Patsy Olene Barrett Rutledge v. James

In this appeal, we are asked to resolve the question we left open in Hoyle v. Wilson, 746 S.W.2d 665, 677 (Tenn. 1988) (opinion on petition to rehear), that is, whether the 1987 amendment to Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-101(a)(5) prevents both retroactive modification of child support orders and the interposition of traditional equitable defenses to the enforcement of such orders. We hold that it does and affirm the judgments against the delinquent father entered by the courts below.