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Robinson v. RobinsonRobinson v. Robinson

Supreme Court of Georgia
Dec 5, 1978
34239
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Hall
Hall, Justice.

The parties were divorced in 1969 and agreed in the divorce settlement, incorporated in the final judgment, ‍​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‍that the former husband would pay for the children’s higher education. The former husband has now been held in contempt because he refused to pay the educational expenses of his two daughters enrolled in Appalachian State ‍​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‍University. He appeals. We affirm.

The father contends that the provision in the divorce decree for his payment of educational expenses is too vague to be enforceable. By agreement, appellant assumed the additional obligation of paying the ‍​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‍expenses of educating his children after high school so long as the children are “academically qualified” and are “actively pursuing” their courses of study. Such an agreement is valid and enforceable. Norrell v. Norrell, 236 Ga. 797 (225 ‍​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‍SE2d 305) (1976); McClain v. McClain, 235 Ga. 659 (221 SE2d 561) (1975). Valid “living expenses” and the costs of “room and board, tuition and books” for education beyond the high school level including “technical, business, college and/or postgraduate” ‍​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‍education are ascertainable. Norrell v. Norrell, supra. See Clavin v. Clavin, 238 Ga 421 (233 SE2d 151) (1977).

Judgment affirmed.

All the Justices concur.

Case Details

Case Name: Robinson v. Robinson
Court Name: Supreme Court of Georgia
Date Published: Dec 5, 1978
Citations: 242 Ga. 698; 251 S.E.2d 287; 1978 Ga. LEXIS 1333; 34239
Docket Number: 34239
Court Abbreviation: Ga.
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