Whitton v. Shippelt,

JudgeCairns,Marshall,Paperny
Neutral Citation2001 ABCA 307
CourtCourt of Appeal (Alberta)
Date20 November 2001
Citation2001 ABCA 307,(2001), 293 A.R. 317 (CA),293 AR 317,23 RFL (5th) 437,[2001] AJ No 1568 (QL),[2001] A.J. No 1568 (QL),293 A.R. 317,(2001), 293 AR 317 (CA)

Whitton v. Shippelt (2001), 293 A.R. 317 (CA);

    257 W.A.C. 317

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2001] A.R. TBEd. DE.032

Jacques Armand Joseph Whitton (appellant/respondent) v. Paula Lydia Shippelt formerly known as Paula Lydia Whitton (respondent/petitioner)

(01-00113; 2001 ABCA 307)

Indexed As: Whitton v. Shippelt

Alberta Court of Appeal

Paperny, J.A., Marshall and Cairns, JJ.(ad hoc)

December 7, 2001.

Summary:

A divorce judgment reserved payment of child support because of the father's inability to pay at that time. The wife obtained an order for interim support. A subsequent interim order reduced the monthly support payment, fixed the arrears owing and ordered retroactive pre-application child maintenance. The husband appealed the retroactive award.

The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Family Law - Topic 2421

Maintenance of wives and children - Appeals - General - The Alberta Court of Appeal stated that "[t]he standard of review to be used when considering an appeal in family law cases is one of con­siderable deference. Appeal courts should not overturn support orders unless there is an error of principle, a clear misapprehen­sion of the evidence, or unless the award is clearly wrong" - See paragraph 8.

Family Law - Topic 4001.1

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - Retroactive awards - A divorce judgment reserved payment of child sup­port because of the husband's inability to pay - Thereafter, the wife obtained an interim order for retroactive pre-applica­tion child maintenance - The husband appealed the retroactive order where there were no exceptional circumstances - The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal - The test relied on "appropriate circum­stances" not "exceptional circum­stances" - The Chambers judge correctly stated that retroactive awards were appro­priate when there was "intimidation, inten­tional non-disclosure or under reporting of income, and knowing that the children are in finan­cial need and ignoring that obliga­tion" - There was ample evidence to sup­port a finding on any one of those factors The Chambers judge applied "practical con­siderations", being knowledge of the wife's need, the husband's ability to pay, the non-disclosure of income and the wife's fear, to his decision - Although the quantum was arbitrary, the decision to award retro­active support was not.

Family Law - Topic 4019

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - Appeals - [See Family Law - Topic 2421 ].

Family Law - Topic 4170

Divorce - Practice - Appeals - Duty of appellate court - Discretionary orders - [See Family Law - Topic 2421 ].

Cases Noticed:

Hickey v. Hickey (1999), 240 N.R. 312; 138 Man.R.(2d) 40; 202 W.A.C. 40; 46 R.F.L.(4th) 1 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 8].

Hunt v. Smolis-Hunt (2001), 286 A.R. 248; 253 W.A.C. 248 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 8].

Wishlow v. Bingham (2000), 261 A.R. 299; 225 W.A.C. 299 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].

Counsel:

James A. Glass, for the appellant;

Paula Lydia Shippelt, did not have counsel or make submissions.

This appeal was heard on November 20, 2001, by Paperny, J.A., Marshall and Cairns, JJ.(ad hoc), of the Alberta Court of Appeal. The court delivered the following memoran­dum of judgment on December 7, 2001.

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67 practice notes
  • D.B.S. v. S.R.G., (2006) 391 A.R. 297 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • February 13, 2006
    ...(C.A.), refd to. [paras. 106, 158]. Hess v. Hess (1994), 2 R.F.L.(4th) 22 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 106]. Whitton v. Shippelt (2001), 293 A.R. 317; 257 W.A.C. 317; 2001 ABCA 307, refd to. [para. Dahl v. Dahl (1995), 178 A.R. 119; 110 W.A.C. 119 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 106]. J.A. v. ......
  • Colucci v. Colucci,
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court (Canada)
    • June 4, 2021
    ...(1995), 174 A.R. 261; Hunt v. Smolis‑Hunt, 2001 ABCA 229, 97 Alta. L.R. (3d) 238; Paras v. Paras, [1971] 1 O.R. 130; Whitton v. Shippelt, 2001 ABCA 307, 23 R.F.L. (5th) 437; Michel v. Graydon, 2020 SCC 24; C. (M.) v. O. (J.), 2017 NBCA 15, 93 R.F.L. (7th) 59; Goulding v. Keck, 2014 ABCA 138......
  • D.B.S. v. S.R.G., (2006) 351 N.R. 201 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • February 13, 2006
    ...(C.A.), refd to. [paras. 106, 158]. Hess v. Hess (1994), 2 R.F.L.(4th) 22 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 106]. Whitton v. Shippelt (2001), 293 A.R. 317; 257 W.A.C. 317; 2001 ABCA 307, refd to. [para. Dahl v. Dahl (1995), 178 A.R. 119; 110 W.A.C. 119 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 106]. J.A. v. ......
  • Horner v. Horner, (2004) 191 O.A.C. 28 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Ontario Court of Appeal (Ontario)
    • May 21, 2004
    ...BCCA 600, refd to. [para. 85]. Brett v. Brett (1999), 19 O.A.C. 94; 44 O.R.(3d) 61 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 89]. Whitton v. Shippelt (2001), 293 A.R. 317; 257 W.A.C. 317; 23 R.F.L.(5th) 437; 2001 ABCA 307, refd to. [para. B.N.D. et al. v. M.K.M. (2002), 166 B.C.A.C. 220; 271 W.A.C. 220; 2002......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
67 cases
  • Colucci v. Colucci,
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court (Canada)
    • June 4, 2021
    ...(1995), 174 A.R. 261; Hunt v. Smolis‑Hunt, 2001 ABCA 229, 97 Alta. L.R. (3d) 238; Paras v. Paras, [1971] 1 O.R. 130; Whitton v. Shippelt, 2001 ABCA 307, 23 R.F.L. (5th) 437; Michel v. Graydon, 2020 SCC 24; C. (M.) v. O. (J.), 2017 NBCA 15, 93 R.F.L. (7th) 59; Goulding v. Keck, 2014 ABCA 138......
  • D.B.S. v. S.R.G., (2006) 391 A.R. 297 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • February 13, 2006
    ...(C.A.), refd to. [paras. 106, 158]. Hess v. Hess (1994), 2 R.F.L.(4th) 22 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 106]. Whitton v. Shippelt (2001), 293 A.R. 317; 257 W.A.C. 317; 2001 ABCA 307, refd to. [para. Dahl v. Dahl (1995), 178 A.R. 119; 110 W.A.C. 119 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 106]. J.A. v. ......
  • D.B.S. v. S.R.G., (2006) 351 N.R. 201 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • February 13, 2006
    ...(C.A.), refd to. [paras. 106, 158]. Hess v. Hess (1994), 2 R.F.L.(4th) 22 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 106]. Whitton v. Shippelt (2001), 293 A.R. 317; 257 W.A.C. 317; 2001 ABCA 307, refd to. [para. Dahl v. Dahl (1995), 178 A.R. 119; 110 W.A.C. 119 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 106]. J.A. v. ......
  • Horner v. Horner, (2004) 191 O.A.C. 28 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Ontario Court of Appeal (Ontario)
    • May 21, 2004
    ...BCCA 600, refd to. [para. 85]. Brett v. Brett (1999), 19 O.A.C. 94; 44 O.R.(3d) 61 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 89]. Whitton v. Shippelt (2001), 293 A.R. 317; 257 W.A.C. 317; 23 R.F.L.(5th) 437; 2001 ABCA 307, refd to. [para. B.N.D. et al. v. M.K.M. (2002), 166 B.C.A.C. 220; 271 W.A.C. 220; 2002......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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