Little v. Little
Supreme Court of Arizona
975 P.2d 108 (Ariz. 1999)
After Billy and Mrs. Little divorced with two children, Mrs. Little received custody and Billy was ordered to pay $1,186 monthly in child support based on his $48,000 Air Force salary and MBA, compared to Mrs. Little's modest $1,040 monthly income. Billy then resigned from the Air Force to pursue a full-time law degree and petitioned to reduce his support obligation to just $239 per month based on his voluntarily reduced income; the trial court denied the reduction, the court of appeals reversed in Billy's favor, and Mrs. Little appealed further.
Whether a court determining if a parent's decision to become a full-time student justifies reducing child support must weigh multiple factors, with the severity of financial impact on the child as paramount.