Patricia Gay Patterson Lattimore v. James S. Lattimore, Jr.

This appeal arises from a post-divorce proceeding wherein the wife filed a petition requesting that the trial court hold the husband in civil contempt due to his noncompliance with the alimony provision in the parties’ marital dissolution agreement (“MDA”) and enter a judgment in favor of the wife representing the alimony arrearage and statutory interest. Following a bench trial, the trial court dismissed the wife’s petition without entering a monetary judgment against the husband, upon finding that although the husband had violated the alimony provision of the MDA, his failure to pay was not willful. The trial court also denied the wife’s request for attorney’s fees. Having determined that the evidence preponderates against the trial court’s finding, we conclude that the husband’s failure to comply with the alimony provision was willful. Upon further determination that the trial court erred in dismissing the wife’s petition for civil contempt and a monetary award, we reverse.