Case Name: Ernesto MULLER, Appellant, v. Melonie R. MULLER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2007-08-01
Citations: 964 So. 2d 732
Docket Number: No. 3D06-2700
Parties: Ernesto MULLER, Appellant, v. Melonie R. MULLER, Appellee.
Judges: Before RAMIREZ, SHEPHERD, and CORTIÑAS, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 964
Pages: 732–738

Head Matter:
Ernesto MULLER, Appellant, v. Melonie R. MULLER, Appellee.
No. 3D06-2700.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Aug. 1, 2007.
Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc Denied Oct. 11, 2007.
Jesus O. Cervantes, for appellant.
Lisa S. Walsh, Miami, for appellee.
Before RAMIREZ, SHEPHERD, and CORTIÑAS, JJ.

Opinion:
CORTIÑAS, Judge.
Ernesto Muller (the "Father") appeals from a final judgment of dissolution of marriage which granted Melonie Muller's (the "Mother") petition to relocate to Grand Junction, Colorado with their minor child. We reverse.
The parties were married in Grand Junction, Colorado in July 2002. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Miami, Florida. In April 2004, the minor child was born in Miami, Florida. In October 2004, the Father filed a petition for dissolution of marriage. The Father also filed a motion to compel the child's return to Miami from Grand Junction, Colorado on the ground that the Mother had taken the child without his consent or knowledge. The trial court ordered the Mother to return with the child and remain in Miami during the pendency of the divorce action. Subsequently, the Mother sought to relocate with the child to Grand Junction.
In September 2006, following -an eviden-tiary hearing on the issue of relocation, the trial .court entered a final judgment of dissolution of marriage. In its order, the trial court granted the Mother's petition for relocation. The Father's appeal follows.
We review a trial court's. order regarding relocation under an abuse of discretion standard. Botterbusch v. Botterbusch, 851 So.2d 903, 904 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)(citing Dorta-Duque v. Dorta-Duque, 791 So.2d 1148, 1149 (Fla. 3d DCA 2001)). In reviewing the trial court's Order, we must determine if there is substantial competent evidence to support the trial court's findings under section 61.13001(7), Florida Statutes (2006). Id. Further, "we do not engage in reweighing- the evidence and making value judgments that are appropriate for the trial judge." Id. (citing Flint v. Fortson, 744 So.2d 1217, 1218 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999)).
Florida law does not recognize a presumption in favor of or against a primary residential parent seeking to relocate a child. See § 61.13001(7), Fla. Stat. (2006). Instead, in making a determination as to whether the primary residential parent may relocate with a child, section 61.13001(7) requires a trial court to consider the following factors:
(a) The nature, quality, extent of involvement, and duration of the child's relationship with the parent proposing to relocate with the child and with the nonrelocating parent, other persons, siblings, half-siblings, and other significant persons in the child's life.
(b) The age and developmental stage of the child, the needs of the child, and the likely impact the relocation will have on the child's physical, educational, and emotional development, taking into consideration any special needs of the child.
(c) The feasibility of preserving the relationship between the nonrelocating parent or other person and the child through substitute arrangements that take into consideration the logistics of contact, access, visitation, and time-sharing, as well as the financial circumstances of the parties; whether those factors are sufficient to foster a continuing meaningful relationship between the child and the nonrelocating parent or other person; and the likelihood of compliance with the substitute arrangements by the relocating parent once he or she is out of the jurisdiction of the court.
(d) The child's preference, taking into consideration the age and maturity of the child.
(e) Whether the relocation will enhance the general quality of life for both the parent seeking the relocation and the child, including, but not limited to, financial or emotional benefits or educational opportunities.
(f) The reasons of each parent or other person for seeking or opposing the relocation.
(g) The current employment and economic circumstances of each parent or other person and whether or not the proposed relocation is necessary to improve the economic circumstances of the parent or other person seeking relocation of the child.
(h) That the relocation is sought in good faith and the extent to which the objecting parent has fulfilled his or her financial obligations to the parent or other person seeking relocation, including child support, spousal support, and marital property and marital debt obligations.
(i) The career and other opportunities available to the objecting parent or objecting other person if the relocation occurs.
(j) A history of substance abuse or domestic violence as defined in s. 741.28 or which meets the criteria of s. 39.806(l)(d) by either parent, including a consideration of the severity of such conduct and the failure or success of any attempts at rehabilitation.
(k) Any other factor' affecting the best interest of the child or as set forth in s. 61.13.
Id.
After a thorough review of the entire record, we find that the trial court abused its discretion in granting the Mother's petition to relocate with the child to Grand Junction. Although the trial court noted each of the factors listed under section 61.13007(7) in its order, the record is devoid of corroborating facts supporting nearly every subsection of the statute. Therefore, we find that the trial court erred in granting the Mother's petition for relocation. See Cecemski v. Cecemski, 954 So.2d 1227 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007)(reversing an order granting relocation because the trial court's findings were not supported by substantial competent evidence).
For example, with respect to the first factor, the trial court noted that the Mother was more involved in caring for the child as an infant and that the Father took a greater role when the child was a little older. The court also observed that the maternal grandparents are not employed while the paternal grandparents work. Without more, these facts do not constitute substantial competent evidence to support a finding that the proposed relocation would improve the nature, quality, extent of involvement, and duration of the child's relationship with the Mother and the Father or others.
Similarly, regarding the second factor, the trial court focused almost exclusively on the fact that the child would be cared for by the maternal grandmother in Colorado as opposed to receiving daycare services in Miami. The trial court did not consider the very young age of the child or any other impact the relocation will have on the child's physical, educational, and emotional development.
In considering the third factor, the trial court found that, despite the relocation, it would be feasible to foster a meaningful relationship between the Father and the child. However, the record clearly shows the hardships and complications of traveling between Miami and Grand Junction. For example, visitation in Grand Junction would require the father to purchase an airline ticket to Denver, which he cannot easily afford given his monthly net income of approximately $1,300. Moreover, the record shows that travel to Grand Junction entails 'a four-hour flight followed by a four-hour drive from Denver to Grand Junction. This would require the Father to take several days, if not weeks off from work, to facilitate any direct contact with the child. Recently, in Segarra v. Segarra, 947 So.2d 543, 546 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006), we affirmed the trial court's finding that relocation from Miami to Bryceville, Florida, where transportation costs and driving distances posed a burden on both parents, would significantly diminish the excellent relationship between the father and the child. As in Segarra, there is no substantial competent evidence that relocation would foster and preserve any type of meaningful relationship between the Father and the child.
The trial court found the fourth factor, the child's preference, to be inapplicable since we are dealing with a two year old child.
In examining the fifth, sixth, and seventh factors combined, the trial court found that the proposed relocation to Grand Junction would enhance the general quality of life for both the Mother and the child because the Mother would no longer have to work as a store clerk, would spend more time with the child, and would attend nursing school. However, the record reveals that the Mother did not have any job offer in Colorado and had not applied to any nursing school in Grand Junction. Further, there was no evidence whatsoever that the Mother would earn a higher income, would be working less hours, or would be in a better position to spend more time with the child. The trial court relied on the Mother's hopes and expectations, without requiring a showing of ei ther employment prospects or educational enrollment, to support its findings under the foregoing factors. Thus, we find that there was no substantial competent evidence to support the trial court's findings with respect to these factors. See Cecemski, 954 So.2d at 1229 (concluding that there was no substantial competent evidence to support the trial court's finding that the quality of life for the mother and child would improve when the mother testified that she had no jobs lined up or even applied for any jobs in Louisiana); cf. Segarra, 947 So.2d at 546 (determining that there was substantial competent evidence to support the trial court's finding that the quality of life for the mother and child would not improve when the record showed that the mother did not have a job offer in Bryceville, Florida); Botterbusch, 851 So.2d at 904 (concluding that there was substantial competent evidence to support the trial court's finding that the quality of life for the mother and child would improve when the record reflected that the mother accepted a job offer with the United States Customs Department, and would earn more money and work fewer hours in her new position).
Because there was no substantial competent evidence to support relocation under the factors set forth in section 61.13001(7), we find that the trial court abused its discretion in granting the Mother's petition for relocation.
Reversed and remanded.
. The trial judge properly applied the 2006 version of the relocation statute as section 11(a) mandates that this version apply "[t]o orders entered before October 1, 2006, if the existing order defining custody, primary residence, or visitation of or with the child does not expressly govern relocation of the child." See § 61.13001(1 l)(a)(l), Fla. Stat. (2006).
. Moreover, in a court pleading, the Mother's counsel informed the court that, during the time she was living in Colorado with the minor child, the Mother had lost her job.