Marriage of Goyal CA2/6

Filed 1/4/22 Marriage of Goyal CA2/6

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION SIX

In re Marriage of HILLARY 2d Civ. No. B306425 DAWN GOYAL and PREM (Super. Ct. No. BD634487) GOYAL. (Los Angeles County)

HILLARY DAWN GOYAL,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

PREM GOYAL,

Defendant and Appellant.

Hillary Goyal and Prem Goyal married in 1997 and divorced in 2019. Shortly after entry of judgment, Prem requested an order modifying his stipulated monthly spousal and child support payments to zero because he had recently lost his

job.1 The trial court found Prem failed to show a material change in circumstances and denied his request. Prem appeals. We conclude there was no abuse of discretion and affirm. FACTUAL BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY Prem is a Certified Public Accountant specializing in corporate finance. He held several temporary positions and consultancies over the past decade. His expertise allowed him to demand a substantial wage for his services, but he often experienced lengthy periods of unemployment between jobs. Nevertheless, he earned enough during the marriage to support the family after Hillary ended her full-time banking career to care for their children. Hillary and Prem separated in 2016 and initiated dissolution proceedings. The case was intensively litigated. It resolved in May of 2019 with a marital settlement agreement (MSA). At the time of the signing, Prem was employed as a consultant by LegalZoom at a monthly salary of $40,700. Hillary’s position as a non-profit development officer paid $4,375 per month. They agreed to set Prem’s spousal support payment to Hillary at $3,250 per month and child support for their son and daughter at $5,477 per month. The MSA “provide[d] that should an issue arise with child and spousal support modification due to [Prem’s] unemployment or any subsequent work contracts in the future, the Parties shall exercise reasonable efforts to initiate a Status Conference call with the Court prior to filing an RFO.” Judgment was entered in July 2019.