Opinion ID: 1096694
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Deference to Parents' Determination of The Best Interest of The Child

Text: ¶ 50. Although I would find the chancellor erred in awarding grandparent visitation to the Parker's because they failed to meet the statutory requirements pursuant to Miss.Code Ann. § 93-16-3(2) & (3), I would also find that the chancellor abused his discretion in failing to give any consideration to the Woodells', as fit custodial parents, determination of what was in the best interest of their child. This issue has been addressed by the United States Supreme Court in Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 120 S.Ct. 2054, 147 L.Ed.2d 49 (2000) and by this Court in Stacy v. Ross, 798 So.2d 1275 (Miss.2001). ¶ 51. In Troxel, the United States Supreme Court declared a breathtakingly broad Washington statute unconstitutional because it allowed courts to disregard and overturn any decision by a fit custodial parent concerning visitation whenever a third party affected by the decision files a visitation petition, based solely on the judge's determination of the child's best interest. Troxel, 120 S.Ct. at 2056 (emphasis in original and emphasis added). The Supreme Court determined that the Troxels did not allege, and no court has found, that Granville was an unfit parent. That aspect of the case is important, for there is a presumption that fit parents act in the best interests of their children. Id. at 2061. The problem here is not that the Washington Superior Court intervened, but that when it did so, it gave no special weight at all to Granville's determination of her daughters' best interests. More importantly, it appears that the Superior Court applied exactly the opposite presumption. In reciting its oral ruling after the conclusion of closing arguments, the Superior Court judge explained: The burden is to show that it is in the best interest of the children to have some visitation and some quality time with their grandparents. I think in most situations a commonsensical approach [is that] it is normally in the best interest of the children to spend quality time with the grandparent, unless the grandparent, [sic] there are some issues or problems involved wherein the grandparents, their lifestyles are going to impact adversely upon the children. That certainly isn't the case here from what I can tell. Verbatim Report of Proceedings in In re Troxel, No. 93-3-00650-7 (Wash.Super.Ct., Dec. 14, 19, 1994), p. 213 (hereinafter Verbatim Report). The judge's comments suggest that he presumed the grandparents' request should be granted unless the children would be impact[ed] adversely. In effect, the judge placed on Granville, the fit custodial parent, the burden of disproving that visitation would be in the best interest of her daughters. The judge reiterated moments later: I think [visitation with the Troxels] would be in the best interest of the children and I haven't been shown it is not in [the] best interest of the children. The decisional framework employed by the Superior Court directly contravened the traditional presumption that a fit parent will act in the best interest of his or her child. Troxel, 120 S.Ct. at 2062. ¶ 52. The plurality incorrectly argues that this case is distinguishable because the parties involved in Troxel were the natural mother, who was the custodial parent, and the paternal grandparents. In the case sub judice, the parties involved are Shelby's custodial parents, the Woodells, and Shelby's paternal grandparents, the Parkers. These are the same parties as were involved in Troxel. Shelby's biological mother and biological father relinquished all legal rights to her when they signed an agreement allowing the Woodells to adopt Shelby. Again, this is the problem with intra-family adoptions. Although Shelby may still call her biological mother, mom, her mother, pursuant to the laws of this State, is Christine Woodell, and her father is Carroll Dean Woodell. Therefore, Troxel, and its holding that custodial parents are presumed to be fit and will act in the best interest of their child, is directly on point, as the Woodells are Shelby's custodial parents. I respectfully believe the plurality is incorrect in stating otherwise. ¶ 53. In Stacy, this Court reversed a chancellor's award of grandparent visitation because there was no finding that the visitation was in the best interest of the child. 798 So.2d at 1282. This Court also discussed the fact that no finding had been made declaring the parents unfit. Id. at 1279. The constitutionality of any standard for awarding visitation turns on the specific manner in which that standard is applied. Troxel, 120 S.Ct. at 2064 (emphasis added). As a strong presumption exists that fit parents act in the best interests of their children, the fact that there was no allegation and no judicial finding that the parents were unfit, was of great concern to the Troxel Court. Id. at 2061. No such finding has been made here either. 798 So.2d at 1279. This Court cited Troxel, stating: The Troxel Court said as long as a parent adequately cares for his or her child, (i.e., is fit) there will normally be no reason for the State to inject itself into the private realm of the family to further question the ability of that parent to make the best decisions concerning the rearing of that parent's children. Troxel, 120 S.Ct. at 2061. Whether it is beneficial to a child to have a relationship with a grandparent in any specific case, therefore, in the first instance is a decision for the parent to make, and when it becomes subject to judicial review, the court must accord at least some special weight to the parent's own determination. Id. at 2062. In the case at hand, the Rosses have not alleged that the Stacys are unfit parents. Although the chancellor, in a subsequent judgment, commented that he had implicitly found the Stacys unreasonably denied visitation, the Stacys have stipulated from the beginning that the Rosses have a viable relationship with Kevin and that they did not intend to permanently deny visitation with him. The Stacys argue, therefore, that as in Troxel, the chancellor's application of the statute overruled their decision as to what would be the appropriate visitation with the Rosses, giving no special weight to their determination as parents of what is in their child's best interest. Stacy, 798 So.2d at 1279-80. ¶ 54. The chancellor made no finding that the Woodells were unfit custodial parents. Mrs. Woodell testified that if visitation were awarded, it should only be granted on a very limited basis. However, the chancellor disregarded their wishes and what they believed to be in the best interest of Shelby and awarded the Parkers excessive visitation. ¶ 55. In the case sub judice, the Parkers argue the chancellor clearly found it was in the best interest of the child to be allowed visitation with her grandparents. In the chancellor's order, he specifically stated: The Parkers[`] demeanor, as displayed from the stand, indicate that contact with them and Shelby would be in the child's best interest. The Woodells seem intent on limiting contact with the Parkers and Andy, while allowing extensive contact with Laura; further, this appears more of an emotional response to the deterioration of the relationship of the biological parents than something based on a definitive problem with the Parkers. (emphasis added). Unlike the chancellor in Stacy, this chancellor specifically found, according to statute, that visitation with her grandparents would be in Shelby's best interest. But, like the chancellor in Stacy, this chancellor made no specific finding, nor did the Parkers allege that the Woodells were unfit parents. ¶ 56. Again, the chancellor's finding that visitation would be in the child's best interest focuses on Andy's rights as the biological parent and Laura's extensive visitation which is allowed by Shelby's custodial parents, and not on the fitness of the Woodells. The fact that seems to be forgotten throughout this entire proceeding is that, although Andy was Shelby's biological father, he signed a document relinquishing all legal rights to her. His rights, as he has none, should not have been addressed by the chancellor during these proceedings. ¶ 57. It was of great concern to both the Troxel Court and to this Court in Stacy that there was no finding that the custodial parents were unfit parents. Because there is a presumption that fit parents act in the best interest of their children, I would find that the chancellor erred in failing to give any consideration to the Woodells' determination of what was in the best interest of Shelby. ¶ 58. The plurality specifically holds that Troxel and Stacy do not stand for the proposition that `adoptive parents' under the present circumstances receive deference with regards to their `opinion' that visitation would not be in the best interest of the child or that the custodial parent must be found to be unfit before visitation is proper. (Plurality opinion at 787). With all deference, I firmly believe that this statement is not a correct statement of the holdings of these two cases. As previously stated, there is a presumption that fit custodial parents will act in their child's best interest. In Troxel, the Superior Court gave no special weight to Granville's, the child's mother and custodial parent, determination of what was in her daughter's best interest when it awarded the grandparents visitation. 120 S.Ct. at 2056. The Supreme Court declared that visitation award to be unconstitutional as it infringed upon the custodial parent's rights to make decisions in rearing her daughter. Id. The trial court in the case sub judice, likewise, afforded no special weight to what the Woodells believed to be in the best interest of their daughter. In Stacy, this Court determined a chancellor should not enter an order permitting grandparents visitation unless there is a showing of unfitness on the part of the custodial parents. Parents with custody have a paramount right to control the environment, physical, social, and emotional, to which their children are exposed. 798 So.2d at 1280 (emphasis added). ¶ 59. For the above-stated reasons, I respectfully, but vigorously, dissent. PITTMAN, C.J., SMITH, P.J., AND WALLER, J., JOIN THIS OPINION.