LeBlanc v. LeBlanc, (2013) 401 N.B.R.(2d) 334 (CA)

• Judge: Larlee, Richard and Quigg, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: Wednesday October 24, 2012
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (2013), 401 N.B.R.(2d) 334 (CA);2013 NBCA 22

LeBlanc v. LeBlanc (2013), 401 N.B.R.(2d) 334 (CA);

    401 R.N.-B.(2e) 334; 1041 A.P.R. 334

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Sommaire et texte intégral

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Temp. Cite: [2013] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. MR.025

Renvoi temp.: [2013] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. MR.025

Ulric LeBlanc (appellant) v. Muriel LeBlanc (respondent)

(47-12-CA; 2013 NBCA 22)

Indexed As: LeBlanc v. LeBlanc

Répertorié: LeBlanc v. LeBlanc

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Larlee, Richard and Quigg, JJ.A.

March 14, 2013.

Summary:

Résumé:

Spouses divorced after a 17 year marriage. A 2003 consent order provided that the husband would pay monthly spousal support of $1,700. The husband applied to vary the consent order. The wife opposed a variation and sought an order requiring the husband to maintain life insurance to guarantee the payment of spousal support.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, in a decision reported at 387 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 1001 A.P.R. 288, ordered the father to pay monthly spousal support of $1,000 for an indeterminate period. The court refused the wife's request for life insurance. The husband appealed.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Family Law - Topic 4017

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - Variation of periodic payments or lump sum award - Spouses divorced in 1997 after a 17 year marriage - A 2003 consent order provided that the husband would pay monthly spousal support of $1,700 - The husband applied to vary the consent order - The husband was an optometrist - He had retired and sold his business - He lived off his RRSPs and investments ($35,000) - The wife had only worked for short periods of time during the marriage and suffered from a severe disability (depression) - She lived off disability benefits and spousal support ($31,499) - The motion judge ordered the husband to pay monthly spousal support of $1,000 for an indeterminate period - The wife still had a need for support and the husband had the means to pay - The court found that the husband was underemployed and imputed income of $50,000 - The husband appealed - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal - The motion judge applied the correct principles of law when she chose to impute an income to the husband - Further, she made no palpable or overriding error of fact - There was no reason for appellate intervention.

Family Law - Topic 4021.4

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - Awards - Considerations - Ability to pay (incl. potential to earn income and calculation of income) - [See Family Law - Topic 4017].

Family Law - Topic 4022

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - To wife - Considerations - [See Family Law - Topic 4017].

Family Law - Topic 4022.1

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - To spouse - Extent of obligation - [See Family Law - Topic 4017].

Droit de la famille - Cote 4017

Divorce - Mesures accessoires - Ordonnances alimentaires - Modification d'une pension alimentaires ou d'une somme globale - [Voir Family Law - Topic 4017].

Droit de la famille - Cote 4021.4

Divorce - Mesures accessoires - Ordonnances alimentaires - Facteurs considérés - Capacité de payer (y compris le potentiel de revenu et le calcul du revenu) - [Voir Family Law - Topic 4021.4].

Droit de la famille - Cote 4022

Divorce - Mesures accessoires - Ordonnances alimentaires - Ordonnances en faveur de l'épouse - Facteurs considérés - [Voir Family Law - Topic 4022].

Droit de la famille - Cote 4022.1

Divorce - Mesures accessoires - Ordonnances alimentaires - Ordonnances en faveur du conjoint - Étendue de l'obligation - [Voir Family Law - Topic 4022.1].

Cases Noticed:

Housen v. Nikolaisen et al., [2002] 2 S.C.R. 235; 286 N.R. 1; 219 Sask.R. 1; 272 W.A.C. 1; 2002 SCC 33, refd to. [para. 8].

MacDonald v. MacDonald (2011), 372 N.B.R.(2d) 179; 961 A.P.R. 179; 2011 NBCA 25, refd to. [para. 9].

P.R.H. v. M.E.L. (2009), 343 N.B.R.(2d) 100; 881 A.P.R. 100; 2009 NBCA 18, refd to. [para. 9].

Smith v. Smith (2011), 375 N.B.R.(2d) 208; 969 A.P.R. 208; 2011 NBCA 66, refd to. [para. 9].

Doiron v. Wilcox (2012), 393 N.B.R.(2d) 183; 1017 A.P.R. 183; 2012 NBCA 70, refd to. [para. 9].

C.M.H. v. J.R.H. (2012), 393 N.B.R.(2d) 154; 1017 A.P.R. 154; 2012 NBCA 71, refd to. [para. 9].

MacLean v. MacLean (2004), 274 N.B.R.(2d) 90; 718 A.P.R. 90; 2004 NBCA 75, refd to. [para. 10].

Hickey v. Hickey, [1999] 2 S.C.R. 518; 240 N.R. 312; 138 Man.R.(2d) 40; 202 W.A.C. 40, refd to. [para. 11].

J.E.J. v. S.L.M. (2007), 318 N.B.R.(2d) 119; 821 A.P.R. 119; 2007 NBCA 33, refd to. [para. 11].

Milton v. Milton (2008), 338 N.B.R.(2d) 300; 866 A.P.R. 300; 2008 NBCA 87, refd to. [para. 11].

Scott v. Jabora-Scott (2011), 368 N.B.R.(2d) 281; 949 A.P.R. 281; 2011 NBCA 7, refd to. [para. 11].

Grant v. Grant (2012), 397 N.B.R.(2d) 254; 1028 A.P.R. 254; 2012 NBCA 101, refd to. [para. 11].

K.V.P. v. T.E., [2001] 2 S.C.R. 1014; 275 N.R. 52; 156 B.C.A.C. 161; 255 W.A.C. 161; 2001 SCC 60, refd to. [para. 13].

Van De Perre v. Edwards - see/voir K.V.P. v. T.E.

Bracklow v. Bracklow, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 420; 236 N.R. 79; 120 B.C.A.C. 211; 196 W.A.C. 211, refd to. [para. 15].

Mills v. Mills (2010), 356 N.B.R.(2d) 351; 919 A.P.R. 351; 2010 NBCA 20, refd to. [para. 17].

Donovan v. Donovan (2000), 150 Man.R.(2d) 116; 230 W.A.C. 116; 2000 MBCA 80, refd to. [para. 22].

J.A.M. v. D.L.M. (2008), 326 N.B.R.(2d) 111; 838 A.P.R. 111; 2008 NBCA 2, refd to. [para. 25].

Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation v. Beaverbrook Art Gallery (2006), 302 N.B.R.(2d) 161; 784 A.P.R. 161; 2006 NBCA 75, refd to. [para. 27].

Leskun v. Leskun, [2006] 1 S.C.R. 920; 349 N.R. 158; 226 B.C.A.C. 1; 373 W.A.C. 1; 2006 SCC 25, refd to. [para. 35].

Flieger v. Adams (2012), 387 N.B.R.(2d) 322; 1001 A.P.R. 322; 2012 NBCA 39, refd to. [para. 36].

Counsel:

Avocats:

Shaaron A. Gionet, for the appellant;

Renée L. Blanchard, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on October 24, 2012, by Larlee, Richard and Quigg, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal. The following judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered in both official languages, by Larlee, J.A., on March 14, 2013.