Opinion ID: 1111563
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Welfare of the child is the correct test to apply where custody could be awarded to a person other than the biological parent.

Text: B.J. argues that the superior court failed to apply the welfare of the child test articulated in Turner v. Pannick, 540 P.2d 1051 (Alaska 1975) in awarding custody of V.J. to J.D., who is neither a biological parent nor a stepparent. In Turner v. Pannick , we held that an award of custody to a natural parent is preferable and only to be refused where clearly detrimental to the child. Id. at 1055. We identified only three circumstances under which a superior court may award custody to a person other than the biological parent: (1) when the biological parent is unfit; (2) when the biological parent has abandoned the child; and (3) when the welfare of the child requires that a non-parent receive custody. Id. We have reaffirmed these principles in Britt v. Britt, 567 P.2d 308, 310 (Alaska 1977), Buness v. Gillen, 781 P.2d 985, 988-89 (Alaska 1989), and Rooney v. Rooney, 914 P.2d 212, 216 n. 8 (Alaska 1996). J.D. argues that the preference for natural parents established by Turner does not apply to this case and relies on Carter v. Brodrick, 644 P.2d 850 (Alaska 1982) to support this contention. Carter, however, did not hold that a biological parent is not preferred over a third party who stands in loco parentis to the child in the determination of custody. Rather, it dealt only with visitation, not custody, and involved a stepfather (the natural mother's former husband), not an unrelated third party. Id. at 855. Indeed, in Carter, we expressly reaffirmed Turner, stating that a court would have jurisdiction to award custody of a stepchild to the stepparent if the court found that custody with the natural parent would be clearly detrimental to the child. Id. We therefore apply the welfare of the child test in this case. B.J. argues that the superior court incorrectly applied the welfare of the child test by failing to find that awarding custody to B.J. would be clearly detrimental to V.J. We disagree. A careful review of the superior court's oral findings and written custody decree reveals that the superior court made adequate findings consistent with the standard we prescribed in Turner. The superior court based its oral finding that [V.J.]'s welfare would be in jeopardy if the mother has custody, upon the evidence adduced at trial. The superior court relied on testimony regarding B.J.'s inability to provide a stable home environment or meet her daughter's needs. The trial court heard testimony that B.J. lived a transient lifestyle while in Hawaii between 1993 and 1995. During that time she and her daughter resided at five different addresses, usually shared with other families or individuals who would take responsibility for caring for V.J. B.J. admitted at trial that she was unable to provide a stable life for V.J. during the time they were in Hawaii. [8] These facts led the court to conclude that Hawaii was really not an acceptable place under the circumstances for [V.J.], that she has lived in an unstable, chaotic situation, and that based on the mother's prior conduct... [V.J.]'s welfare would be in jeopardy if the mother has custody. Furthermore, the testimony of medical experts and counselors suggested that V.J. had been sexually abused while in Hawaii under her mother's care. Although the superior court found that B.J. was neither aware of nor directly involved in the sexual abuse, the court was clearly concerned about the child's adverse reaction, and found that her welfare is best served by physical custody in [J.D.]. The court also addressed B.J.'s inability to provide for the physical, emotional, mental, religious and social needs of V.J. The court's finding that B.J. has demonstrated that she does not have the capacity to meet those needs is consistent with the evidence in the record. Testimony from persons who supervised B.J.'s visitations in Fairbanks, a custody investigator, and counselors observing interactions between B.J. and V.J., all indicated that the mother-daughter relationship was unaffectionate and awkward. The testimony further suggested that B.J. at times acted inappropriately towards her child, on one occasion slapping V.J.'s forehead and pulling her ears, while on another striking V.J. with a closed fist while tussling with a visitation supervisor. According to the testimony at trial, B.J. also admitted to the custody investigator that she had difficulty disciplining V.J. and wanted and needed help caring for her. The superior court also considered testimony that V.J. was reluctant to visit B.J. unaccompanied or converse with her on the phone. In its oral and written findings, the court noted V.J.'s concerns regarding her mother, and concluded that it would not be in [V.J.]'s welfare or interests to return physical custody to [B.J.] The professionals who testified at trial also challenged B.J.'s judgment as a parent [9] and expressed concern that if she were awarded custody, V.J.'s future will be gone. The court echoed this sentiment by questioning B.J.'s desire to meet the needs of the child relative to any type of loving relationship. Troubled by B.J.'s plans to go to South Carolina [10] and her transient lifestyle in general, the court commented, [t]here is some indication that [B.J.] ... is not aware of the necessity of the type of relationship that should exist between [J.D.] and [V.J.]. The superior court appropriately applied the Turner standard and concluded that it would not be in [V.J.'s] welfare ... to return physical custody to [B.J.], and that [V.J.]'s welfare would be in jeopardy if the mother had custody. In light of these findings, which are substantiated by the record, we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by consider[ing] improper factors or fail[ing] to consider statutorily-mandated factors, or improperly weight[ing] certain factors in making its determination. McQuade, 901 P.2d at 424 n. 9 (citations omitted). Therefore, we affirm the superior court's award of custody to J.D.