In the case of “Smith v. Smith,” the Appeals Court of Massachusetts dealt with issues surrounding post-divorce agreements related to alimony. The husband and wife had reached several agreements without court approval that reduced the alimony amount initially ordered by the court. The husband relied on these reductions to take on additional financial responsibilities for their emancipated children, such as paying for graduate school tuition and a wedding. The wife later filed a complaint for contempt, seeking the arrearage owed under the original court-approved alimony agreement. The court found that the husband was not in contempt, as the wife had agreed to the reductions, and the husband had acted in reliance on these agreements. The court emphasized that the husband did not act in clear disobedience of the divorce judgment.