Cheung v. Meier (Child Custody)

A district court has limited discretion to deviate from the NRS 125B.070 child support formula, and any deviation must be based on the factors in NRS 125B.080(9). Love v. Love, 114 Nev. 572, 579, 959 P.2d 523, 528 (1998). Each parent has a "duty to provide the child necessary maintenance, health care, education and support," NRS 125B.020(1), and it is presumed that the needs of the child are met by the NRS 125B.070 child support formula, NRS 125B.080(5). This court reviews district court child support awards for an abuse of discretion. Wallace v. Wallace, 112 Nev. 1015, 1019, 922 P.2d 541, 543 (1996). Having reviewed the parties' arguments and the appendix to appellant's fast track statement, we are not persuaded that the district court abused its discretion when it did not impose an upward deviation from the child support formula and denied appellant's request that respondent pay for a share of the extracurricular, activities requested by appellant. Fernandez v. Fernandez, 126 Nev. 28, 40, 222 P.3d 1031, 1039 (2010) (explaining that "[t]he child's best interest, in the support setting, is tied to the goal of the support statutes generally, which is to provide fair support, as defined in [the statutory formula] and [NRS] 125B.080"); Wallace, 112 Nev. at 1019, 922 P.2d at 543. As to appellant's argument that the district court failed to make findings regarding an upward deviation analysis, because the district court did not grant the deviation, it did not need to make specific findings of fact regarding the NRS 125B.080(9) factors. See NRS 125B.080(6) (providing that "[i]f the amount of the awarded support. . . is greater or less than the amount which would be established under the applicable formula" the court shall set forth findings for the basis of the deviation); Anastassatos v. Anastassatos, 112 SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 2 (0) 1947A cep Nev. 317, 320, 913 P.2d 652, 654 (1996) (stating that the justification for any non-conformity with the statutory formula must be specified in written findings of fact). Accordingly, we ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED. Parraguirre /ea J. Douglas cc: Hon. William S. Potter, District Judge, Family Court Division Carolyn Worrell, Settlement Judge Pecos Law Group Steinberg Law Group Eighth District Court Clerk SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 3 (0) 1947A e