In Re Marriage of Dunmore

Appellant Steven Gregory Dunmore challenges an order by the trial court setting child support arrears for his daughter Eileen. In an *Page 3 unrelated action, Eileen's stepfather initiated a stepparent adoption of Eileen. The pre-adoption proceedings included a court finding that the adoption could proceed without appellant's consent. On appeal, Steven argues this finding terminated his child support obligation. 1 We disagree and shall affirm the judgment (order). FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Steven married respondent Linda K. Helmig (Dunmore) in 1982, and the marriage was dissolved in 1991. 2 The couple have a daughter, Eileen, born May 12, 1986. The dissolution judgment ordered Steven to pay child support for Eileen of $500 per month beginning October 1, 1990. Steven made all child support payments through March 1994. However, Steven failed to make payments from April 1994 through March 1999. In April 1996, the court lowered the child support for Eileen to $212 per month. In a separate case, Eileen's stepfather initiated an adoption in 1996. During the pre-adoption proceedings, a finding was requested and made that the abandonment elements of Family Code section 8604 ,…