Case Title: Atwood v. Atwood

Citation: 550 S.W.2d 465

Docket Number: 

State: kentucky

Court: Kentucky Supreme Court

Date: 1976-11-12T00:00:00Z

Document:
550 S.W.2d 465 (1976) Barbara Jean ATWOOD (now Parrott), Appellant, v. Ronald Kennedy ATWOOD, Appellee. Supreme Court of Kentucky. November 12, 1976. C. David Emerson, Bradley & Emerson, Lexington, for appellant. D. Frederick Saunders, Brown, Sledd & McCann, P. S. C., Lexington, for appellee. STERNBERG, Justice. The custody of the parties' children was changed from appellant to appellee by order of the Fayette Circuit Court, from which order this appeal is prosecuted. The marriage of Barbara and Ronald was dissolved on September 21, 1973, and custody of their three children was awarded to Barbara. Subsequently, she married Dr. Norman Parrott, a widower with four children, from Paducah, Kentucky. Shortly after their marriage, domestic difficulties arose, and Barbara and her three children returned to Lexington, Kentucky, where the children were enrolled in the public schools. This separation was short-lived because Barbara and Dr. Parrott reconciled, and once again they were together in Paducah, with one difference the eldest of Barbara's children was left in Lexington with the child's father. However, in the fall of 1975 Barbara and Dr. Parrott again separated and Barbara returned to Lexington, where she filed a petition to dissolve her marriage. On December 24, 1975, Dr. Parrott executed an affidavit, which was filed with the Judge of the McCracken County Quarterly Court, charging Barbara with being mentally ill and likely to cause injury to herself or others if not immediately restrained. The warrant was withdrawn, however, without any action having been taken thereon. During the time of and even before *466 their first separation, Barbara, Dr. Parrott and his son, Steve, had been consulting regularly with two psychiatrists, Dr. R. Kelley and Dr. M. C. Glasgow. Dr. Kelley, in giving his deposition, among other things, said that he had seen Barbara in his professional capacity eight times since October 10, 1975. Dr. Glasgow treated Steve and, in the course of seeing him on social occasions at the doctor's home and also at the home of the Parrotts, had been around Barbara and Dr. Parrott. On January 6, 1976, Barbara's first husband, the appellee herein, filed a motion in the Fayette Circuit Court asking that he be awarded custody of the children. He proposed to take the depositions of both Dr. Kelley and Dr. Glasgow, and appellant applied to the court for a protective order prohibiting the taking of these depositions on the grounds "* * * that both Dr. Kelley and Dr. Glasgow are psychiatrists who have seen the Respondent in their professional capacities as psychiatrists, and that any and all communications by and between the aforesaid psychiatrists and the Respondent are privileged under the provisions of KRS 421.215 (1966)." The court denied the motion. The depositions of the two psychiatrists were duly taken and were considered by the court in determining that the custody of the children should be taken from appellant and awarded to appellee. The issue as stated in appellant's brief is: In a memorandum of law which appellant filed with the chancellor, in speaking of Drs. Kelley and Glasgow, it is stated: At common law there is no privilege existing between doctor and patient or psychiatrist and patient. 44 A.L.R.3d 24. The 1966 regular session of the General Assembly adopted the psychiatrist-patient privilege law, which has been codified as KRS 421.215. By the provisions of this statute, privileged communications between psychiatrist and patient exist with an absolute certainty except in three instances, to-wit: A custody action is a civil proceeding of momentous proportions. It not only affects the parents but dramatically and drastically affects the lives of the children. Regardless of the desires of the parents, in making an award of custody the polar star is to determine what is for the best interest of the child. In making this determination, the court must, among other things, consider the following: KRS 403.270 and KRS 403.340 were enacted at the 1972 regular session of the General Assembly. In every custody proceeding (KRS 403.270) and in every proceeding for the modification of a custody decree (KRS 403.340), the mental and physical health of not only the parents but of the child is of great concern and importance to the court. Whenever custody of infants is in dispute, the parties seeking custodial authority subject themselves to extensive and acute investigation of all factors relevant to the permanent and, hopefully, proper award of custody. Of major importance is the mental and physical health of all of the parties and whether the child is in an environment likely to endanger his physical, mental, moral or emotional health. Allen v. Department for Human Resources, Ky., 540 S.W.2d 597 (1976). In seeking the custody of the children in the original petition for dissolution of marriage, appellant made her mental condition an element to be considered by the court in awarding her custody. It makes little difference that the parties have agreed among themselves as to which of them would be the custodial parent. Their agreement is not binding on the court which is at all times primarily concerned with the welfare of the child and thereafter concerned for the parents. Wells v. Wells, Ky., 412 S.W.2d 568 (1967). The psychiatrist-patient privilege statute was adopted in 1966 and the statutes dealing with award of custody and its modification were adopted in 1972, some six years later. The latter statutes place the mental conditions of all family members squarely in issue. The standard of KRS 421.215(3)(c) has been met by operation of law. We are of the opinion that the depositions of Drs. Kelley and Glasgow were properly taken. The chancellor, in determining modification of the award of custody, was fully justified in considering them. The judgment is affirmed. All concur.