Opinion ID: 1981130
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Grandmother

Text: [¶ 8] In determining whether to grant a grandparent's request for placement of a child with the grandparent, the court shall give the grandparents priority for consideration for placement if that placement is in the best interests of the child and consistent with section 4003. [3] 22 M.R.S.A. § 4005-E(2) (2004). When an appellant challenges a court's order denying placement to a grandparent in a child protective setting, the appellant must show that the evidence compels a finding that placement with the grandparent is in the child's best interest. In re Annie A., 2001 ME 105, ¶ 30, 774 A.2d 378, 386. [¶ 9] The grandmother contends that the court erred because the evidence compels a finding that placement of Zoe with her was in Zoe's best interest, citing, among other things, the guardian ad litem's conclusion that she was capable of caring for Zoe and that the placement would be in Zoe's best interest. The grandmother also contends that the court erred by failing to issue findings of fact and conclusions of law that explicitly state that placing Zoe in her custody is not in Zoe's best interest. [¶ 10] Turning first to the sufficiency of the court's findings, the court specifically found that Zoe's existing placement was appropriate and that any change in custody would probably precipitate destabilization, regression, attachment difficulties, and additional emotional trauma. It is implicit in this finding that a change in Zoe's custody to the grandmother would not be in the child's best interest. In the absence of a request by the grandmother for additional findings pursuant to M.R. Civ. P. 52(b), we assume that the District Court made all of the findings necessary to support its decision. Associated Builders, Inc. v. Oczkowski, 2002 ME 115, ¶ 11, 801 A.2d 1008, 1011. Under the circumstances presented, we see no reason to interpret section 4005-E(2) as requiring that the court's findings be deemed deficient if the court fails to use the phrase best interest of the child. [¶ 11] Turning next to the question of the sufficiency of the evidence on the issue of grandparent placement, competent evidence supports the court's implicit finding that placement with the potentially adoptive foster parents, rather than with the grandmother, is in Zoe's best interest. Evidence from two evaluating psychologists provided strong support for the conclusion that removing Zoe from her current foster parents would create serious emotional harm. [¶ 12] A grandparent is entitled to priority consideration for placement only if that placement is in the best interests of the child and consistent with section 4003. 22 M.R.S.A. § 4005-E(2). Therefore, if a court concludes that a child's best interest can be achieved by placement with a grandparent and also through some other custodial arrangement, the statute directs that, as between the two alternatives, placement with the grandparent be given priority. The statute does not, however, require placement with a grandparent absent a best interest finding in favor of the grandparent. Here, because the court implicitly found that placement with the grandmother would not be in Zoe's best interest, and that finding is supported by competent evidence, the court did not err by denying the grandmother's request. The entry is: Judgment affirmed.