From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

Ferraro v. Ferraro

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jan 19, 1999
257 A.D.2d 598 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999)

Opinion

January 19, 1999.

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Barone, J.).


Ordered that the order is modified, on the law, by deleting the provision thereof that directed the husband to pay the sum of $204,172.57 in retroactive maintenance and child support; as so modified, the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, without costs or disbursements, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Westchester County, for further proceedings consistent herewith.

"Pursuant to Domestic Relations Law § 236 (B) (6) (a) and (7) (a), maintenance and child support is to be awarded 'as of the date of application therefor, and any retroactive amount of maintenance [or child support] due shall be paid in one sum or periodic sums, as the court shall direct, taking into account any amount of temporary maintenance [or child support] which has been paid'" ( Verdrager v. Verdrager, 230 A.D.2d 786, 788-789). On his appeal from the judgment of divorce, while the plaintiff did challenge the durational period of the maintenance awarded to the defendant, he did not challenge the court's determination making the award of retroactive maintenance and child support effective as of the commencement date of this action ( see, Ferraro v. Ferraro, 257 A.D.2d 596 [decided herewith]). Accordingly, that determination will not be disturbed.

However, the court incorrectly determined the amount of the maintenance and child support arrears owed by the plaintiff. Since the proper amount of the credits to which the plaintiff is entitled cannot be determined from the chart provided by him, the matter must be remitted for further, proceedings, including a hearing if warranted ( see, Verdrager v. Verdrager, supra; Rogers v. Rogers, 151 A.D.2d 738). Upon remittal, the court is to consider two distinct periods. For the period from March 11, 1994, the commencement date of the retroactive maintenance and child support, awarded in the judgment, until October 11, 1994, the effective date of the order granting the defendant pendente lite maintenance and child support, the plaintiff may be credited for any voluntary payments of pendente lite maintenance and child support up to the amounts awarded in the judgment ( see, Pascale v. Pascale, 226 A.D.2d 439; Stempler v. Stempler, 143 A.D.2d 410; Salerno v. Salerno, 142 A.D.2d 670; Rodgers v. Rodgers, 98 A.D.2d 386). For the period from October 11, 1994, until the date of the judgment, the plaintiff may be credited for only those payments made pursuant to the pendente lite order up to the amounts awarded pendente lite ( see, Horne v. Horne, 22 N.Y.2d 219; Lefkow v. Lefkow, 188 A.D.2d 589; Krantz v. Krantz, 175 A.D.2d 865; Stempler v. Stempler, supra; Fabrizio v. Fabrizio, 125 A.D.2d 634). The court is also to determine whether arrears are to be paid in installments or in one lump sum. The award shall include interest at the legal rate ( see, CPLR 5004).

Bracken, J.P., Miller, Ritter and Thompson, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Ferraro v. Ferraro

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jan 19, 1999
257 A.D.2d 598 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999)
Case details for

Ferraro v. Ferraro

Case Details

Full title:ALAN FERRARO, Appellant, v. THERESA FERRARO, Respondent

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Jan 19, 1999

Citations

257 A.D.2d 598 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999)
684 N.Y.S.2d 276

Citing Cases

Levitt v. Levitt

A party's maintenance obligation commences, and is retroactive to, the date an application for maintenance…

Ford v. Ford

indication that, in determining that the plaintiff was not entitled to an award of retroactive child support,…