Opinion ID: 2063236
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Custody: incident to the original dissolution proceedings or modification due to change in circumstances?

Text: Trial court determined that the question of custody was incident to the dissolution although arising a considerable time after the original decree. Petitioner contends it should have been considered as a modification, with the burden of proof on Debra to show material and substantial change in circumstances. He would give the parties' purported custody agreement, reached on April 20, 1976 with the aid of social workers and the public health nurse, the same effect as a court order fixing custody. The original dissolution decree contained no provision for custody as there was no known reason to do so. DeWayne's 1976 petition for custody asks for an adjunct to that decree. That is, he requests an additional determination, not a modification of, or change in, the decree's original terms. Under these circumstances, trial court properly considered this dispute as within the original dissolution proceedings. See In re Marriage of Smith, 269 N.W.2d 406, 408 (Iowa 1978). Neither is it necessary that this dispute be treated as an attempt to modify the custody arrangements arrived at by agreement. Private custody agreements which have not been court approved are without binding force on the court. See Brin v. Brin, 240 Iowa 659, 664, 37 N.W.2d 261, 264 (1949) (dicta); cf. In re Marriage of Habben, 260 N.W.2d 401, 403 (Iowa 1977). See generally 67 C.J.S. Parent & Child § 11(d)(3) at 645-6 (1950).