Thompson
Thompson v. Thames
Opinion
Opinion
Hastings, J.
The shameful history of delay in this matter is reminiscent of that nightmare case of Dickens’s imagination, Jarndyce and Jarndyce. In this case we address the retroactive portion of a Los Angeles County judgment issued under the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act (URESA, Fam. Code, § 4800 et seq.) which orders child support payments retroactive to 1990 based on a court order issued in another California jurisdiction prior to an order changing venue to Los Angeles County.
Background
On January 11, 1980, Sherrianita P. (minor) was bom in Washington, D.C., to Anita P. (now Anita Thompson) (Anita) and appellant. Appellant provided some financial support for the minor, and minor lived with appellant’s parents from August 1980 to February 1985 while Anita attended college. At some point after February 1985, Anita took the minor to live with her. Appellant moved to California, and the minor lived with him one month each summer.
In 1986, Anita, now married and residing in North Carolina, experienced sufficient financial difficulties to cause her to contemplate proceedings against appellant for support of the minor. By letter dated November 26, 1986, a North…