Title: Lithun v. DuPaul
Citation: 447 N.W.2d 297
Docket Number: 890064
State: north-dakota
Issuer: north-dakota Supreme Court
Date: October 24, 1989

447 N.W.2d 297 (1989) Marie LITHUN, Plaintiff and Appellee, v. Michael DuPAUL, Defendant and Appellant. Civ. No. 890064. Supreme Court of North Dakota. October 24, 1989. *298 Kapsner &amp; Kapsner, Bismarck, and Rodney Karl Feldner, guardian ad litem, Mandan, for plaintiff and appellee; argued by Carol Ronning Kapsner and Rodney K. Feldner. Michael DuPaul, Minot, pro se. ERICKSTAD, Chief Justice. Michael DuPaul appealed, pro se, from a district court judgment restricting Michael's visitation with his two minor children. We affirm. Michael and Marie Lithun were married in June 1976 and of that marriage had two children, Jason and Tina. Michael and Marie separated in 1984 and were divorced in 1986. Marie was awarded custody of Jason and Tina, and Michael received liberal visitation rights including, but not limited to, visitation on alternating weekends and major holidays, and a 30-day visitation period each summer. On November 30, 1988, Marie filed a motion requesting the district court to restrict Michael's visitation privileges. Following an evidentiary hearing, the trial court granted the motion restricting Michael to one supervised 30-minute visitation with the children each month, providing, however, that the supervising social worker could "enlarge the visitation" in duration and frequency if it was in Jason and Tina's best interests to do so. From the district court's judgment restricting visitation, Michael filed this appeal. Michael asserts that the restricted visitation imposed by the district court is improper, unduly restrictive, and unconstitutionally violates Michael, Jason, and Tina's "personal rights." The standards for awarding custody and visitation in a divorce action are provided under Section 14-05-22, N.D.C.C.: The trial court's denial of visitation rights will not be overturned on appeal *299 unless it is clearly erroneous. C.B.D. v. W.E.B., 298 N.W.2d 493 (N.D.1980). In granting Marie's request to restrict Michael's visitation, the trial court entered the following relevant findings of fact and conclusions of law: Rule 10(b), N.D.R.App.P., requires the appellant to furnish a transcript of the proceedings. Michael has failed to provide a transcript of the proceedings for this appeal. The appellant assumes the consequences and the risk for the failure to file a complete transcript. Owan v. Kindel, 347 N.W.2d 577, 579 (N.D.1984). If the record on appeal does not allow for a meaningful and intelligent review of alleged error, we will decline review of the issue. Cullen v. Williams County, 446 N.W.2d 250 (N.D.1989); Bye v. Elvick, 336 N.W.2d 106 (N.D.1983). The file on appeal contains a report of the Wells County Social Service Board filed by John Mogren, as well as reports and letters filed by others involved in this case which tend to support the findings of the district court.[1] These documents may or may not have been properly admitted into evidence, but without a transcript we cannot make this determination. We conclude that a complete and meaningful review of the district court's action in this case cannot be accomplished without a transcript of the evidentiary proceedings. By failing to submit a transcript, Michael has not met his burden of demonstrating that the trial court's findings of fact are clearly erroneous or that the trial court otherwise committed reversible error. The motions for attorney fees by Marie and Rodney Feldner, the children's Guardian Ad Litem, are denied. Costs on appeal are taxed against appellant, Michael DuPaul. THE JUDGMENT IS AFFIRMED. VANDE WALLE, GIERKE, LEVINE and MESCHKE, JJ., concur. [1] The report filed by social worker John Mogren states in relevant part: "Michael is intent to `prove' that Marie is an unfit parent. This became problematic as the children became involved in the father's endeavor. The children have seen numerous doctors, counselors, therapists and psychologists within the past four years. Taking this to light, it is easy to understand why they began to verbalize that they felt `caught' between their parents. * * * * * "[I]t was observed that Michael took measures which resulted in causing maladjustment for the children. He would persist in these actions even after they were brought to his attention. The end result was that stress produced in the children was manifested in the form of depression, adjustment disorder, sleep disturbance and continual anxiety. * * * * * * "It has been this agency's observation, by supervised visits and by his letters to the children, that he [Michael] will not refrain from following past problematic behaviors. * * * * * * "RECOMMENDATIONS: * * * * * * "2. Visitation: It would appear, in light of this agency's observations as well as the recommendations of the psychologists, that supervised visitation could continue for Michael DuPaul with his children. We would recommend that these visitation[s] be limited in time and frequency which could increase if Mr. DuPaul does not utilize the visitation as a means to perpetuate or increase the past anxiety and distress in Jason and Tina."