Title: Webb v. Pfusch

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

1The appellee elected not to file an answering brief on appeal. On May 4, 2001, this
Court ordered that the matter be considered on the basis of the opening brief and the Family
Court record.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
WILLIAM J. WEBB, JR.,
Respondent Below-
Appellant,
v.
TRACY G. PFUSCH,
Petitioner Below-
Appellee.
§
§
§  No. 275, 2000
§
§
§  Court Below—Family Court
§  of the State of Delaware,
§  in and for New Castle County
§  File No. CN93-07312
§
§
Submitted: May 4, 2001
  Decided:
June 14, 2001
Before VEASEY, Chief Justice, WALSH, and HOLLAND, Justices.
O R D E R
This 14th  day of June 2001, upon consideration of the appellant’s opening
brief and the record on appeal,1 it appears to the Court that:
(1)
The appellant, William Webb, filed this appeal from an order of the
Family Court, dated May 8, 2000, which granted sole legal custody and primary
residential custody of the parties’ two minor children to the appellee, Tracy
Pfusch. The Family Court also declined to address Webb’s visitation rights
because of a prior PFA order against Webb, which had been entered on
2See 13 Del. C. § 705A.
-2-
September 17, 1999 and had suspended Webb’s visitation rights for a twelve-
month period.
(2)
On appeal, Webb contends that the Family Court erred by basing
its custody decision on Webb’s guilty plea to burglary and assault. The victim
of Webb’s crimes was Pfusch. Webb does not contest that he pled guilty to the
charges on March 16, 2000 and was incarcerated as a result. He claims,
however, that his convictions were not final at the time of the May 8, 2000
custody hearing and, therefore, should not have been considered by the judge.
 Webb also contends that the Family Court erred in awarding sole custody to
Pfusch because her testimony at the custody hearing was false.
(3)
After careful consideration of Webb’s claims, we find no merit to
any of his contentions. Webb’s claims of false testimony are completely
unsubstantiated, and there was sufficient evidence to support the Family Court’s
findings of fact. Moreover, Webb’s guilty pleas to acts of domestic violence
properly controlled the Family Court’s decision to award custody of the children
to Pfusch.2 Accordingly, we find that this matter should be affirmed on the basis
of the Family Court’s well-reasoned decision dated May 8, 2000.
-3-
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the decision of the Family
Court is AFFIRMED.
BY THE COURT:
    s/Joseph T. Walsh
Justice