Nathan v. Ehrhart (In Re Ehrhart)

FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND DECISION

ARTHUR J. SPECTOR, Bankruptcy Judge.

This case presents a difficult question of Michigan domestic relations law, namely: whether a custodial parent may offset a debt owed to the noncustodial parent against a child-support debt owed by the noncustodial parent. That the question arises in this court demonstrates that the practice of bankruptcy law is not quite as limited a specialty as some presume.

David F. Ehrhart (the “Debtor”) and Sharon L. Ehrhart (the “Defendant”) were divorced in 1981 pursuant to a stipulated judgment of divorce entered in…