Title: Osmanagic v. Osmanagic

State: vermont

Issuer: Vermont Supreme Court

Document:

Osmanagic v. Osmanagic  (2004-176); 178 Vt. 538; 872 A.2d 897

2005 VT 37

[Filed 23-Mar-2005]

                                 ENTRY ORDER

                                 2005 VT 37

                      SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 2004-176

                             DECEMBER TERM, 2004

  Alma Osmanagic                     }     APPEALED FROM:
                                     }
                                     }
       v.                            }     Chittenden Family Court
                                     }     
  Nedzad Osmanagic                   }
                                     }     DOCKET NO. F915-11-02 Cndm

                                           Trial Judge: Linda Levitt

       In the above-entitled cause, the Clerk will enter:

       ¶ 1.     Father appeals from the Chittenden Family Court's final
  divorce order awarding parental rights and responsibilities of the parties'
  minor child to mother.  Because the family court's assessment of the
  factors contained in 15 V.S.A. § 665(b) is supported by the record, we will
  not disturb its conclusion that it is in the child's best interests to
  remain with mother as she relocates to their native Bosnia.  Accordingly,
  we affirm the court's award of parental rights and responsibilities to
  mother.

       ¶ 2.     The parties, both Bosnian citizens, were married in Bosnia in
  September 1996.  Their son, Alem, was born in Bosnia in 1997.  Seeking to
  escape the war in their home country, the family moved to Vermont in 1999. 
  In November 2002, the parties separated, and mother filed for divorce. 
  While the divorce action was pending, mother was awarded temporary parental
  rights and responsibilities over Alem, and father was granted three
  overnight visits per week with him.  After two days of hearings, the family
  court issued the divorce order currently on appeal.  

       ¶ 3.     In its order, the family court found that while both parties
  have been loving parents to Alem, mother has been Alem's primary caregiver. 
  She maintained the family's home, cooked meals, made Alem's medical
  appointments, found his daycare provider, registered him for school, and
  stayed home with him when he was sick.  The court observed that father had
  allowed Alem to watch "horror and sex movies," and, as a result, "Alem
  knows more about sex than the average child."  The court also noted that
  father once advised Alem to retaliate physically against another child who
  kicked him, and that father had been violent towards mother throughout the
  marriage.

        
       ¶ 4.     During the divorce proceedings, mother expressed her
  intention to return to Bosnia with Alem.  She has no family in the United
  States, and wishes to return to her family in Bosnia, where she expects to
  be employed as well.  Her family there is "relatively well off," as her
  father holds a "high position in the education field."  Alem can speak
  Bosnian and is close to his Bosnian relatives-particularly his maternal
  grandmother, who has made "lengthy visits to Burlington."  The family court
  also noted that since the family's arrival in Burlington, Alem has made
  friends, learned English, and done well in school.  Alem is close to
  father's sister and brother-in-law, who also live in Burlington. 

       ¶ 5.     The family court enjoys broad discretion in determining
  parental rights and responsibilities.  We will disturb the family court's
  findings only if, viewing the record in the light most favorable to the
  prevailing party and excluding the effect of modifying evidence, there is
  no credible evidence in the record to support the findings.  Hoover v.
  Hoover, 171 Vt. 256, 258,