Opinion ID: 1825816
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Factual Background and Course of Proceedings

Text: Laura and William were divorced in May 1997 when their daughter was 5 1/2 months old. By agreement, Laura, who was living in Cullman at the time, was given custody. In November 1999, Laura remarried, and she and the child moved to Birmingham to live with Laura's husband, Brian. Sharp conflicts arose as to what standards and practices were to be used in caring for the child during William's exercise of his visitation rights (as to watching TV and movies, dressing the child, etc.). Brian and Laura spend a significant portion of their time preparing video documentaries for a missionary named David Cloud. In December 2002, Laura, Brian, and the child moved to a rural area of Indiana in order for Brian and Laura to be located closer to their missionary work. Additional disputes arose between the parties regarding Brian's relationship with the child and regarding the use of corporal punishment in Brian and Laura's home. William petitioned the trial court for a change in custody, which the court granted. Laura appealed to the Court of Civil Appeals, which unanimously affirmed the trial court's judgment. Laura filed a petition with this Court for a writ of certiorari, in which she claimed that the Court of Civil Appeals' affirmance of the trial court's ruling conflicts with Ex parte McLendon, 455 So.2d 863 (Ala.1984), which held that, before a parent may reclaim custody of a child, he or she must show that the change of custody will materially promote the child's welfare. Laura also claimed that the ruling of the Court of Civil Appeals conflicts with Clift v. Clift, 346 So.2d 429 (Ala.Civ.App.1977), which held that a change in a parent's religious beliefs cannot be the sole factor considered in a child-custody determination but that questions concerning religious convictions, when reasonably related to the determination of whether the prospective custodian's convictions might result in physical or mental harm to the child, are proper considerations for the trial court in a child custody proceeding. 346 So.2d at 435. We granted Laura's petition so that we could review the entire record.