Opinion ID: 1998361
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: issue v: whether, under the facts of the case, the trial court could order the parties to use a specific child care provider.

Text: The trial judge ordered the parties to use Candace Johnson as the day care provider for Elissa. Father urges a narrow reading of the statutes, alleging that the paternity action statute, SDCL 25-8-7, does not permit a judge to specify a day care provider. Father places too much reliance on one statute. SDCL 25-8-7 provides a remedy to establish paternity and to determine support obligations. In the area of custody, however, it is not exclusive. The law grants Mother statutory custody over Elissa because Elissa was born out of wedlock. See SDCL 25-5-10. The trial judge, however, may award custody to either parent considering the best interests of the child as to its temporal, mental and moral welfare. Id.; Frieberg v. Frieberg, 509 N.W.2d 415, 420 (S.D.1993). The joint custody statute also permits a judge to make decisions regarding the child's care. See SDCL 25-5-7.1. The grant of authority in this statute is broad, allowing the trial court to act (i)n any custody dispute between parents.... Id. Additionally, the trial court may assign specific areas of responsibility to parents and assign any other responsibilities which the court finds unique to a particular family or in the best interest of the child. Id. The trial judge must read these statutes in pari materia. Sander v. Geib, Elston, Frost Prof. Ass'n., 506 N.W.2d 107, 122 (1993); Whalen v. Whalen, 490 N.W.2d 276, 280 (S.D.1992). Thus, SDCL 25-8-7 is not exclusive in the area of custody and best interest of the child. The trial judge ordered the parties to have joint custody of Elissa. Under his authority, the trial judge has the power to determine other responsibilities such as day care. Therefore, Judge Grosshans' order was not in error. Moreover, we must not ignore the protection order proceeding in which Judge Konenkamp ordered the parties to use Johnson as the day care provider. Judge Grosshans ordered a protection order, continued Judge Konenkamp's order, and then merged the protection order file into the present case. Although the relief is temporary, not more than one year at the time of the proceeding, [1] SDCL 25-10-5 grants plenary authority to the trial judge to make orders for the protection of Elissa. SDCL 25-10-5(3) gives the trial judge authority to award custody; SDCL 25-10-5(6) augments this authority, granting the trial judge the authority to (o)rder other relief as the court deems necessary for the protection of a family or household member. Although not a substitute for a proper action for permanent custody, and admittedly temporary, the protection order statute gave the trial judge ample authority to protect Elissa, a family member, which included the power to determine where the child was to receive care. Furthermore, Judge Grosshans ordered the protection order closed, not dismissed, and merged it into this action. Father is not without remedy. Since custody and day care are stipulated by the parties, Father may without showing a substantial and material change in circumstances, prove in the future, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Elissa's best interests and welfare would require a change in the day care provider. See Henle v. Larson, 466 N.W.2d 846 (S.D.1991). Even if a trial court would conclude that Father must show a substantial and material change in circumstances to change the day care provider, such a requirement is not germane when we review the circumstances in this case. Although a trial judge should avoid becoming enmeshed in too many details of a custody arrangement, clearly the trial judge had jurisdiction to specify a day care provider particularly when faced with the facts in this case. The Department recommended Candace Johnson, Judge Konenkamp ordered Candace Johnson in the dependency and neglect case, and Judge Grosshans incorporated that order in the protection order case and incorporated that order in this case. The parents are immature and one parent may be psychologically troubled. Unfortunately the Department's recommendations do not appear in the record. Two trial judges, however, reviewed the Department's recommendations and concluded that in this case, Candace Johnson was necessary for Elissa. No error or abuse of discretion appear. We affirm on this issue.