MARRIAGE OF TIDBALL
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No. 80-361 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA 1980 IN RE THE MARRIAGE OF EUGENE C. TIDBALL, Petitioner and Appellant, VS . MARCIA TIDBALL, Respondent and Respondent. Appeal from: District Court of the Second Judicial District, In and for the County of Silver Bow. Honorable James Freebourn, Judge presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Poore, Roth, Robischon and Robinson, Butte, Montana For Respondent: John L. Peterson, Butte, Montana Submitted on briefs: December 23, 1980 Decided: Filed: MA!?. 3 1 WflF 9 1 1g~f M r . C h i e f J u s t i c e F r a n k I . Haswell d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n of t h e Court. P e t i t i o n e r Eugene T i d b a l l a p p e a l s from a n o r d e r e n t e r e d i n D i s t r i c t C o u r t , S i l v e r Bow C o u n t y , d e n y i n g h i s p e t i t i o n t o t e r - m i n a t e m a i n t e n a n c e p a y m e n t s t o r e s p o n d e n t Marcia T i d b a l l . W e affirm. I n September 1976, a d i s s o l u t i o n d e c r e e w a s e n t e r e d i n D i s t r i c t C o u r t , S i l v e r Bow C o u n t y , which r e q u i r e d p e t i t i o n e r t o p a y b o t h c h i l d s u p p o r t f o r t h e c a r e of t h e p a r t i e s 1 s o n S t e p h e n , and s p o u s a l maintenance. t i o n 40-4-203(1), MCA, Based on t h e c r i t e r i a s e t o u t i n sec- t h e c o u r t d e t e r m i n e d t h a t r e s p o n d e n t was t h e c u s t o d i a l p a r e n t o f a c h i l d n e e d i n g s p e c i a l c a r e and t h a t f o r t h i s r e a s o n r e s p o n d e n t s h o u l d n o t be r e q u i r e d to s e e k employment o u t s i d e t h e home. The p a r t i e s a g r e e d a t t h a t t i m e t h a t t h e p a r - t i e s c o u l d s e e k f u t u r e m o d i f i c a t i o n of t h e m a i n t e n a n c e award b a s e d o n a c h a n g e i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 40-4-203, MCA. They s p e c i f i c a l l y r e j e c t e d r e l i a n c e o n t h e c r i t e r i a f o r m o d i f i c a t i o n i n s e c t i o n 40-4-208, MCA, the modification provision o f t h e UMDA, which r e q u i r e s a s h o w i n g o f u n c o n s c i o n a b i l i t y . Eugene T i d b a l l p e t i t i o n e d t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t i n March 1 9 8 0 , a s k i n g t h e c o u r t to d i s c o n t i n u e t h e maintenance award. He a l l e g e d t h a t Marcia T i d b a l l had s o u g h t and o b t a i n e d employment i n A r i z o n a as a t e a c h e r , and no l o n g e r r e q u i r e d m a i n t e n a n c e . He a l s o a r g u e d t h a t t h e s o n who needed h e r care a t t h e t i m e of t h e d i s s o l u t i o n was now p e r f o r m i n g a d e q u a t e l y i n s c h o o l , l e a v i n g Marcia f r e e t o work o u t s i d e t h e home. The e v i d e n c e a t t h e J u n e 1980 show c a u s e h e a r i n g i n d i c a t e d t h a t r e s p o n d e n t worked d u r i n g t h e l a s t p a r t of t h e 1978-79 s c h o o l y e a r and o b t a i n e d a f u l l - t e r m year. c o n t r a c t f o r t h e 1979-80 s c h o o l However, s h o r t l y a f t e r t h e p e t i t i o n s e e k i n g m d i f i c a t i o n w a s f i l e d , r e s p o n d e n t l e f t h e r j o b i n A r i z o n a and moved t o California. She t e s t i f i e d t h a t w o r k i n g f u l l t i m e and c a r i n g f o r S t e p h e n was a s e v e r e e m o t i o n a l and p h y s i c a l s t r a i n and l e f t h e r u n a b l e t o a d e q u a t e l y care f o r S t e p h e n . Based o n t h e e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d a t t h i s h e a r i n g , t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e found t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n e r had n o t shown a s u f f i c i e n t c h a n g e i n c i r c u m s t a n c e s t o r e q u i r e a d i s c h a r g e of t h e maintenance obligation. H e found t h a t r e s p o n d e n t ' s a t t e m p t s a t p u r s u i n g a career c o u l d n o t be m a i n t a i n e d b e c a u s e of t h e p h y s i c a l a n d e m o t i o n a l stress i n v o l v e d i n w o r k i n g f u l l t i m e and i n c a r i n g f o r h e r son. A d d i t i o n a l l y , he determined t h a t S t e p h e n ' s g r a d e s were s u f f e r i n g b e c a u s e r e s p o n d e n t d i d n o t h a v e t h e t i m e and e n e r g y t o h e l p him w h i l e s h e was e m p l o y e d . From t h e s e f i n d i n g s , t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e c o n c l u d e d t h a t p e t i t i o n e r was n o t e n t i t l e d t o r e l i e f from maintenance payments. On a p p e a l , p e t i t i o n e r r a i s e s s e v e r a l i s s u e s : (1) Did t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e e r r i n h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of s e c t i o n 40-4-203, MCA, i n finding t h a t respondent m e t the statu- t o r y requirements necessary f o r spousal maintenance? ( 2 ) Did t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e a b u s e h i s d i s c r e t i o n i n r e f u s i n g to d i s c h a r g e t h e maintenance award? ( 3 ) Was p e t i t i o n e r e f f e c t i v e l y d e n i e d h i s r i g h t of r e v i e w b y r e s p o n d e n t ' s act o f q u i t t i n g h e r j o b and r e d u c i n g h e r income t o a p o i n t of need? ( 4 ) Did t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e e r r i n r e f u s i n g e v i d e n c e o f f e r e d by p e t i t i o n e r s h o w i n g improvement i n S t e p h e n ' s g r a d e s ? The p a r t i e s t o a d i s s o l u t i o n c a n d e c i d e on t h e c r i t e r i a t o b e c o n s i d e r e d i n a m o d i f i c a t i o n of a m a i n t e n a n c e a w a r d . 40-4-201, MCA. Section Here, p e t i t i o n e r and r e s p o n d e n t a g r e e d t o a l l o w m o d i f i c a t i o n i f t h e r e was a s h o w i n g o f c h a n g e i n t h o s e f a c t o r s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 40-4-203, MCA, w i t h o u t p r o o f of u n c o n s c i o n a b i l i t y : " M a i n t e n a n c e . (1) I n a p r o c e e d i n g f o r d i s s o l u t i o n of m a r r i a g e o r l e g a l s e p a r a t i o n or a p r o c e e d i n g f o r maintenance f o l l o w i n g d i s s o l u t i o n of t h e m a r r i a g e by a c o u r t which l a c k e d p e r s o n a l j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r t h e a b s e n t s p o u s e , t h e c o u r t may g r a n t a maintenance o r d e r f o r e i t h e r spouse o n l y i f it f i n d s t h a t t h e s p o u s e s e e k i n g m a i n t e n a n c e : " ( a ) l a c k s s u f f i c i e n t p r o p e r t y to p r o v i d e f o r h i s r e a s o n a b l e n e e d s ; and " ( b ) is unable to s u p p o r t himself through a p p r o p r i a t e employment o r is t h e c u s t o d i a n of a c h i l d whose c o n d i t i o n o r c i r c u m s t a n c e s make it a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t t h e c u s t o d i a n n o t be r e q u i r e d t o s e e k employment o u t s i d e t h e home." E v i d e n c e a t t h e t i m e t h e d i s s o l u t i o n d e c r e e was e n t e r e d and maintenance awarded i n d i c a t e d t h a t r e s p o n d e n t , as c u s t o d i a n , s h o u l d n o t work b e c a u s e S t e p h e n needed h e r a t t e n t i o n . Additionally, a t t h a t time, Marcia l a c k e d t h e e d u c a t i o n c r e d i t s n e c e s s a r y to pursue a t e a c h i n g c a r e e r . A t t h e t i m e of t h e h e a r i n g on m o d i f i c a t i o n , respondent t e s t i f i e d t h a t S t e p h e n was s t i l l s u f f e r i n g f r o m a h e a r i n g p r o b l e m and speech d i f f i c u l t y . T h a t c i r c u m s t a n c e had n o t c h a n g e d f r o m t h e t i m e of t h e o r i g i n a l d e c r e e . Respondent t e s t i f i e d t h a t a l t h o u g h s h e had now c o m p l e t e d a master's d e g r e e i n s p e c i a l educ a t i o n and had b e e n s u c c e s s f u l l y e m p l o y e d , s h e was u n a b l e p h y s i c a l l y and e m o t i o n a l l y t o b o t h work f u l l t i m e and to a d e q u a t e l y a t t e n d to h e r s o n ' s needs. She t e s t i f i e d t o t h e d i f f i c u l t y of t e a c h i n g s p e c i a l e d u c a t i o n a l l d a y and t h e n w o r k i n g w i t h a hearing-impaired c h i l d a t home. P e t i t i o n e r a r g u e s t h a t r e s p o n d e n t is n o t a u t o m a t i c a l l y e n t i t l e d t o m a i n t e n a n c e , and t h a t t o q u a l i f y , s h e m u s t meet t h e p r e r e q u i s i t e s s e t o u t i n t h e s t a t u t e , c i t i n g J o h n s r u d v. J o h n s r u d ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 5 Mont. 1 1 7 , 124-125, 572 P.2d 9 0 2 , 906. P e t i t i o n e r is c o r r e c t b u t h e c o n t e n d s t h a t r e s p o n d e n t s h o u l d be g r a n t e d maint e n a n c e o n l y i f t h e c o u r t f i n d s t h a t r e s p o n d e n t is " u n a b l e t o support [herself] ." P e t i t i o n e r f a i l s t o recognize the o t h e r set o f c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n which a spouse can q u a l i f y f o r m a i n t e n a n c e , a n d t h e o n e t h a t is p e r t i n e n t h e r e : t h e spouse " l a c k s s u f f i c i e n t p r o p e r t y to p r o v i d e f o r [ h e r ] r e a s o n a b l e n e e d s ; and . . . is the c u s t o d i a n o f a c h i l d whose c o n d i t i o n o r c i r c u m s t a n c e s make it a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t t h e c u s t o d i a n n o t be r e q u i r e d t o s e e k employment o u t s i d e t h e home." S e c t i o n 40-4-203, MCA. W e f i n d t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t judge p r o p e r l y i n t e r p r e t e d t h i s s t a t u t e i n o r d e r i n g c o n t i n u e d maintenance to r e s p o n d e n t . R e s p o n d e n t h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t s h e c a n i n f a c t o b t a i n and h o l d a job. B u t w e n o t e t h a t t h e s t a t u t e d o e s n o t demand t h a t t h e c u s t o d i a l p a r e n t o f a s p e c i a l c h i l d m u s t work i f s h e is c a p a b l e of d o i n g so. The s t a t u t e d i r e c t s t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e t o d e t e r m i n e o n l y w h e t h e r it is a p p r o p r i a t e u n d e r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h a t s h e b e r e q u i r e d t o work. The j u d g e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t it was n o t a p p r o p r i a t e , and w e f i n d no e r r o r i n t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . P e t i t i o n e r n e x t a l l e g e s t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t judge abused h i s d i s c r e t i o n i n a d o p t i n g r e s p o n d e n t ' s p r o p o s e d f i n d i n g s and conclusions. W f i n d t h a t t h e r e is s u f f i c i e n t , t h o u g h e c o n f l i c t i n g , e v i d e n c e i n t h e r e c o r d to s u p p o r t t h e f i n d i n g s , no m a t t e r which p a r t y p r e p a r e d them f o r t h e c o u r t . Respondent t e s t i f i e d t o h e r h e a l t h p r o b l e m s and t o t h e f a c t t h a t S t e p h e n n e e d e d h e r a t home. She t e s t i f i e d t o h i s s c h o l a s t i c p r o b l e m s and h i s need t o h a v e h e r h e l p him w i t h s c h o o l work. E v i d e n c e of S t e p h e n ' s improved g r a d e s was i n t r o d u c e d , b u t t h e j u d g e f o u n d r e s p o n d e n t ' s t e s t i m o n y c o n c e r n i n g h i s d e p e n d e n c e on h e r f o r h e l p w i t h s c h o o l work t o be more p e r s u a s i v e . The d i s t r i c t j u d g e i s t h e t r i e r o f f a c t i n t h i s case and w e w i l l n o t s e t a s i d e h i s f i n d i n g s u n l e s s t h e y are c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s . ( 1 9 7 9 1, Mont . Rome v. Rome ( 1 9 8 1 ) , St.Rep. , J e n s e n v. J e n s e n 597 P.2d 7 3 3 , 7 3 5 , 3 6 S t . R e p . Mont . , 6 2 1 P.2d 1259, 1262; 1 0 9 0 , 1 0 9 2 , 38 50, 53. W e do f i n d a n a b u s e o f d i s c r e t i o n , t h o u g h , a d o p t i o n of p e t i t i o n e r ' s proposed f i n d i n g No. in the court's 3, s t a t i n g t h a t r e s p o n d e n t had i n c r e a s e d f i n a n c i a l n e e d s w h i c h r e q u i r e h e r t o seek additional financial assistance. The i s s u e of i n c r e a s i n g s p o u s a l maintenance w a s not before t h e D i s t r i c t Court i n t h i s p r o c e e d i n g and no e v i d e n c e was p r e s e n t e d o n t h a t i s s u e . Accord- i n g l y , we v a c a t e t h i s f i n d i n g . The t e s t i m o n y o f Marcia T i d b a l l i n d i c a t e s t h a t o n e of t h e r e a s o n s f o r h e r q u i t t i n g h e r j o b and moving t o C a l i f o r n i a was t h e f i l i n g o f t h e m o d i f i c a t i o n p e t i t i o n by h e r f o r m e r h u s b a n d . This a c t , a c c o r d i n g to p e t i t i o n e r , e f f e c t i v e l y d e n i e d p e t i t i o n e r h i s r i g h t o f r e v i e w , b e c a u s e i n v o l u n t a r i l y c u t t i n g h e r income, r e s p o n d e n t f o r c e d him t o c o n t i n u e making m a i n t e n a n c e p a y m e n t s . R e s p o n d e n t a d m i t t e d t h a t h e r d e p a r t u r e from A r i z o n a and f r o m h e r j o b c o i n c i d e d w i t h t h e f i l i n g of t h e p e t i t i o n . But h e r t e s t i m o n y i n d i c a t e s t h a t o t h e r f a c t o r s prompted h e r t o l e a v e , and t h a t t h e f i l i n g o f t h e p e t i t i o n was m e r e l y t h e f i n a l i m p e t u s . She t e s t i f i e d : 'I [ I ] ' s t v e r y h a r d t o t e a c h S p e c i a l Ed and t h e n go home and d e a l w i t h a h e a r i n g i m p a i r e d c h i l d . I t ' s a n e m o t i o n a l s t r a i n , a p h y s i c a l s t r a i n , and a s i d e from y o u r f i l i n g of t h e p a p e r s and my h e a l t h t h i n g s , I was u n d e r q u i t e a s t r a i n . W e l l I was e x h a u s t e d from my j o b , I was e x h a u s t e d f r o m S t e v e ' s g r a d e s g o i n g down, and t h e n t h i s new t h r e a t i n h a v i n g t o go t o a l a w y e r , I d i d n ' t have t i m e i n t h e day, a l o n g w i t h t h e f i n a n c i a l t h i n g , t o g e t a lawyer i n T u c s o n and s t a r t t h i s c a s e a g a i n . " .. Based on t h i s t e s t i m o n y and o t h e r e v i d e n c e , t h e d i s t r i c t judge denied t h e r e d u c t i o n i n maintenance, f i n d i n g i n s u f f i c i e n t change i n t h e circumstances. W e c a n n o t s a y t h a t p e t i t i o n e r was d e n i e d h i s r i g h t t o a r e v i e w of t h e p r i o r o r d e r m e r e l y b e c a u s e t h e judge found i n r e s p o n d e n t ' s f a v o r . The e v i d e n c e t h a t r e s p o n - d e n t l e f t h e r j o b v o l u n t a r i l y was i n t r o d u c e d , b u t t h e f i n d i n g s i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e j u d g e f o u n d o t h e r f a c t o r s t o be d e t e r m i n a t i v e i n h i s d e c i s i o n to c o n t i n u e t h e m a i n t e n a n c e payments. The v o l u n - t a r y d e p a r t u r e alone does not r e q u i r e a f i n d i n g t h a t respondent i s no l o n g e r e n t i t l e d t o m a i n t e n a n c e . See Rome, s u p r a , Mont. The l a s t i s s u e r a i s e d by p e t i t i o n e r i n v o l v e s t h e d i s t r i c t j u d g e ' s r e f u s a l t o a l l o w c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i o n of r e s p o n d e n t conc e r n i n g t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n r e s p o n d e n t ' s p a s t employment and Stephen's grades. The j u d g e r e f u s e d t o a l l o w t h e i n q u i r y b e c a u s e t h e e v i d e n c e which c o u n s e l a t t e m p t e d t o i n t r o d u c e had b e e n h e a r d i n the e a r l i e r d i s s o l u t i o n proceedings. H e d i d a g r e e to t a k e j u d i c i a l n o t i c e of t h a t t e s t i m o n y . W e f i n d no e r r o r i n t h e j u d g e ' s ruling. P e t i t i o n e r was a t t e m p t i n g t o show t h e e f f e c t , Stephen's grades. i f any, of r e s p o n d e n t ' s working on H e was a b l e t o c r o s s - e x a m i n e h e r as t o t h e g r a d e s - w o r k r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n c e t h e t i m e o f t h e d i s s o l u t i o n , and h e i n t r o d u c e d e v i d e n c e o f S t e p h e n ' s g r a d e s i n 1979-80. He a p p a r e n t l y d i d n o t a t t e m p t t o show t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p i n 1977-78, a t a t i m e when r e s p o n d e n t w a s n o t w o r k i n g . The j u d g e r u l e d o n l y t h a t he d i d n o t want to a g a i n h e a r any t e s t i m o n y c o n c e r n i n g S t e p h e n ' s g r a d e s w h i c h had b e e n h e a r d e a r l i e r . The r e c o r d i n d i - c a t e s t h a t p e t i t i o n e r was n o t p r e c l u d e d f r o m p r e s e n t i n g t e s t i m o n y c o n c e r n i n g c h a n g e i n c o n d i t i o n s s i n c e t h e t i m e of t h e d e c r e e . The j u d g e had s u f f i c i e n t i n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e him t o allow h i m t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r e x i s t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s now r e q u i r e d a d i s c h a r g e of t h e maintenance award. I t was u n n e c e s s a r y t o allow i n t e s t i m o n y of e v e n t s p r i o r to t h e d i s s o l u t i o n . The o r d e r o f t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t is a f f i r m e d . Chief ~ u s t i c e \
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