Britton v. Steinberg

California Court of Appeal Oct 10, 1962 No. Civ. 26000Published

Before: Jefferson

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Holding. The court held that a child may be ordered to contribute to a parent's support under Civil Code section 206 even if the parent is currently being supported by another child, provided the cost of reasonable maintenance exceeds the supporting child's ability to pay. Actual placement of the parent in a care facility is not a condition precedent to the duty of support.

Issues

Whether a child can be compelled to contribute to a parent's support when the parent is already receiving support from another child.
Whether actual placement of a parent in a care facility is a condition precedent to a child's duty of support under Civil Code section 206.

Disposition. affirmed

Quotations verified verbatim against the opinion

“The duty imposed by section 206 is maintenance of the parent to the extent of children’s ability.”

“Actual placement of the mother in a home where the cost of care would exceed plaintiff’s ability to pay is not a condition precedent to defendant’s duty under section 206.”

JEFFERSON, J.

Plaintiff, as guardian of the person and estate of her mother, Tillie Steinberg, brought an action against her two brothers to compel them to pay for the support of their mother. An order was directed to defendant, one of the brothers, ordering him to appear and show cause why he should not pay attorney’s fees, costs and a reasonable sum for support and maintenance of Tillie Steinberg during the pendency of the action.

At the hearing plaintiff testified: Her mother has lived with plaintiff and her husband for more than 40 years. Dur

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ing that time she has been the mother’s sole support. Now, having reached the age of 86 years, her mother has become more difficult to care for and needs to be placed in a home for elderly persons. After investigating the cost of placing her mother in such a home, plaintiff found the cost would be between $375 and $400 per month.

On cross-examination plaintiff testified that she and her husband have a net income of approximately $400 per month.

Defendant was called as a witness by plaintiff and testified that he receives a pension payment of $198 per month, rental income of about $4,000 annually and payments of approximately $3,000 per month on a trust deed which will continue for another 95 months.

Under examination by his own counsel defendant offered testimony tending to show that during his minority he had been abandoned by his mother, and at the conclusion of the testimony defendant moved to dismiss the order to show cause on that ground pursuant to section 206.5, Civil Code. The court denied the motion and no issue with respect thereto is made on appeal.

The trial court entered an order directing defendant to pay plaintiff for the support of Tillie Steinberg the sum of $100 per month pending trial of the action. The order also directed defendant to pay $200 for attorney’s fees and $25 for court costs. This is an appeal from the court’s order.

Defendant’s sole contention on appeal is that the award made by this order does not come within the provisions of section 206 of the Civil Code which creates the legal duty of a child to support his parents. Defendant relies upon the following language in

Britton v. Steinberg

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JEFFERSON, J.

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