No. 12859
I N THE SUPREME COURT O THE STATE OF M N A A
F OTN
1974
P M L A. GILBERT,
A EA
P l a i n t i f f and Respondent,
-vs -
WILLIAM E. GILBERT,
Defendant and A p p e l l a n t .
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court o f t h e S i x t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t ,
Honorable Nat A l l e n , Judge p r e s i d i n g .
Counsel o f Record :
For Appellant :
B e r g e r , Anderson, S i n c l a i r & Murphy, B i l l i n g s ,
Montana
Arnold A. Berger a r g u e d , B i l l i n g s , Montana
Brown and G i l b e r t , Bozeman, Montana
Gene I. Brown a r g u e d , Bozeman, Montana
F o r Respondent :
Huppert and S w i n d l e h u r s t , L i v i n g s t o n , Montana
Joseph T. S w i n d l e h u r s t a r g u e d , L i v i n g s t o n , Montana
Submitted: November 2 1 , 1974
Decided: TeB 1 3 1975
Filed : k B A 8 L$,f!S
Mr. J u s t i c e Gene B. Daly d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e C o u r t .
T h i s i s a n a p p e a l by d e f e n d a n t - f a t h e r from a judgment
d a t e d August 7 , 1974, of t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t , Park County, denv-
i n g h i s p e t i t i o n f o r a l e g a l change of c u s t o d y from t h e mother.
The p a r t i e s were m a r r i e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y s e v e n and o n e h a l f
y e a r s and a t t h e t i m e of t h e d i v o r c e on A p r i l 4 , 1972, t h e r e was
one i s s u e of t h e m a r r i a g e a d a u g h t e r Whitney, a g e 3 y e a r s . The
p a r t i e s e n t e r e d i n t o a v o l u n t a r y p r o p e r t y s e t t l e m e n t and c u s t o d y
agreement and t h i s agreement was f i l e d w i t h t h e c o u r t and made
a p a r t of t h e judgment which was g r a n t e d by d e f a u l t t o p l a i n t i f f -
wife. Custody of t h e minor c h i l d was p l a c e d w i t h t h e mother and
p r o v i d e d l i b e r a l v i s i t a t i o n t o t h e f a t h e r ; w i t h two months t e m -
p o r a r y c u s t o d y t o t h e f a t h e r d u r i n g t h e summer months of J u n e ,
J u l y and August e a c h y e a r , w i t h t h e same l i b e r a l v i s i t a t i o n
p r i v i l e g e s t o t h e mother d u r i n g t h e f a t h e r ' s c u s t o d y . In addition,
t h e r e were p r o v i s i o n s f o r c u s t o d y on h o l i d a y s .
I n t h e summer 1972, t h e c h i l d r e s i d e d w i t h t h e mother
who was a t t e n d i n g summer s c h o o l i n Bozeman. The mother a l l o w e d
t h e f a t h e r , who a l s o l i v e d i n Bozeman, f r e q u e n t v i s i t a t i o n .
I n t h e f a l l 1972, t h e mother moved t o G a r d i n e r , Montana
t o take a teaching position. During t h e f o o t b a l l s e a s o n whenever
t h e Bobcats had a home game, t h e mother b r o u g h t t h e c h i l d t o
Bozeman and a l l o w e d h e r t o s t a y w i t h t h e f a t h e r f o r t h e weekend.
During t h a t s c h o o l y e a r , t h e f a t h e r t r a v e l e d t o G a r d i n e r two o r
three t i m e s t o v i s i t the child.
I n t h e summer 1973, t h e c h i l d r e s i d e d w i t h t h e f a t h e r
f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y two months a s p r o v i d e d i n t h e d i v o r c e d e c r e e .
She t h e n accompanied h e r mother t o Iowa f o r two o r t h r e e weeks
t o v i s i t her maternal grandparents.
During t h i s t i m e b o t h p a r e n t s had become c o n c e r n e d a b o u t
the child. She had become q u i t e s h y around p e o p l e and seemed t o be
h a v i n g e m o t i o n a l t r o u b l e s which were n o t improving, b u t r a t h e r
seemed t o be g e t t i n g o u t of hand. After consulting with profes-
s i o n a l p e o p l e and t h e U n i v e r s i t y School o f f i c i a l s , b o t h p a r e n t s
a g r e e d i n September 1973, t h a t t h e c h i l d s h o u l d s t a y w i t h t h e
f a t h e r i n Bozeman and a t t e n d t h e c h i l d development c e n t e r spon-
s o r e d by Montana S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y . T h i s program i s b a s i c a l l y a
n u r s e r y s c h o o l d e s i g n e d t o t e a c h young c h i l d r e n t o r e l a t e w i t h
other children. The c h i l d was e n r o l l e d i n t h e s c h o o l and d i d
very well.
A t t h e end o f f a l l q u a r t e r , t h e mother wanted t h e c h i l d
back b u t allowed h e r t o c o n t i n u e i n t h e s c h o o l a f t e r t a l k i n g t o
h e r t e a c h e r who encouraged t h e mother t o keep t h e c h i l d i n t h e
school. The mother a g a i n a t t e m p t e d t o g e t t h e c h i l d back a t
t h e end o f w i n t e r q u a r t e r , b u t gave up a f t e r b e i n g t h r e a t e n e d
w i t h l e g a l a c t i o n by t h e f a t h e r . I n May 1974, t h e f a t h e r p e t i -
t i o n e d f o r t h e c u s t o d y of h i s d a u g h t e r , Whitney. The c o u r t r e -
f u s e d t o award him c u s t o d y . A t t h e end of t h e s c h o o l term, the
mother was s e r v e d w i t h a r e s t r a i n i n g o r d e r i s s u e d t o p r e v e n t h e r
from g a i n i n g c u s t o d y u n t i l t h e i n s t a n t a p p e a l was completed.
The mother r e m a r r i e d on J u n e 1 5 , 1974. H e r husband i s a
F a c i l i t i e s P l a n n i n g E n g i n e e r w i t h Mountain B e l l Telephone Com-
pany, permanently a s s i g n e d t o Cheyenne, Wyoming. The c o u p l e h a s
purchased a two bedroom home. The new h u s b a n d ' s e a r n i n g s a r e
$14,500 p e r annum. He h a s t h r e e c h i l d r e n by a p r e v i o u s m a r r i a g e
and pays $225 p e r month c h i l d s u p p o r t .
On a p p e a l , t h e f a t h e r c h a l l e n g e s t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of
s e c t i o n 9 1 - 4 5 1 5 ( 2 ) , R.C.M. 1 9 4 7 , which p r o v i d e s i n e s s e n c e t h a t a
c h i l d of t e n d e r y e a r s , e v e r y t h i n g e l s e b e i n g e q u a l between t h e
two p a r e n t s , s h o u l d be awarded t o t h e mother. He a l s o a t t a c k s
s e c t i o n 21-137, R.C.M. 1947, a s u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l . That s e c t i o n
p r o v i d e s t h e w i f e may b e awarded a t t o r n e y f e e s from t h e husband.
There i s no l i k e p r o v i s i o n f o r t h e husband. The f a t h e r c o n t e n d s
t h a t b o t h s t a t u t e s d i s c r i m i n a t e on t h e b a s i s of s e x i n v i o l a t i o n
of A r t i c l e 11, Sec. 4 , 1 9 7 2 Montana C o n s t i t u t i o n and t h e F i f t h
and F o u r t e e n t h Amendments t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n .
The c o n s t i t u t i o n a l q u e s t i o n s p r e s e n t e d f o r r e v i e w w e r e
n o t r a i s e d i n t h e t r i a l c o u r t and were n o t c e r t i f i e d t o t h i s C o u r t
a s i s r e q u i r e d by Rule 38, M.R.App.Civ.P., t h e r e f o r e t h e r e w a s no
notice t o the attorney general. The a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l must be
g i v e n a n o p p o r t u n i t y under Rule 38 t o a p p e a r i n d e f e n s e of l e g i s -
l a t i v e a c t s which a r e c h a l l e n g e d on c o n s t i t u t i o n a l grounds.
The f a t h e r ' s f i n a l i s s u e i s "Did t h e t r i a l judge a b u s e
h i s d i s c r e t i o n i n f a i l i n g t o modify t h e d e c r e e of d i v o r c e t o award
c u s t o d y o f t h e minor c h i l d of t h e p a r t i e s t o d e f e n d a n t husband?"
The f a t h e r a r g u e s t h e r e h a s been a s i g n i f i c a n t change of
c i r c u m s t a n c e s s i n c e t h e o r i g i n a l d i v o r c e d e c r e e which w a r r a n t s t h e
change o f c u s t o d y of Whitney from t h e mother t o t h e f a t h e r . How-
e v e r , t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i n i t s f i n d i n g s of f a c t No. I X s t a t e d :
"That t h e r e h a s been no m a t e r i a l c h a n s e of c i r -
d
cumstances w a r r a n t i n g a m o d i f i c a t i o n of t h e
d e c r e e . I'
I n i t s conclusion of l a w I , t h e c o u r t s t a t e d :
"That no m a t e r i a l change of c i r c u m s t a n c e s e x i s t s
t h a t w a r r a n t a m o d i f i c a t i o n of t h e o r i g i n a l
d e c r e e , and t h a t it i s f o r t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s
o f t h e minor c h i l d t h a t s h e remain i n t h e c u s t o d y
of h e r m o t h e r , s u b j e c t t o t h e v i s i t a t i o n and
summer c u s t o d y on t h e p a r t of h e r f a t h e r , a s
provided i n t h e o r i g i n a l decree."
This Court has c o n s i s t e n t l y held t h a t i n custody c a s e s
t h e u n d e r l y i n g p r i n c i p l e , paramount t o a l l o t h e r s , i s t h e w e l f a r e
and b e s t i n t e r e s t s of t h e c h i l d and no change i n t h e c h i l d ' s c u s -
t o d y w i l l be a l l o w e d e x c e p t where a d e q u a t e c a u s e t h e r e f o r a r i s e s
o u t of a changed c o n d i t i o n . T h a t changed c i r c u m s t a n c e s o r con-
d i t i o n s a r e based on t h e p r i n c i p l e t h a t s t a b i l i t y of home l i f e of
c h i l d r e n i s a v i t a l f a c t o r t o t h e i r w e l l b e i n g and t h e t u r m o i l of
l i t i g a t i o n must be minimized and somewhere b r o u g h t t o a n end.
T h i s Court a l s o recognizes t h e s u p e r i o r p o s i t i o n of t h e t r i a l
judge i n s u c h m a t t e r s and w i l l n o t d i s t u r b t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s
f i n d i n g s u n l e s s t h e r e i s a m i s t a k e of l a w o r a f i n d i n g of f a c t
n o t s u p p o r t e d by c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e t h a t would amount t o a c l e a r
abuse of d i s c r e t i o n . Bayers v . B a y e r s , 129 Mont. 1, 281 P.2d
5 0 6 ; I n t h e Matter o f t h e Adoption of Dwayne B i e r y , a Minor C h i l d ,
- .- 522
Mont , P.2d 1377, 1378, 3 1 St.Rep. 458.
It i s uncontradicted i n t h e record t h a t a f t e r t h e f i r s t
y e a r under t h e o r i g i n a l c u s t o d y agreement t h e c h i l d became emo-
t i o n a l l y ill. The p a r t i e s r e c o g n i z e d t h i s change of c o n d i t i o n
and p h y s i c a l c u s t o d y was g i v e n t o t h e f a t h e r a t t h a t t i m e t o s e r v e
t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t of t h i s c h i l d . Disregarding t h e s t a t e d inten-
t i o n s of t h e p a r t i e s a t t h a t t i m e and o n l y c o n s i d e r i n g t h e n a t u r a l
consequences of t h e i r a c t s , w e view t h e s i t u a t i o n s o l e l y from t h e
p o i n t of view of t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f t h i s c h i l d .
p h y s i c a l c u s t o d y of t h i s c h i l d i n i t s p r e s e n t environment
i s a f a c t and h a s been f o r a l o n g p e r i o d o f t i m e , when viewed i n
t h e l i g h t of t h e f o r m a t i v e y e a r s o f a f o u r y e a r o l d c h i l d a t t h e
t i m e s h e came i n t o t h e p r e s e n t environment a f t e r a n u n s u c c e s s f u l
one y e a r from a g e t h r e e t o f o u r y e a r s i n t h e f i r s t a g r e e d c u s t o d y
arrangement. T h i s c h i l d w i l l be s i x y e a r s o l d on March 1 6 , 1975.
There a r e no a l l e g a t i o n s o f u n f i t n e s s o r t h e l i k e b e f o r e
t h i s Court. The change o f c u s t o d y i s a g r e e d t o have been s u c c e s s -
f u l i n s o f a r as t h e e m o t i o n a l h e a l t h of t h e c h i l d was c o n c e r n e d .
There i s no c o n f l i c t on t h i s p o i n t . There i s t e s t i m o n y i n t h e
r e c o r d from seven p e o p l e , o t h e r t h a n t h e p a r t i e s , who a p p e a r t o
have been f r i e n d s of b o t h of t h e p a r t i e s and have o b s e r v e d t h e
p r e s e n t environment. They a l l a g r e e t o t h e h i g h q u a l i t y of t h e
p r e s e n t c u s t o d y environment and t h e h e a l t h y e m o t i o n a l e f f e c t i t h a s
had on t h e c h i l d .
The r e t u r n o f p h y s i c a l c u s t o d y t o t h e mother i s based
p r i m a r i l y on t h e m a t e r n a l d e s i r e and l o v e f o r t h e c h i l d which
i s no d o u b t g e n u i n e and s i n c e r e . The mother h a s r e m a r r i e d t o a
man who h a s a r e s p o n s i b l e p o s i t i o n o u t o f t h e s t a t e of Montana
and i s p a y i n g s u p p o r t f o r h i s own c h i l d r e n by a p r i o r m a r r i a g e .
The s t e p - f a t h e r d i d n o t a p p e a r i n c o u r t , s o t h a t any e v a l u a t i o n
c o u l d be made by t h e t r i a l c o u r t c o n c e r n i n g t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g
and w i l l i n g n e s s o r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s h e m i g h t have t o assume t h e
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t h a t would a t t e n d t h e moving o f t h i s c h i l d who
h a s formed s t r o n g e m o t i o n a l t i e s w i t h h e r own f a t h e r .
A s t h i s Court s a i d i n Biery:
"Directing our a t t e n t i o n t o t h e f i r s t i s s u e ,
w e n o t e t h a t t h i s C o u r t h a s c o n s i s t e n t l y looked
t o t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s of t h e c h i l d i n d e t e r m i n i n g
custody. [ C i t i n g c a s e s ] I n awarding t h e c u s t o d y
of a minor, s e c t i o n 91-4515(1) s p e c i f i c a l l y p r o -
v i d e s t h a t t h e c o u r t i s t o be guided:
"'By what a p p e a r s t o be f o r t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s of
t h e c h i l d i n r e s p e c t t o i t s t e m p o r a l and i t s m e n t a l
and moral w e l f a r e * * * '
"The p a r e n t ' s r i g h t t o t h e c u s t o d y of h e r minor
c h i l d i s n o t a n a b s o l u t e o n e , even though it be
conceded t h a t s h e i s a f i t and p r o p e r p e r s o n . In
a l l such c a s e s t h e c r u c i a l f a c t o r i s t h e c h i l d ' s
w e l f a r e , . b o t h m a t e r i a l and p s y c h o l o g i c a l , c o n s i d e r -
i n g i n p a r t i c u l a r t h e t i e s of a f f e c t i o n t h e c h i l d
h a s formed and t h e consequences of b r e a k i n g t h o s e
t i e s . * * *"
The a g r e e d f a c t s i n t h i s c a s e d e m o n s t r a t e s e v e r a l i n t e r -
r e l a t e d c h a n g e s of c o n d i t i o n t h a t would w a r r a n t c o n s i d e r a t i o n by
t h e c o u r t , inasmuch a s t h e y b e a r d i r e c t l y on t h e w e l f a r e o f t h i s
c h i l d , and t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' i s h o l d i n g t h a t none e x i s t w a s e r r o r .
I n view of t h e h i s t o r y of t h i s c h i l d and t h e e m o t i o n a l
problems t h a t have s o r e c e n t l y j u s t begun t o d i s a p p e a r i n t h e
p r e s e n t environment, we f e e l t h a t t o u p r o o t h e r a g a i n and p l a c e
h e r i n a s t r a n g e home i n a n o t h e r c i t y , w i t h a s t e p - f a t h e r who i s
unknown t o t h e c h i l d o r t o t h e c o u r t , a s i t r e l a t e s t o h i s r o l e
a s a f a t h e r , c o u l d have a n e x t r e m e l y d e t r i m e n t a l e f f e c t on t h e
child. The r e c o r d b e f o r e t h i s C o u r t w i l l n o t j u s t i f y t h e u p r o o t i n g
of t h e c h i l d from t h e s e c u r i t y s h e now f e e l s and p l a c e h e r i n
a n environment of which t h i s C o u r t i s u n s u r e .
The judgment of t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s r e v e r s e d and t h e
c a u s e remanded t o t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o p l a c e l e g a l c u s t o d y i n
t h e f a t h e r and p r o v i d e t h e mother w i t h v i s i t a t i o n r i g h t s e q u i v a l e n t
t o t h o s e e n j o y e d by t h e f a t h e r i n t h e o 1 d e c r e e of d i v o r c e .
Justice
,.
W concur:
e
Chief J u s t i c e
Justices