Case Title: Ex parte Emily Richey Thompson. PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS (In re: Emily Richey Thompson v. Kristopher Eric Richey)

Citation: 

Docket Number: 1080041

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 2010-03-05T00:00:00Z

Document:
REL: 03/05/2010 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
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p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
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Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1080041 
Ex p a r t e Emily Richey Thompson 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS 
( I n r e : 
Emily Richey Thompson 
v. 
K r i s t o p h e r E r i c 
R i c h e y ) 
( M a r s h a l l D i s t r i c t Court, DR-05-200389; 
Court o f C i v i l Appeals, 2070305) 
STUART, 
J u s t i c e . 
1080041 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
g r a n t e d 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
t h e 
w r i t 
o f 
c e r t i o r a r i i n t h i s 
c h i l d - v i s i t a t i o n 
c a s e t o d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r 
t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l A p p e a l s ' n o - o p i n i o n a f f i r m a n c e o f t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s o r d e r a w a r d i n g 
t h e n o n c u s t o d i a l f a t h e r 
u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n 
c o n f l i c t s 
w i t h p r i o r d e c i s i o n s o f t h a t c o u r t . 
We 
f i n d t h e d e c i s i o n i s i n c o n f l i c t w i t h p r i o r d e c i s i o n s , and 
we 
r e v e r s e and remand. 
I . 
E m i l y R i c h e y Thompson ("Thompson") and 
K r i s t o p h e r 
E r i c 
R i c h e y 
( " R i c h e y " ) 
met 
i n 
2001 
and 
s t a r t e d 
d a t i n g 
s h o r t l y 
t h e r e a f t e r . 
I n O c t o b e r 
2 0 0 1 , 
Thompson became p r e g n a n t 
w i t h 
t h e p a r t i e s ' c h i l d , who 
was b o r n on J u l y 8, 2002. 
A t t h e t i m e 
t h e 
c h i l d was 
b o r n , t h e p a r t i e s were n o t m a r r i e d and were 
no 
l o n g e r d a t i n g . 
They r e c o n c i l e d 
s h o r t l y 
a f t e r 
t h e 
c h i l d 
was 
b o r n , and t h e y m a r r i e d on May 
8, 2004. 
I n S e p t e m b e r 2005, t h e 
p a r t i e s s e p a r a t e d . 
They r e c o n c i l e d b r i e f l y and t h e n s e p a r a t e d 
f o r 
t h e 
f i n a l t i m e i n December 2005. 
Thompson 
f i l e d 
f o r d i v o r c e and 
s o u g h t 
c u s t o d y 
o f 
t h e 
m i n o r 
c h i l d 
and 
r e q u e s t e d t h a t R i c h e y ' s 
v i s i t a t i o n 
w i t h 
t h e 
c h i l d 
be 
s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n . 
She 
r e q u e s t e d 
s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n 
p r i m a r i l y 
b e c a u s e 
she 
a l l e g e d 
t h a t 
R i c h e y 
h a d 
2 
1080041 
s e x u a l l y a b u s e d t h e c h i l d and a l s o b a s e d on t h e f a c t s 
t h a t 
R i c h e y h a d u s e d c o c a i n e , 
m a r i j u a n a , 
c r y s t a l 
m e t h a m p h e t a m i n e , 
o x y c o d o n e , X a n a x , a n d m e t h a d o n e , 
t h a t he h a d b e e n i n d r u g and 
a l c o h o l 
r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a number o f t i m e s and h a d 
r e p e a t e d l y 
r e l a p s e d , 
and 
t h a t 
i n 2 0 0 6 he h a d b e e n 
a r r e s t e d 
t w i c e f o r 
d r i v i n g u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f a l c o h o l and once f o r p u b l i c 
i n t o x i c a t i o n . 
The p a r t i e s a p p e a r e d a t a h e a r i n g h e l d i n M a r c h 
2007, a t w h i c h , upon a g r e e m e n t o f t h e p a r t i e s , t h e p a r t i e s 
were d i v o r c e d . 
A l l 
o t h e r 
i s s u e s were r e s e r v e d f o r t h e 
f i n a l 
h e a r i n g . 
I n i t s p e n d e n t e 
l i t e 
o r d e r , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t , 
by 
a g r e e m e n t o f t h e p a r t i e s , a w a r d e d c u s t o d y o f t h e m i n o r 
c h i l d 
t o 
Thompson 
and 
o r d e r e d 
t h a t 
R i c h e y 
h a v e 
s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n . 
A t 
t h e 
f i n a l 
h e a r i n g 
i n S e p t e m b e r 
2007, 
t h e 
e v i d e n c e 
r e v e a l e d t h e f o l l o w i n g f a c t s r e l e v a n t t o R i c h e y ' s 
v i s i t a t i o n 
w i t h t h e m i n o r c h i l d : R i c h e y was 26 y e a r s o l d a t t h e t i m e o f 
t h e 
f i n a l h e a r i n g . 
I n 2 0 0 6 he was a r r e s t e d t w i c e f o r d r i v i n g 
u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e . 
I n t h a t same y e a r , he was 
a r r e s t e d f o r 
p u b l i c 
i n t o x i c a t i o n . 
He 
a d m i t t e d 
t o h a v i n g 
u s e d 
c o c a i n e , 
m a r i j u a n a , 
a n d c r y s t a l m e t h a m p h e t a m i n e . 
When R i c h e y was a 
j u v e n i l e , 
he was 
a d j u d i c a t e d 
d e l i n q u e n t 
on t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g 
3 
1080041 
c h a r g e o f d r i v i n g u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f a l c o h o l . 
He was a l s o 
a d j u d i c a t e d a y o u t h f u l o f f e n d e r b a s e d on t h e u n d e r l y i n g c h a r g e 
o f d r i v i n g u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f 
a l c o h o l . 
R i c h e y 
has a t t e n d e d 
t h r e e 
r e h a b i l i t a t i o n p r o g r a m s . 
He 
a t t e n d e d 
a p r o g r a m 
c a l l e d T h r e e S p r i n g s as a j u v e n i l e . 
He 
a t t e n d e d 
a p r o g r a m o f f e r e d by Rapha 
M i n i s t r i e s w h i l e he and 
Thompson were 
d a t i n g . 
N o n e t h e l e s s , 
he 
a g a i n 
s t a r t e d 
u s i n g 
X a n a x and methadone and d r i n k i n g a l c o h o l . 
Then, i n S e p t e m b e r 
2006, 
he 
a t t e n d e d 
a n o t h e r 
r e h a b i l i t a t i o n 
p r o g r a m 
a t 
t h e 
S u n r i s e L o d g e i n R u s s e l l v i l l e . 
A t t h e M a r c h 2007 h e a r i n g t h a t t o o k p l a c e i n t h i s 
c a s e , 
R i c h e y 
c l a i m e d t o be c l e a n and s o b e r . 
He 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t he 
h a d n o t u s e d any d r u g s o r a l c o h o l i n s i x m o n t h s . 
W i t h i n 10 
d a y s o f t h a t h e a r i n g he was 
s e e n a t a l o c a l b a r , c o n s u m i n g 
a l c o h o l . He 
a d m i t t e d 
a t t h e S e p t e m b e r 2007 h e a r i n g 
t h a t 
he 
c o n t i n u e s t o d r i n k a l c o h o l . 
A c c o r d i n g t o Thompson, on 
t h r e e 
o r 
f o u r 
o c c a s i o n s 
b e t w e e n 
M a r c h 
2007 
and 
S e p t e m b e r 
2007, 
R i c h e y t e l e p h o n e d Thompson w h i l e he was u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f 
e i t h e r d r u g s o r 
a l c o h o l . 
Much o f t h e t e s t i m o n y 
i n t h i s 
c a s e 
f o c u s e d on 
R i c h e y ' s 
a l l e g e d 
s e x u a l 
a b u s e 
o f 
t h e 
m i n o r 
c h i l d . 
One 
i n c i d e n t 
4 
1080041 
o c c u r r e d i n J u l y 
2004, 
w h i l e t h e p a r t i e s were m a r r i e d a n d 
l i v i n g t o g e t h e r . 
Thompson came home f r o m w o r k a n d f o u n d t h e 
t w o - y e a r - o l d 
c h i l d 
s i t t i n g on R i c h e y ' s l a p . When t h e c h i l d 
h o p p e d down, Thompson saw t h a t R i c h e y was s e x u a l l y 
a r o u s e d . 
R i c h e y a c k n o w l e d g e d 
t h a t 
t h i s e v e n t o c c u r r e d a n d s t a t e d 
t h a t 
i t was " v e r y a b n o r m a l . " 
He a d m i t t e d t h a t i t 
" c o n c e r n e d " h i m , 
b u t he n e v e r 
s o u g h t any c o u n s e l i n g i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e 
e v e n t . 
I n J a n u a r y 2006, t h e c h i l d 
c o m p l a i n e d t o h e r m o t h e r o f 
i r r i t a t i o n i n 
h e r g e n i t a l a r e a . Thompson o b s e r v e d r e d n e s s a n d 
i r r i t a t i o n i n 
t h e a r e a . 
B e c a u s e o f t h e i r r i t a t i o n , t h e c h i l d 
c o u l d n o t s i t 
down i n 
a t u b 
o f w a t e r . 
When Thompson a s k e d t h e 
c h i l d what was w r o n g , she t o l d Thompson t h a t h e r f a t h e r h a d 
t o u c h e d h e r . The c h i l d ' s p e d i a t r i c i a n d i a g n o s e d h e r 
as h a v i n g 
v u l v o v a g i n i t i s b u t c o u l d n o t s a y w h e t h e r t h e c h i l d h a d b e e n 
s e x u a l l y 
a b u s e d . 
Thompson 
r e p o r t e d t h e i n c i d e n t t o t h e M a r s h a l l 
C o u n t y 
D e p a r t m e n t o f Human R e s o u r c e s 
("DHR"). 
Ann S t e p h e n s o n , 
a 
c h i l d - a b u s e 
i n v e s t i g a t o r who h a d w o r k e d f o r 
DHR f o r 
20 y e a r s 
a t 
t h e t i m e o f t h e h e a r i n g , 
t e s t i f i e d i n t h i s 
c a s e . 
She 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
she 
h a s 
p e r f o r m e d 
" s e v e r a l 
h u n d r e d " 
5 
1080041 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n s . 
She 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
upon 
c o m p l e t i n g 
h e r 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , she made a f i n d i n g t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s 
c o m p l a i n t 
o f 
s e x u a l a b u s e a t t h e h a n d s o f h e r f a t h e r was " i n d i c a t e d . " 
She 
e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t a f i n d i n g o f " i n d i c a t e d " means " t h a t t h e 
D e p a r t m e n t 
b e l i e v e d t h e c h i l d . " 
S t e p h e n s o n 
a l s o 
e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t t h e s e x u a l - a b u s e 
c a s e was due t o be p r e s e n t e d 
t o t h e 
g r a n d 
j u r y t h e n e x t 
t i m e 
i t was 
c o n v e n e d . 
R i c h e y 
d e n i e d 
i n a p p r o p r i a t e l y 
t o u c h i n g 
t h e m i n o r 
c h i l d . He c o n t e s t e d t h e 
f i n d i n g 
o f " i n d i c a t e d " a n d r e q u e s t e d 
a h e a r i n g 
w i t h 
DHR. 
A f t e r 
an 
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e 
r e v i e w 
o f t h e c a s e 
a t w h i c h 
no 
w i t n e s s e s 
were p r e s e n t e d , 
DHR's f i n d i n g was c h a n g e d t o 
" n o t 
i n d i c a t e d . " 
No e v i d e n c e as t o t h e r e a s o n f o r 
t h e c h a n g e was 
p r e s e n t e d 
a t t h e f i n a l 
h e a r i n g . 
S t e p h e n s o n 
m a i n t a i n e d h e r 
o p i n i o n t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s a c c o u n t o f t h e i n c i d e n t was 
t r u t h f u l . 
S t e p h e n s o n recommended t h a t R i c h e y ' s v i s i t a t i o n w i t h t h e c h i l d 
be 
s u p e r v i s e d . 
S h e r r y 
S w i n d a l l , t h e c l i n i c a l 
d i r e c t o r o f a n d a 
c h i l d 
t h e r a p i s t 
e m p l o y e d b y t h e M a r s h a l l 
C o u n t y 
C h i l d 
A d v o c a c y 
C e n t e r 
a l s o 
t e s t i f i e d 
i n t h e 
t r i a l 
o f 
t h i s 
c a s e . 
She 
i n t e r v i e w e d t h e c h i l d 
e x t e n s i v e l y . 
She e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t t h e 
c h i l d "made an o u t c r y o f s e x u a l l y i n a p p r o p r i a t e 
t o u c h i n g b y 
6 
1080041 
h e r 
f a t h e r . " 
B a s e d on h e r i n t e r v i e w s , 
S w i n d a l l recommended 
t h a t t h e c h i l d h a v e no u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t s 
w i t h t h e f a t h e r . 
She 
r e m a i n e d 
o f t h a t 
same 
o p i n i o n 
t h e d a t e 
o f t h e 
f i n a l 
h e a r i n g . 
She e x p l a i n e d t h a t she h a d s e e n no i n d i c a t i o n 
d u r i n g 
h e r i n t e r v i e w s w i t h t h e c h i l d t h a t t h e c h i l d h a d b e e n c o a c h e d . 
F o l l o w i n g t h e h e a r i n g , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t e n t e r e d 
i t s 
f i n a l 
j u d g m e n t 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
was 
"no 
c r e d i b l e 
e v i d e n c e 
p r e s e n t e d 
i n t h i s h e a r i n g 
t h a t t h e D e f e n d a n t / f a t h e r 
c o m m i t t e d 
a n y a c t o f s e x u a l a b u s e o r m i s c o n d u c t w i t h t h e m i n o r 
c h i l d " 
and 
a w a r d i n g 
R i c h e y u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n 
w i t h t h e m i n o r 
c h i l d . 
Thompson 
a p p e a l e d . 
The 
C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
a f f i r m e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r , 
w i t h o u t 
an 
o p i n i o n . 
Thompson v. R i c h e y 
(No. 2 0 7 0 3 0 5 , J u l y 18, 2 0 0 8 ) , 
So. 3d 
___ 
( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 0 8 ) ( t a b l e ) . 
Thompson p e t i t i o n e d 
t h i s 
C o u r t f o r a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i , 
w h i c h we 
g r a n t e d . 
Thompson 
f i l e d 
a b r i e f 
a d d r e s s i n g 
t h e m e r i t s ; R i c h e y d i d n o t 
f i l e 
a 
b r i e f . 
I I . 
Thompson 
a s s e r t s 
t h a t 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s ' 
a f f i r m a n c e 
o f t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
i s i n c o n f l i c t 
w i t h 
p r i o r 
d e c i s i o n s o f t h a t 
c o u r t . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
f o u n d 
"no 
7 
1080041 
c r e d i b l e 
e v i d e n c e 
p r e s e n t e d 
i n 
t h i s 
h e a r i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
D e f e n d a n t / f a t h e r 
c o m m i t t e d 
any 
a c t 
o f 
s e x u a l 
a b u s e 
o r 
m i s c o n d u c t w i t h t h e m i n o r c h i l d . " 
She u r g e s t h a t t h e C o u r t o f 
C i v i l A p p e a l s ' a f f i r m a n c e i s i n c o n f l i c t w i t h Cheek v. 
D y e s s , 
1 So. 3d 1025, 
1029 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
2 0 0 7 ) , i n w h i c h t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
s t a t e d : 
" ' " [ W ] h e r e 
t h e 
c o n c l u s i o n 
o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t i s so o p p o s e d 
t o t h e w e i g h t o f t h e e v i d e n c e 
t h a t 
t h e 
v a r i a b l e 
f a c t o r o f w i t n e s s demeanor c o u l d n o t r e a s o n a b l y 
s u b s t a n t i a t e 
i t , t h e n t h e c o n c l u s i o n i s c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s 
and 
must be r e v e r s e d . " ' " ( Q u o t i n g B.J.N. v. P.D., 
742 So. 2d 
1270, 
1274 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
1 9 9 9 ) , q u o t i n g i n t u r n J a c o b y v. 
B e l l , 
370 So. 2d 278, 280 
( A l a . 1 9 7 9 ) . ) 
Thompson argues t h a t the t r i a l c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g t h a t t h e r e 
was no c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e o f s e x u a l abuse i s c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s 
b a s e d on t h e t e s t i m o n y of the DHR 
c h i l d - a b u s e i n v e s t i g a t o r , 
S t e p h e n s o n , who 
i n v e s t i g a t e d the a l l e g a t i o n s of s e x u a l abuse 
i n 
t h i s 
case and found them " i n d i c a t e d , " recommended 
t h a t 
R i c h e y ' s v i s i t a t i o n w i t h the c h i l d be s u p e r v i s e d , and 
s t a t e d 
a c r i m i n a l case a g a i n s t R i c h e y would be p r e s e n t e d t o the n e x t 
g r a n d j u r y t o convene i n M a r s h a l l C o u n t y . 
She a l s o c i t e s the 
t e s t i m o n y of S w i n d a l l , the 
c l i n i c a l 
d i r e c t o r o f and 
c h i l d 
8 
1080041 
t h e r a p i s t 
employed 
by 
the 
M a r s h a l l 
County 
C h i l d Advocacy 
C e n t e r , who, 
a f t e r c o n d u c t i n g numerous i n t e r v i e w s 
w i t h 
the 
c h i l d , t e s t i f i e d t h a t the 
c h i l d made "an 
o u t c r y of 
s e x u a l l y 
i n a p p r o p r i a t e 
t o u c h i n g 
by 
her 
f a t h e r " and 
t h a t 
she 
saw 
no 
i n d i c a t i o n t h a t the c h i l d had been coached and who recommended 
s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n . 
L a s t l y , 
she 
p o i n t s 
t o 
her 
own 
t e s t i m o n y t h a t the minor c h i l d t o l d her t h a t her 
f a t h e r 
had 
t o u c h e d 
h e r . 
The 
f a c t s i n Cheek v. Dyess are 
q u i t e 
d i f f e r e n t from 
t h o s e 
i n 
the 
p r e s e n t 
case. 
Cheek 
v. 
Dyess 
i n v o l v e d 
a 
m o d i f i c a t i o n of c h i l d c u s t o d y i n a case i n w h i c h the c u s t o d y 
of two younger c h i l d r e n had been t r a n s f e r r e d from the mother 
t o the f a t h e r because the c h i l d r e n were not b e i n g encouraged 
t o r e s p e c t 
t h e i r f a t h e r and o t h e r a d u l t s and because of l a c k 
of 
s u p e r v i s i o n 
of 
and 
bad 
conduct 
p r i m a r i l y by 
an 
o l d e r 
s i b l i n g whose c u s t o d y remained w i t h the mother. 
The C o u r t of 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
r e v e r s e d 
the 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
judgment 
on 
the 
c u s t o d y i s s u e ; t h i s C o u r t g r a n t e d the w r i t of c e r t i o r a r i 
a n d , 
a f t e r 
a r e v i e w of 
the 
r e c o r d , quashed the 
w r i t . 
A l t h o u g h 
f a c t u a l l y d i f f e r e n t , an i d e n t i c a l l e g a l p r i n c i p l e a p p l i e s i n 
Cheek v. Dyess and t h i s case. 
Even when the ore tenus r u l e i s 
9 
1080041 
a p p l i c a b l e , when the 
c o n c l u s i o n of 
the 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
i s 
so 
c o n t r a r y t o the w e i g h t of the e v i d e n c e 
t h a t w i t n e s s demeanor 
c o u l d not s u b s t a n t i a t e i t , i t i s c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s and must be 
r e v e r s e d . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t has b r o a d d i s c r e t i o n i n d e t e r m i n i n g 
the 
v i s i t a t i o n r i g h t s of a n o n c u s t o d i a l p a r e n t , and i t s d e c i s i o n 
w i l l not be r e v e r s e d u n l e s s i t has exceeded i t s d i s c r e t i o n . 
A l e x a n d e r 
v. A l e x a n d e r , 
625 
So. 2d 433, 
435 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
1993). 
" E v e r y 
case 
i n v o l v i n g 
a 
v i s i t a t i o n 
i s s u e must 
be 
d e c i d e d on i t s own 
f a c t s and c i r c u m s t a n c e s , but 
the 
p r i m a r y c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n e s t a b l i s h i n g the v i s i t a t i o n 
r i g h t s a c c o r d e d a n o n c u s t o d i a l p a r e n t i s always the 
b e s t i n t e r e s t s and w e l f a r e of the 
c h i l d . " 
C a r r v. B r o y l e s , 652 So. 2d 299, 
303 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
1994). 
When a t r i a l c o u r t ' s judgment i n a n o n j u r y case i s based 
on 
ore tenus t e s t i m o n y , 
the 
c o u r t ' s 
f i n d i n g s a r e presumed 
c o r r e c t , and i t s judgment based on t h o s e f i n d i n g s w i l l not be 
d i s t u r b e d u n l e s s i t i s c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s , 
w i t h o u t 
s u p p o r t i n g 
e v i d e n c e , 
m a n i f e s t l y u n j u s t , or a g a i n s t the g r e a t w e i g h t of 
the e v i d e n c e . 
BSI R e n t a l s , I n c . v. Wendt, 893 
So. 2d 
1184, 
1186 
( A l a . C i v . App. 
2004). 
"'However, even under the 
ore 
tenus r u l e , "where the c o n c l u s i o n of the 
t r i a l 
c o u r t i s so 
10 
1080041 
opposed t o the w e i g h t o f the e v i d e n c e t h a t the v a r i a b l e f a c t o r 
of w i t n e s s demeanor c o u l d not r e a s o n a b l y s u b s t a n t i a t e i t , t h e n 
the c o n c l u s i o n i s c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s and must be r e v e r s e d . " ' " 
Cheek v. Dyess, 1 So. 3d a t 1029 
( q u o t i n g B.J.N. v. P.D., 
742 
So. 2d a t 1274, q u o t i n g i n t u r n Jacoby v. B e l l , 370 So. 2d a t 
280). 
F u r t h e r m o r e , the ore tenus 
r u l e , which c l o a k s a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s judgment 
i n a n o n j u r y case based upon ore 
tenus 
e v i d e n c e w i t h a p r e s u m p t i o n of c o r r e c t n e s s , a p p l i e s o n l y t o 
d i s p u t e d i s s u e s o f f a c t . 
Thus, a l t h o u g h t h e i s s u e 
whether 
R i c h e y t o u c h e d h i s daughter s e x u a l l y , l e a d i n g t o redness and 
i r r i t a t i o n 
of 
her 
g e n i t a l i a , 
which 
was 
d i a g n o s e d 
as 
v u l v o v a g i n i t i s , a c l a i m he adamantly d e n i e d , would be s u b j e c t 
t o the ore tenus 
r u l e , numerous f a c t s p r e s e n t i n t h i s 
case 
would not be s u b j e c t t o the ore tenus r u l e because t h o s e f a c t s 
were u n d i s p u t e d . Those f a c t s not s u b j e c t t o d i s p u t e i n c l u d e : 
R i c h e y a t t e n d e d a "boot camp" as t h e r e s u l t o f a c o n v i c t i o n on 
an a s s a u l t c h a r g e ; he had used and abused c o c a i n e , oxycodone, 
Xanax, methadone, and a l c o h o l ; he had a t t e n d e d t h r e e d i f f e r e n t 
drug and a l c o h o l r e h a b i l i t a t i o n programs, c o m p l e t i n g o n l y the 
l a s t program and subsequent t o c o m p l e t i n g t h a t program he had 
11 
1080041 
recommenced d r i n k i n g a l c o h o l ; i n t h e year b e f o r e t h e f i n a l 
h e a r i n g he had been a r r e s t e d 
t w i c e f o r d r i v i n g under t h e 
i n f l u e n c e o f a l c o h o l and once f o r p u b l i c i n t o x i c a t i o n ; and 
a t 
the t i m e o f t h e f i n a l h e a r i n g he had been c o n v i c t e d o f one 
d r i v i n g - u n d e r - t h e - i n f l u e n c e 
charge 
and 
t h e 
p u b l i c -
i n t o x i c a t i o n charge and t h e o t h e r d r i v i n g - u n d e r - t h e - i n f l u e n c e 
charge was s t i l l p e n d i n g . 
A l s o , i t i s 
u n d i s p u t e d t h a t R i c h e y 
has a v i o l e n t temper and has thrown i t e m s such as d r i n k cans, 
a c o o l e r , and t e l e p h o n e s ; he has k i c k e d down doors on two 
o c c a s i o n s ; he pushed Thompson down once and threw h e r down 
a n o t h e r t i m e ; and, s h o r t l y b e f o r e t h e f i n a l h e a r i n g , he f l e w 
i n t o a f i t 
o f rage i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e minor 
c h i l d . 
In 
a d d i t i o n , R i c h e y d i d 
n o t have a v a l i d d r i v e r ' s l i c e n s e a t 
t h e 
time o f t r i a l because o f h i s 
a r r e s t s and c o n v i c t i o n s , b u t he 
c o n t i n u e d t o d r i v e even though he knew i t 
was i l l e g a l because 
he s t a t e d "he had t o . " He f a t h e r e d a n o t h e r c h i l d who was a 
y e a r o l d e r t h a n t h e minor 
c h i l d by a n o t h e r woman and was i n 
the p r o c e s s o f c o n s e n t i n g t o t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f h i s p a r e n t a l 
r i g h t s t o t h a t 
c h i l d . 
L a s t l y , R i c h e y d i d n o t deny t h e 
i n c i d e n t i n w h i c h Thompson saw t h a t he was a r o u s e d when t h e 
minor c h i l d g o t o f f h i s l a p . He acknowledged 
t h a t t h e a r o u s a l 
12 
1080041 
was 
i n a p p r o p r i a t e and abnormal, y e t 
he d i d 
n o t h i n g t o seek 
h e l p f o l l o w i n g t h e i n c i d e n t . 
These f a c t s 
c l e a r l y made an 
award o f u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n i n a p p r o p r i a t e and, 
i n f a c t , 
c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s . 
Thompson a l s o a l l e g e s t h a t t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l 
A p p e a l s ' 
a f f i r m a n c e i n t h i s case i s 
i n c o n f l i c t w i t h I.L. v. L.D.L., 
604 So. 2d 425 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1992). 
I n I.L.: 
"The mother t e s t i f i e d t o 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g : 
When 
t h e 
c h i l d was o n e - y e a r - o l d , 
t h e mother 
s u s p e c t e d an 
abuse p r o b l e m because o f t h e 
way t h a t t h e c h i l d was 
a c t i n g , and she t o o k h e r t o t h e p e d i a t r i c i a n . The 
p e d i a t r i c i a n 
t o l d t h e mother not t o w o r r y i f t h e 
c h i l d was n o t ' r i p p e d and t o r n . ' 
A f t e r t h e d i v o r c e 
the mother a g a i n n o t i c e d i n a p p r o p r i a t e b e h a v i o r by 
the c h i l d a f t e r t h e c h i l d r e t u r n e d from h e r weekend 
v i s i t a t i o n w i t h h e r f a t h e r . 
She t o o k t h e c h i l d t o 
the p e d i a t r i c i a n , 
who c a l l e d i n 
a n u r s e - s p e c i a l i s t 
from t h e 
abuse 
c l i n i c . 
"On 
t h e morning 
a f t e r 
t h e 
n e x t 
weekend 
v i s i t a t i o n , t h e mother t o o k t h e c h i l d back t o 
t h e 
p e d i a t r i c i a n . 
The p e d i a t r i c i a n c a l l e d t h e C h i l d 
Advocacy C e n t e r (Center) and 
t h e 
Department o f 
Human 
R e s o u r c e s (DHR). 
The c h i l d was c o u n s e l e d a t l e a s t 
t w e l v e t i m e s by a c e r t i f i e d c l i n i c a l p s y c h o l o g i s t a t 
the 
C e n t e r . 
The 
mother 
a l s o 
went 
t o 
group 
c o u n s e l i n g so t h a t she would be a b l e t o h e l p t h e 
c h i l d . 
She f i l e d h e r motion t o suspend 
v i s i t a t i o n 
i n response t o what she was t o l d by a h e a l t h 
c a r e 
p r o f e s s i o n a l . 
" I n 
d e s c r i b i n g t h e c h i l d ' s conduct s i n c e t h e 
d i v o r c e , t h e mother s t a t e d t h a t t h e c h i l d has been 
v e r y s c a r e d o f men w i t h b e a r d s and t h a t t h e f a t h e r 
used t o have a b e a r d . 
A t f i r s t t h e c h i l d 
would 
13 
1080041 
s t i c k t h i n g s near her v a g i n a and p l a c e her f i n g e r 
i n 
her mouth and 
s a y 
'Daddy do t h i s , Momma. Daddy do 
i t . ' 
Then t h e c h i l d would t o u c h h e r 
v a g i n a l 
a r e a 
and s a y 
'Daddy pee pee, Mommy.' The c h i l d 
would 
wake up s c r e a m i n g i n 
t h e 
m i d d l e o f t h e n i g h t and 
would not l e t anyone t o u c h h e r . 
T h i s b e h a v i o r 
has 
s u b s i d e d . 
"The 
mother, whose income i s 
$700 p e r month, 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t h e r expenses f o r 
t h e c h i l d 
have 
i n c r e a s e d and 
t h a t she 
has 
been t o l d t h a t the 
c h i l d 
w i l l need c o u n s e l i n g 
f o r the r e s t o f her 
l i f e . 
"The 
m a t e r n a l grandmother t e s t i f i e d t h a t p r i o r 
t o the d i v o r c e the c h i l d had n i g h t m a r e s and 
t h a t 
she 
never wanted t o 
be l e f t a l o n e w i t h her f a t h e r . She 
f u r t h e r 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
a f t e r t h e d i v o r c e t h e c h i l d 
would 
scream, 
k i c k , and shut t h e door i n h e r 
f a t h e r ' s f a c e , s a y i n g 'no, Daddy, no, 
no, 
n o . ' She 
f u r t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t '[w]hen [ t h e c h i l d ] r e t u r n e d 
from v i s i t a t i o n , she l a i d i n 
t h e 
f l o o r and grabbed 
h e r s e l f i n the g r o i n and 
s a i d Daddy, ma. Daddy 
do, 
ma. 
She s t u c k her f i n g e r i n her mouth and 
shoved i t 
back and 
f o r t h and 
s a i d daddy, ma, daddy.' 
"A 
s o c i a l 
worker i n a p r o t e c t i v e 
s e r v i c e s 
c a p a c i t y w i t h DHR t e s t i f i e d t o 
t h e f o l l o w i n g : DHR 
does have a c o n c e r n 
f o r t h e c h i l d and recommends 
t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s 
v i s i t a t i o n 
w i t h t h e f a t h e r be 
s u p e r v i s e d . 
The f a t h e r d i d n o t 
c o o p e r a t e w i t h 
t h e 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o h i s l i v i n g c o n d i t i o n s , as 
he d i d 
not want h e r 
t o t a l k t o t h e p e o p l e w i t h whom he 
l i v e d . 
She d i d n o t 
complete t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n 
o f 
the f a t h e r ' s home, w h i c h was 
i n a n o t h e r c o u n t y , 
and 
then 
he 
j o i n e d 
t h e m i l i t a r y . 
She needs t o 
r e i n t e r v i e w the f a t h e r because o f 
new i n f o r m a t i o n i n 
her 
r e p o r t t o 
t h e 
c o u r t t h a t was r e c e i v e d from 
t h e 
c h i l d 
p s y c h o l o g i s t . 
A l t h o u g h t h e s o c i a l 
worker 
asked t h e f a t h e r ' s 
a t t o r n e y 
t o have t h e f a t h e r 
c o n t a c t her as soon as 
he a r r i v e d from h i s 
m i l i t a r y 
s e r v i c e , t h e 
f a t h e r d i d not c o n t a c t 
h e r . 
14 
1080041 
"The 
r e p o r t o f 
t h e 
p s y c h o l o g i s t gave t h e s o c i a l 
worker more ' r e a s o n t o s u s p e c t . ' 
Some o f h e r 
c o n c l u s i o n s 
a r e b a s e d on an i n t e r v i e w 
w i t h t h e 
c h i l d . 
She was u n a b l e t o t o t a l l y a s s u r e t h e c o u r t 
t h a t i n f o r m a t i o n 
o b t a i n e d 
from a t w o - a n d - o n e - h a l f -
y e a r - o l d c h i l d would be a c c u r a t e . 
"The 
s o c i a l worker s u b m i t t e d a r e p o r t t o 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
t h a t 
i n c l u d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : In an 
i n t e r v i e w t h e m a t e r n a l g r a n d f a t h e r 
s t a t e d t h a t he 
had been c o n c e r n e d about t h e f a t h e r s i n c e t h e c h i l d 
was 
e i g h t o r n i n e months o l d and t h a t he n o t i c e d t h e 
f a t h e r t a k i n g an e x c e s s i v e amount o f time t o change 
the 
c h i l d ' s 
d i a p e r s . 
He s t a t e d 
t h a t he saw t h e 
c h i l d s i t 
on a m e t a l t u r t l e d o o r s t o p and 
r u b 
h e r s e l f 
on i t , 
and 
he found t h i s a c t i o n v e r y u p s e t t i n g . In 
a d d i t i o n , t h e p s y c h o l o g i s t 
t o l d t h e s o c i a l 
worker 
t h a t 
" ' t h e 
[ c h i l d ] had t o l d h e r a d d i t i o n a l 
i n f o r m a t i o n and 
made a d i s c l o s u r e o f s e x u a l 
abuse by 
h e r 
"Daddy" t o [the p s y c h o l o g i s t ] 
, 
d u r i n g 
s e v e r a l c o u n s e l i n g 
s e s s i o n s . 
The 
s e s s i o n s began i n March. 
A c c o r d i n g t o [the 
p s y c h o l o g i s t ] , 
t h e c h i l d 
p i c k e d up t h e 
a n a t o m i c a l 
d o l l she c a l l e d "daddy" and s a i d 
"daddy's peepee" and p u t i t 
i n 
h e r mouth. 
Each time t h e c h i l d comes t o c o u n s e l 
w i t h 
[the p s y c h o l o g i s t ] she 
asks f o r t h e "Nonnie 
d o l l " and "Daddy 
d o l l . " 
When t h e c h i l d 
s t u c k t h e 
"pee 
pee" 
i n 
h e r 
mouth, she says 
"Yuk." [The 
p s y c h o l o g i s t ] asked t h e c h i l d , 
"Your daddy"? and [the c h i l d ] s a i d "Yes."' 
"The 
s o c i a l worker f u r t h e r s t a t e d i n 
t h e r e p o r t t h a t 
she p l a n n e d t o t a l k t o t h e c h i l d a g a i n b u t t h a t she 
had 
n o t y e t done s o . 
She found h e r 
s e p a r a t e 
i n t e r v i e w s 
w i t h 
f a m i l y members and o t h e r s t o be 
b e l i e v a b l e . " 
604 So. 2d a t 427-28. 
The C o u r t o f C i v i l A p p e a l s n o t e d : 
15 
1080041 
"The 
t r i a l j u d g e s t a t e d a t 
t h e 
h e a r i n g t h a t he 
d i d n o t 
have much c o n f i d e n c e i n r e p o r t s and t h a t 
' t h i s i s 
t h e s o r t o f t h i n g you 
ought t o 
have worked 
out between y o u r s e l v e s . ' He f u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t he 
has 'problems w i t h p e o p l e who 
draw c o n c l u s i o n s about 
what two 
and 
o n e - h a l f o r t w o - y e a r - o l d c h i l d r e n 
s a y 
or 
do." 
604 So. 
2d 
a t 
428. The C o u r t o f C i v i l A p p e a l s 
r e v e r s e d 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
g r a n t i n g 
t h e f a t h e r 
u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n . 
Thompson argues 
t h a t t h e 
p r e s e n t 
case i s i n 
c o n f l i c t 
w i t h I.L. because i n t h i s 
case t h e 
C o u r t o f C i v i l 
A p p e a l s a f f i r m e d the t r i a l c o u r t ' s o r d e r g r a n t i n g u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n and, 
i n 
e s s e n c e , 
i t s f i n d i n g t h a t 
t h e r e was 
no 
c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e o f s e x u a l abuse, which Thompson equates t o 
the t r i a l c o u r t ' s h a v i n g a "problem" w i t h t h e 
o p i n i o n s o f h e r 
two e x p e r t s . We agree. The 
e x p e r t w i t n e s s e s b o t h recommended 
s u p e r v i s e d v i s i t a t i o n by 
R i c h e y . The t r i a l c o u r t d i s r e g a r d e d 
t h e i r t e s t i m o n y and 
t h e i r recommendations and 
awarded R i c h e y 
u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n . 
L a s t l y , Thompson a s s e r t s t h a t t h e 
C o u r t o f 
C i v i l A p p e a l s ' 
n o - o p i n i o n a f f i r m a n c e c o n f l i c t s w i t h t h e 
h o l d i n g i n 
Y.A.M. 
v. 
 
M.R.M., 600 
So. 
2d 
1035 ( A l a . C i v . App. 
1992). 
I n 
Y.A.M. 
v. 
 
M.R.M., the mother c l a i m e d t h a t t h e 
f a t h e r had s e x u a l l y abused 
the p a r t i e s ' t h r e e - y e a r - o l d d a u g h t e r . The 
f a t h e r ' s v i s i t a t i o n 
16 
1080041 
was t o 
be s u p e r v i s e d on a pendente l i t e b a s i s . A t t r i a l , t h e 
mother t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e c h i l d had t o l d h e r t h a t h e r f a t h e r 
had h u r t h e r . 
A Department o f 
Human Resources s o c i a l worker 
t e s t i f i e d t h a t she 
had an o p i n i o n about what had happened t o 
the 
c h i l d b u t she was n o t p e r m i t t e d t o s t a t e i t because she 
had n o t 
been q u a l i f i e d as an e x p e r t w i t n e s s . A t h e r a p i s t w i t h 
the C h i l d Advocacy C e n t e r t e s t i f i e d about t h e 
d i s c l o s u r e s 
t h e 
c h i l d had 
made t o 
h e r 
and 
recommended t h a t v i s i t a t i o n w i t h 
h e r 
f a t h e r be s u p e r v i s e d . 
In s p i t e o f t h i s t e s t i m o n y , t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t g r a n t e d t h e f a t h e r u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n . 
The C o u r t 
of C i v i l A p p e a l s d i s a g r e e d . 
In so d o i n g i t s t a t e d : 
"In 
view o f t h e e v i d e n c e 
p r e s e n t e d , we 
f i n d 
t h a t 
g r a n t i n g u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n t o t h e f a t h e r a t 
t h i s time i s 
n o t i n 
t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s and w e l f a r e 
of t h e d a u g h t e r . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , 
we h o l d t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
abused 
i t s d i s c r e t i o n 
by 
a w a r d i n g 
u n s u p e r v i s e d and o v e r n i g h t v i s i t a t i o n t o 
t h e f a t h e r 
" 
The 
p r i m a r y 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n e s t a b l i s h i n g 
v i s i t a t i o n 
r i g h t s f o r 
t h e n o n c u s t o d i a l p a r e n t i s 
t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s and 
w e l f a r e o f t h e c h i l d . 
I n I.L. and 
Y.A.M., t h e 
C o u r t o f C i v i l 
A p p e a l s 
found 
s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n 
by t h e n o n c u s t o d i a l 
p a r e n t s t o 
be i n 
t h e 
b e s t i n t e r e s t s and w e l f a r e o f t h e minors 
i n t h e 
f a c e o f a l l e g a t i o n s 
o f s e x u a l abuse and recommendations 
17 
1080041 
by e x p e r t w i t n e s s e s t h a t v i s i t a t i o n be 
s u p e r v i s e d . 
Those 
f a c t s are p r e s e n t i n t h i s case. 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , i n the p r e s e n t 
c a s e , t h e r e i s s u b s t a n t i a l u n d i s p u t e d e v i d e n c e o f 
R i c h e y ' s 
i n a p p r o p r i a t e s e x u a l a r o u s a l when the c h i l d , then two 
y e a r s 
o l d , 
s a t on h i s l a p , of R i c h e y ' s abuse o f drugs and 
a l c o h o l , 
of 
h i s r e p e a t e d a t t e m p t s 
a t 
r e h a b i l i t a t i o n 
and 
subsequent 
r e l a p s e s , and o f t h r e e a l c o h o l - r e l a t e d a r r e s t s i n a v e r y s h o r t 
p e r i o d , as w e l l as h i s a d m i s s i o n t h a t he c o n t i n u e s t o d r i n k 
a l c o h o l 
and 
the 
f a c t 
t h a t 
he 
has 
e x h i b i t e d 
rage 
and 
i n a p p r o p r i a t e v i o l e n t conduct 
i n the p r e s e n c e 
o f the minor 
c h i l d . 
A 
t r i a l c o u r t i n e s t a b l i s h i n g v i s i t a t i o n 
p r i v i l e g e s 
f o r a n o n c u s t o d i a l p a r e n t must c o n s i d e r the b e s t i n t e r e s t s and 
w e l f a r e of the minor c h i l d and, where a p p r o p r i a t e , as i n t h i s 
case, s e t c o n d i t i o n s on 
v i s i t a t i o n t h a t p r o t e c t the 
c h i l d . 
The 
t o t a l i t y 
of c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
i n d i c a t e s 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
award of u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n 
here 
i s improper, 
and 
i n 
making such an award the t r i a l c o u r t exceeded the 
d i s c r e t i o n 
p e r m i t t e d a t r i a l j u d g e i n m a t t e r s i n v o l v i n g c h i l d c u s t o d y and 
v i s i t a t i o n . 
The judgment of the C o u r t o f 
C i v i l A p p e a l s i s 
r e v e r s e d , 
and 
the 
case 
i s remanded w i t h 
i n s t r u c t i o n s 
t o 
18 
1080041 
r e v e r s e t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s judgment and remand t h e cause t o 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
Lyons, Smith, B o l i n , Murdock, and Shaw, J J . , c o n c u r . 
Cobb, C.J., and W o o d a l l and P a r k e r , J J . , concur i n 
t h e 
r e s u l t . 
19 
1080041 
WOODALL, J u s t i c e 
( c o n c u r r i n g i n t h e r e s u l t ) . 
The numerous u n d i s p u t e d 
f a c t s 
d i s c u s s e d 
i n t h e m a j o r i t y 
o p i n i o n 
a r e s u f f i c i e n t t o c o n v i n c e me 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
c l e a r l y 
e x c e e d e d 
i t s d i s c r e t i o n 
i n a w a r d i n g 
u n s u p e r v i s e d 
v i s i t a t i o n t o K r i s t o p h e r E r i c R i c h e y . 
C o n s e q u e n t l y , I c o n c u r 
i n t h e d e c i s i o n t o r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t o f 
C i v i l 
A p p e a l s i n s o f a r as i t a f f i r m e d t h a t a s p e c t o f t h e o r d e r o f t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t . 
Cobb, C . J . , a n d P a r k e r , 
J . , c o n c u r . 
20