Case ID: so2d_415/html/1089-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "ALMON, Justice. MADDOX, Justice", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Ex parte Ronald Eugene ROBERTSON. (In re Ronald Eugene ROBERTSON v. Robin Lee ROBERTSON (Watkins)).
    81-583.
    Supreme Court of Alabama.
    June 11, 1982.
    Stephen V. Hammond of Chenault, Che-nault & Hammond, Decatur, for petitioner.
    Miles T. Powell, Decatur, for respondent.
   ALMON, Justice.

WRIT DENIED. 415 So.2d 1085.

TORBERT, C. J., and FAULKNER, EM-BRY, BEATTY and ADAMS, JJ., concur.

MADDOX, JONES and SHORES, JJ., concur specially.

MADDOX, Justice

(concurring specially).

I agree that the writ is due to be denied. Even though the trial judge did consider “the natural relationship of mother and daughter and the intimate benefits that a daughter of tender years can derive from the relationship,” I am not convinced that this Court should review the Court of Civil Appeals, especially since that court, after a review of the record, determined that the judgment of the trial court was based upon a totality of circumstances, including the sex and age of the child.

The Court of Civil Appeals found:

“While we recognize the validity of appellant’s contention regarding the unconstitutionality of the ‘tender years’ presumption, we do not find that the court’s statement concerning the mother-daughter relationship in fact constitutes an improper reliance on that doctrine.”

In view of the fact that the Court of Civil Appeals determined, after a review of the record, that the trial court did not rely upon the tender years presumption in its award of custody, I agree that the writ can be denied.