Title: Marcum v. Browning

State: west-virginia

Issuer: West Virginia Supreme Court

Document:

297 S.E.2d 204 (1982) Anna Ruth Browning MARCUM v. Clyde Ray BROWNING. No. 15492. Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. May 27, 1982. *205 W. Bernard Smith, Logan, for appellant. Thomas E. Esposito, Logan, for appellee. HARSHBARGER, Justice: Ms. Marcum sued Mr. Browning for divorce, he answered her complaint but did not appear. She and her counsel presented Judge Naaman Aldredge with an executed separation and property agreement and an "irreconcilable differences" divorce was granted, the agreement being made part of the final decree. It provided that Ms. Marcum would have custody of Carrie Ann, age two, and Browning would have custody of their older daughter, Crystal, five years old. More than a year later Ms. Marcum petitioned to get Crystal, alleging that she was coerced by her husband's threats to contest the divorce and take her children out of state, into agreeing that he could have Crystal. Judge Oakley, after a full hearing, refused to modify the order: The evidence about duress was conflicting and the trial court did not find that she signed the agreement under duress. We cannot say his decision was clearly wrong or against the preponderance of the evidence. A party seeking modification of a custody decree must show a change in circumstances and that a custody change would materially promote the child's welfare. Legg v. Legg, W.Va., 289 S.E.2d 504 (1982); Waller v. Waller, W.Va., 272 S.E.2d 671 (1980); Cloud v. Cloud, W.Va., 239 S.E.2d 669 (1977), Syllabus Point 2; Holstein v. Holstein, 152 W.Va. 119, 160 S.E.2d 177 (1968); Pugh v. Pugh, 133 W.Va. 501, 56 S.E.2d 901 (1949). There is nothing in *206 this record to indicate that a change would materially benefit Crystal: she is healthy, happy and doing well where she is. The court applied a correct standard of law. Horton v. Horton, W.Va., 264 S.E.2d 160 (1980). Affirmed.