t h e p e t i t i o n . the the o b l i g a t i o n , seeking s u p p o r t on b e h a l f majority of expenses. child-support court half r e c o r d i n d i c a t e s the mother high other yet the educational father's presented 2 any attorney So. allow support. noted evidence. that The the father 2100268 t e s t i f i e d t h a t he i s a c o n s t r u c t i o n w o r k e r a n d t h a t h i s g r o s s monthly income i s $ 3 , 8 4 1 . 7 6 . expenses home He s a i d that he h a s m o n t h l y o f $ 3 , 8 5 8 . 7 0 , i n c l u d i n g t h e payment and Including i t s furnishings, which he on h i s m o b i l e valued a t $70,000. t h e m o b i l e home, two o l d e r m o d e l v e h i c l e s , a n d h i s retirement account, the f a t h e r estimated his a t $95,500. assets the t o t a l However, t h e f a t h e r also amount o f presented e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t he owed $62,000 on t h e m o b i l e home and $6,000 on one o f t h e v e h i c l e s . He a l s o c r e d i t - c a r d d e b t , $3,600 i n m e d i c a l b i l l s , retirement account. owed $4,600 i n a n d $2,000 t o h i s The f a t h e r p r e s e n t e d e v i d e n c e o f t o t a l debt o f $78,200. The f a t h e r s a i d t h a t he c o u l d n o t a f f o r d t o p a y f o r t h e c h i l d ' s college education to provide b u t t h a t he was w i l l i n g t o c o n t i n u e health-insurance that he was w i l l i n g with other coverage f o rher. t o do what he c o u l d to assist attend said the c h i l d expenses. The m o t h e r , who a p p e a r e d p r o s e a t t r i a l , driver. He a l s o i s a school-bus She s a i d t h a t t h e c h i l d p l a n n e d t o l i v e a t home a n d Alabama Monroeville. Southern Community College A t t h e t i m e o f t h e June h e a r i n g , 3 ("ASCC") in however, t h e 2100268 c h i l d h a d n o t y e t b e e n n o t i f i e d t h a t she h a d b e e n a c c e p t e d f o r the f a l l t e r m a t ASCC. until August The t r i a l court continued 1 1 , 2010, a t w h i c h time the hearing the p a r t i e s were t o present evidence o f the c h i l d ' s a n t i c i p a t e d c o l l e g e expenses. On June 25, 2010, t h e t r i a l other court entered an o r d e r t h a t , among t h i n g s , found t h a t t h e c h i l d had t h e d e s i r e and a b i l i t y t o a t t e n d c o l l e g e a n d t h a t t h e p a r t i e s w o u l d have a s s i s t e d t h e child with c o l l e g e expenses had they remained A t t h e A u g u s t 11 h e a r i n g , child had been accepted married. the p a r t i e s s t i p u l a t e d that the a t ASCC. A letter f r o m ASCC was submitted i n t o evidence i n d i c a t i n g that the c h i l d ' s tuition and fees also stated that f o r the f a l l t e r m were $ 1 , 3 0 8 . estimated The letter t h e c h i l d had been awarded a P e l l G r a n t o f $2,775 f o r t h e t e r m . The m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t the c h i l d ' s books had c o s t $517 f o r t h e term. The $1,448. mother testified that her gross monthly income i s She s a i d t h a t she h a d b e e n a s c h o o l - b u s d r i v e r f o r 11 o r 12 y e a r s a n d t h a t she h a d no o t h e r job. However, she s a i d , she h a d a c e r t i f i e d - n u r s i n g - a s s i s t a n t l i c e n s e a n d a c o m m e r c i a l driver's license ("CDL") t h a t w o u l d a l l o w 4 her t o d r i v e "18- 2100268 w h e e l e r " t r u c k s , b u t , s h e s a i d , s h e h a d n o t made u s e o f t h e CDL b e c a u s e when s h e e a r n e d t h e CDL, t h e c h i l d was s m a l l . On S e p t e m b e r 2 1 , 2010, t h e t r i a l c o u r t e n t e r e d a judgment i n c o r p o r a t i n g t h e f i n d i n g s i t made a f t e r t h e J u n e h e a r i n g a n d o r d e r i n g t h e m o t h e r a n d t h e f a t h e r t o e a c h be r e s p o n s i b l e for h a l f o f the c h i l d ' s a c t u a l c o l l e g e expenses a f t e r s c h o l a r s h i p s and g r a n t s . The j u d g m e n t s t a t e d t h a t a c t u a l e x p e n s e s e x p e n s e s f o r room, b o a r d , t u i t i o n , the child was g o i n g mother, t h e t r i a l t o continue court fees, to live The The the a t home w i t h t h e l i s t e d on t h e web¬ o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Alabama and Auburn U n i v e r s i t y . " father timely trial Because o r d e r e d t h e f a t h e r t o pay t h e mother h a l f " o f t h e a v e r a g e room a n d b o a r d c o s t s sites and books. included appealed. f a t h e r contends t h a t the evidence d i d n o t support the court's child. award o f p o s t m i n o r i t y Specifically, court erred i n basing the father educational argues support f o r that the t r i a l t h e c o s t s o f room a n d b o a r d on t h e c o s t i n c u r r e d f o r a student a t t e n d i n g Auburn U n i v e r s i t y or t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Alabama ("Auburn") ("Alabama") a n d n o t on what t h e c h i l d ' s a c t u a l e x p e n s e s f o r room a n d b o a r d w i l l b e . He a l s o a s s e r t s t h a t t h e m o t h e r f a i l e d t o p r e s e n t e v i d e n c e a s t o what 5 2100268 those actual attending costs ASCC. will be I n addition, the father a w a r d s u b j e c t s h i m t o undue Our standard f o r the c h i l d o f review while asserts she i s that the hardship. i n this case i s as f o l l o w s : "'When a t r i a l c o u r t h e a r s o r e t e n u s e v i d e n c e , i t s judgment b a s e d on f a c t s f o u n d f r o m t h a t e v i d e n c e w i l l n o t be d i s t u r b e d on a p p e a l u n l e s s t h e judgment i s n o t s u p p o r t e d by t h e e v i d e n c e a n d i s p l a i n l y a n d p a l p a b l y wrong. T h r a s h e r v. W i l b u r n , 574 So. 2 d 839, 841 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1 9 9 0 ) . Further, matters o f c h i l d support are w i t h i n the sound d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e t r i a l c o u r t and w i l l n o t be d i s t u r b e d a b s e n t e v i d e n c e o f an abuse o f d i s c r e t i o n o r e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e judgment i s p l a i n l y and p a l p a b l y wrong. Id. ' "'Spencer v . S p e n c e r , C i v . App. 2 0 0 1 ) . " T a y l o r v. T a y l o r , 812 So. 2 d 1284, 1286 ( A l a . 991 So. 2 d 228, 232 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 0 8 ) . Generally, the decision educational support whether i s within to award postminority the d i s c r e t i o n o f the t r i a l c o u r t b a s e d on i t s c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e f a c t o r s s e t o u t i n E x parte Bayliss, (Ala. Civ. supra. G a b e l v. L o r e s , App. 1 9 9 2 ) . 608 So. 2d 1365, When t h e e v i d e n c e regarding 1366 those factors i s i nc o n f l i c t , the t r i a l court's f a c t u a l f i n d i n g s are presumed c o r r e c t . (Ala. A b e r n a t h y v. S u l l i v a n , C i v . App. 1 9 9 6 ) . However, 6 676 So. 2d 939, 941 the t r i a l court's legal 2100268 conclusions not is Civ. and i t s a p p l i c a t i o n o f the law c l o t h e d w i t h such a p r e s u m p t i o n ; review de novo. App. H e n d e r s o n v. H e n d e r s o n , 978 So. to the f a c t s of those 2d 36, matters 39 (Ala. 2007). "The Supreme C o u r t o f A l a b a m a s e t o u t c e r t a i n f a c t o r s f o r t h e t r i a l c o u r t t o c o n s i d e r when r u l i n g on a petition for postminority [educational] support. See Ex p a r t e B a y l i s s , 550 So. 2d 986 ( A l a . 1989). B a y l i s s c l e a r l y s p e c i f i e s those f a c t o r s t h a t s h a l l , and t h o s e t h a t may, be c o n s i d e r e d by the t r i a l c o u r t when i t i s d e c i d i n g w h e t h e r t o o r d e r support f o r p o s t m i n o r i t y c o l l e g e education. I n an award of p o s t m i n o r i t y e d u c a t i o n a l s u p p o r t for a c h i l d of d i v o r c e d p a r e n t s , the t r i a l c o u r t ' " s h a l l consider a l l relevant factors that s h a l l appear r e a s o n a b l e and n e c e s s a r y , i n c l u d i n g p r i m a r i l y the f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s o f t h e p a r e n t s and t h e c h i l d and t h e c h i l d ' s commitment t o , and a p t i t u d e f o r , t h e requested e d u c a t i o n . " ' A.L. v. B.W., 735 So. 2d 1237, 1239 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1 9 9 9 ) ; Thompson v. Thompson, 689 So. 2d 885, 887 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1997) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e B a y l i s s , 550 So. 2d 986, 987 ( A l a . 1989)). The c o u r t s u g g e s t e d t h a t t r i a l c o u r t s a l s o s h o u l d c o n s i d e r 'the s t a n d a r d o f l i v i n g t h a t t h e c h i l d w o u l d have e n j o y e d i f t h e m a r r i a g e had not been d i s s o l v e d and the family unit had been preserved and t h e c h i l d ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h h i s p a r e n t s and r e s p o n s i v e n e s s to parental advice and g u i d a n c e . ' I d . a t 987. The t r i a l c o u r t must a l s o d e t e r m i n e i f t h e n o n c u s t o d i a l p a r e n t has ' s u f f i c i e n t estate, earning c a p a c i t y , o r income t o provide financial assistance without undue hardship.' T h r a s h e r v. W i l b u r n , 574 So. 2d 839, 841 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1990). Undue h a r d s h i p does n o t i m p l y the a b s e n c e o f p e r s o n a l s a c r i f i c e , b e c a u s e many p a r e n t s s a c r i f i c e t o send t h e i r c h i l d r e n to c o l l e g e . I d . " 7 are 2100268 Penney v. Penney, 785 So. 2d 376, 378-79 (Ala. Civ. App. 2000). This c o u r t has cases the t r i a l c o u r t i s b o u n d by t h e l e g a l e v i d e n c e o r l a c k o f i t , ' and '[i]t on t h e a b i l i t y o f t h e p a r t i e s t o pay children.'" 960 may not held that " ' [ i ] n speculate nor on t h e needs o f t h e So. 2d 694, 701 579 So. 654, So. 2d a t 235, 2d ( A l a . C i v . App. 656 child Thomas v. C a m p b e l l , 2006) ( q u o t i n g B e r r y v. ( A l a . C i v . App. 1991)). for the trial court to this Berry, In T a y l o r , a case i n which a f a t h e r c h a l l e n g e d of p o s t m i n o r i t y e d u c a t i o n a l support, cause support the 991 award c o u r t remanded "ascertain and the declare the c h i l d ' s p o s t m i n o r i t y e d u c a t i o n a l expenses, i n c l u d i n g expenses for t u i t i o n and of the f e e s , " and t o d e t e r m i n e t h e f i n a n c i a l f a t h e r t o pay h a l f of those " a c t u a l expenses." footnote to that opinion, t h i s court stated the c h i l d [ w o u l d ] be [community college], c o s t s o f room and intended ASCC. T h e r e was the to with trial board." In t h i s case, child living court the undisputed live the Taylor, with the 991 that, So. attending consider 2d a t 235 mother w h i l e a "[b]ecause mother w h i l e need not In she as t o what t h e the n.1. evidence i n d i c a t e d that no e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d 8 ability the attended child's 2100268 living expenses ordered the might father t o pay board costs of a student listed be. costs are on There i s a b s o l u t e l y no Nevertheless, the the mother h a l f of trial the court room-and- a t t e n d i n g A u b u r n o r A l a b a m a , as t h o s e e a c h u n i v e r s i t y ' s r e s p e c t i v e Web evidence i n the record to site. support 1 a f i n d i n g t h a t the c h i l d ' s expenses w h i l e l i v i n g at the mother's home w i l l Web equal sites. t h e c o s t o f room and b o a r d as s t a t e d on Therefore, judgment o r d e r i n g cost of the the that father portion t o pay room-and-board expenses of the the of trial court's mother h a l f of a student A u b u r n o r A l a b a m a i s p l a i n l y and p a l p a b l y wrong and be those the attending i s due to reversed. The t o pay f a t h e r a l s o contends t h a t the h a l f of the judgment o r d e r i n g c h i l d ' s c o l l e g e expenses s u b j e c t s him him to A l t h o u g h t h e r e c o r d d i d n o t c o n t a i n t h e c o s t s o f room and b o a r d a t A u b u r n and A l a b a m a and a l t h o u g h t h e t r i a l c o u r t d i d n o t i n c l u d e t h o s e s p e c i f i c amounts i n t h e j u d g m e n t , we n o t e t h a t A u b u r n ' s Web s i t e i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e c o s t o f room and b o a r d f o r an u n d e r g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t who i s an A l a b a m a r e s i d e n t will be $9,992 for the 2011-2012 academic year. http://www.auburn.edu/administration/business_office/fina^/ pdf/cost.pdf ( v i s i t e d on June 2 8 , 2 0 1 1 ) . A l a b a m a ' s Web site i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e c o s t o f room and b o a r d f o r an u n d e r g r a d u a t e student was $10,206 for the 2010-2011 academic year. h t t p : / / f i n a n c i a l a i d . u a . e d u / f a q / c o s t s . h t m l ( v i s i t e d on June 28, 2 0 1 1 ) . A c o p y o f t h e s e m a t e r i a l s p r i n t e d f r o m t h e Web sites i s i n the case f i l e of the c l e r k of the Alabama C o u r t of C i v i l Appeals. 1 9 2100268 undue h a r d s h i p . m o t h e r and the The the trial c o u r t ' s judgment s p e c i f i e s t h a t f a t h e r are e a c h t o be responsible for half c h i l d ' s a c t u a l expenses " a f t e r s c h o l a r s h i p s The evidence submitted at the August had The evidence also 2010, 11, grants." hearing indicates that r e c e i v e d a P e l l G r a n t o f $2,775 f o r t h e t e r m . term the child Therefore, a f t e r t u i t i o n and b o o k s were p a i d f o r , t h e c h i l d had a of does $950 for the term. i n c l u d e e v i d e n c e o f any incur. Because no discussed, other other were p r o v e n a t t r i a l , the As postminority there are f a t h e r c o u l d p o s s i b l y be no board at Auburn or f a t h e r t o pay the record hardship Because before under of this us, the the father remaining holding, we we expenses Accordingly, to the mother is removed from conclude t h a t , based will provisions pretermit 10 will to h a l f of the c o s t Alabama j u d g m e n t , as p r e v i o u s l y d i s c u s s e d , not expenses f o r which made r e s p o n s i b l e . the surplus child educational other an amount f o r room and b o a r d e q u i v a l e n t and record a c t u a l expenses the a f t e r the p r o v i s i o n o r d e r i n g room the of and i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s t u i t i o n and b o o k s f o r t h e f a l l t o t a l e d $1,825. the not of suffer the of the on undue judgment. discussion of the 2100268 father's argument that the record evidence of the mother's f i n a n c i a l includes insufficient resources. F o r t h e r e a s o n s s e t f o r t h a b o v e , we r e v e r s e t h a t p o r t i o n o f t h e j u d g m e n t o r d e r i n g t h e f a t h e r t o p a y an amount f o r room and b o a r d e q u i v a l e n t t o h a l f o f t h e c o s t o f room and b o a r d a t Auburn o r Alabama. The r e m a i n d e r o f t h e j u d g m e n t i s a f f i r m e d . T h i s c a u s e i s remanded f o r t h e t r i a l c o u r t t o e n t e r a j u d g m e n t consistent with this opinion. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; AND REMANDED. P i t t m a n , B r y a n , Thomas, and Moore, J J . , c o n c u r . 11

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