Brock v. Cavanaugh

The defendant appeals 1 from a judgment of the trial court ordering him to pay the plaintiff a $10,000 arrearage 2 for child support. The issues raised deal with the doctrines of laches and equitable estoppel in the context of support payments that were not paid for six years.

The plaintiff, Margaret Brock, then Margaret Cavanaugh, and the defendant, Andrew Cavanaugh, were married in 1965 and are the parents of a minor daughter. Their marriage was terminated in April, 1972. In the divorce decree, custody of the minor daughter was awarded to the plaintiff subject to the right of reasonable…