Opinion ID: 1365567
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The motion to enforce the Maryland decree.

Text: As a second ground for reversal of the custody order below, appellant contends he was entitled to enforcement of the Maryland decree under the full faith and credit clause, article IV, section 1 of the United States Constitution, and under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act, RCW 6.36. Foreign judgments are entitled to enforcement, under the language of RCW 6.36.010, only if they are entitled to full faith and credit. The issue thus turns on the responsibility of the Washington court under that constitutional provision. While there is considerable disagreement among scholars concerning the extent to which a state is constitutionally required to give effect to foreign custody decrees, and in the absence of a United States Supreme Court ruling on the matter, this state had adopted the rule that a permanent child custody award by a sister state having jurisdiction of the parties and the subject matter is entitled to full faith and credit. In re Marriage of Saucido, supra at 657. Under some circumstances, though, a court may decline to enforce such a decree or may modify it in order to protect the best interests of the child. Those circumstances are present here. [3] A court may refuse to give full faith and credit if the decree was fraudulently obtained. In re Mullins, supra at 426. See Restatement (Second) of the Law of Judgments §§ 118, 130 (Tent. Draft 1979). Here, even though appellant was actively involved in litigation over the custody of both his daughters, he falsely attested to the Maryland court that he was not involved in such litigation at the time he filed his divorce complaint. Although he later admitted the fact of the Washington proceedings, it appears from the record that he never fully apprised the Maryland court of their nature and extent. The Maryland court thus had no reason to believe Washington could or would adequately protect the best interests of the children involved. In view of respondent's inability to present evidence in her favor, it is not surprising that the court awarded appellant custody of both children. Yet, had it been fully aware of the nature and extent of the Washington proceedings, it may well have declined jurisdiction, or at least required more evidence regarding Aimee's welfare. Appellant, having perpetrated this fraud on the Maryland court, may not now require a Washington court to enforce his Maryland decree. [4] Moreover, the Washington court had additional grounds for entering its own custody order. A Washington court may modify the custody decree of a sister state where significant facts not known to the decreeing court are shown. For example, a change of circumstances since the entry of a decree may allow a court having jurisdiction over parties and subject matter to modify the foreign decree. State ex rel. Marthens v. Superior Court, 25 Wn.2d 125, 169 P.2d 626 (1946). Similarly, a proceeding resulting in a default decree may have deprived the court of the opportunity to fully examine the relevant circumstances, thus allowing a court apprised of those circumstances to modify the decree to protect the best interests of the child. In re Rankin, 76 Wn.2d 533, 458 P.2d 176 (1969). Even in a proceeding where both parents are parents, however, there may be significant facts in existence which relate to a child's welfare but which are not put before the court. See New York ex rel. Halvey v. Halvey, 330 U.S. 610, 91 L.Ed. 1133, 67 S.Ct. 903 (1947). The existence of such facts is a ground for modifying a custody decree pursuant to our own statute, RCW 26.09.260. McDaniel v. McDaniel, 14 Wn. App. 194, 539 P.2d 699 (1975). See also In re Rankin, supra . In this case the Maryland court was apparently not apprised of the results of the family court investigation in Washington, or of the child psychologist's expert opinion that it is in Aimee's best interest that she remain in Washington with her mother. Nor did the court consider any testimony on respondent's behalf which could illuminate Aimee's situation in her Washington home. In short, it was not apprised of the most significant facts regarding Aimee's welfare. The Washington court did have these facts before it, and was in a far better position to determine and protect Aimee's best interests. Its custody award in effect modified the Maryland decree in a manner consistent with both the law and policy of the State of Washington. Finally, it would be inappropriate to enforce the decree of a sister state when to do so would violate the policies of the full faith and credit clause itself. See 3 Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 103 (1969). The full faith and credit clause should function to encourage national unity. See May v. Anderson, 345 U.S. 528, 536, 97 L.Ed. 1221, 73 S.Ct. 840 (1953) (Frankfurter, J., concurring). Yet enforcement of the decree in this case would only further the divisive and deplorable practice of forum shopping, by encouraging parents to bring suit in a state where the other parent is financially or physically unable to vigorously litigate. Since respondent was unable to appear early in the Maryland proceedings and marshal the evidence in her favor before that court, the trial proceeded quickly and appellant got a favorable decree first. If we were to enforce that decree despite the fact that Washington had jurisdiction first and more fully considered Aimee's welfare, we would only encourage this practice. We conclude the trial court was fully justified in refusing to enforce the Maryland decree.