Case Name: In the Matter of the Guardianship of Dorothy Annan
Court: New York Supreme Court, General Term
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1893-12-01
Citations: 56 N.Y. St. Rep. 219
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of the Guardianship of Dorothy Annan.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York State Reporter
Volume: 56
Pages: 219–220

Head Matter:
In the Matter of the Guardianship of Dorothy Annan.
(Supreme Court, General Term, Second Department,
Filed December 1, 1893.)
Guaudian and wakd—Appointment.
The rule which governs the appointment of guardian is solely the best interests of the infant.
Appeal from a part of a surrogate’s decree which appoints two persons guardians of the person of the infant, and provides that each guardian should have the custody of the infant every alternate six months.
Judson & Larrib (A. .M Lamb, of counsel), for app’It; John Oakley ( William D. Veeder, of counsel), for resp’t

Opinion:
Barnard, P. J.
Dorothy Annan was born September 8, 1890. Thjs surrogate appointed a maternal aunt and a maternal grandmother guardians of the person of the infant. The order provides that each guardian have the custody of the infant every alternate six months, and it is.only this proviso of the order which is presented to this court by the appeal. All admit that the maternal aunt is a proper person to be guardian. She lives with the paternal grandfather of the infant, Mr. Annan, a man of large means, and she has had charge of the infant since the infant's mother died in July, 1891. The infant's father died in January, 1893. The child was left in charge of Mrs. Bichardson during the interval between the death of the mother and his own death. The rule which governs the appointment of guardian is solely the best interests of the infant. Code 2821; Bennett v. Byrne, 2 Barb. Ch. 216; People ex rel., etc., v. Wals, 122 N. Y., 238; 33 St. Rep., 220.
Under these authorities it does not seem that the joint guardianship as ordered should prevail. The child is very young and needs extremely careful attention to its health. This involves unity of treatment and a careful respect for the feelings of a baby of such years. A change of place, of treatment, of nurses, of surroundings every six months should be avoided. The interests of the infant are entirely in favor of the guardianship of Mrs. Bichardson, viewing the case solely with reference to the physical wants of the infant. The last wish of the child's father was in favor of Mrs. Bichardson bringing up the child as guardian. The pecuniary interests of the infant are entirely in favor of the child being brought up in the family of Edward Annan. He bad a strong affection for his son, the child's father, and is willing to bring the child up socially, far better than the estate of the child, which is small, will do. The child will be better cared for by Mrs. Bichardson and will be brought up by his grandfather Annan with a full appreciation of his expectation for him.
The part of the surrogate's decree appealed from should be reversed with costs and disbursements out of the estate.