- 3 -
issued by the trial court provided for permanent alimony payable
to Frances Ryan as follows:
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the
Plaintiff, W. GREGORY RYAN, shall pay to the Defendant,
FRANCES RYAN, for her support and maintenance, the sum
of SEVEN HUNDRED ($700.00) DOLLARS per month, in
advance, commencing January 5, 1990, for January,
February, March and April of 1990, and commencing
May 5, 1990, the sum of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY ($250.00)
DOLLARS PER WEEK, and continuing thereafter until the
death or substantial change in circumstances, or until
further order of this Court having competent
jurisdiction. This alimony shall be paid through the
Friend of the Court consistent with the provisions
hereinafter found dealing with payment of support.
In 1991, Gregory Ryan appealed the Judgment of Divorce to
the Michigan Court of Appeals (court of appeals) on the grounds
that the alimony granted by the trial court was in excess of the
alimony requested by Frances Ryan. In the divorce proceedings,
Frances Ryan had asked for alimony for a term of 8 years, yet the
Judgment of Divorce provided alimony until Frances Ryan's death
or a substantial change in circumstances.
The court of appeals rendered a per curiam opinion dated
May 8, 1991, finding that the trial court's alimony award was
improper and remanded the matter to the trial court "for
modification of the divorce judgment to reflect an alimony award
of $250 a week for eight years."
At trial and in the stipulation of facts, Gregory and
Patricia Ryan objected to the admission into evidence of the
court of appeals opinion on the grounds of hearsay, relevance,
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011