Opinion ID: 1909218
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Applicability of LA.CODE EVID. art. 1101(B)

Text: The Legislature has enacted special rules which provide for a relaxed evidentiary standard to be applied in child custody determinations in order to promote the purposes of the proceeding. [5] LA.CODE EVID. art. 1101(B) provides, in pertinent part: [I]n the following proceedings, the principles underlying this Code shall serve as guides to the admissibility of evidence. The specific exclusionary rules and other provisions, however, shall be applied only to the extent that they tend to promote the purposes of the proceeding. . . . . (2) Child custody cases. Clearly, the Legislature has concluded that the best interests of children are not served by strict application of the rules of evidence. To decide whether the relaxed evidentiary standard applicable to custody determinations in general applies to custody determinations pursuant to the PSFVRA, we must first consider the statutory language itself. Touchard v. Williams, 617 So.2d 885 (La.1993). On its face, the statute manifests an intent that the trial judge not be hamstrung by strict application of the rules of evidence. Instead, it expresses an intent that the purpose of the determination, in this case custody, is of paramount importance. Thus, the trial judge has been given very broad discretion regarding the admissibility of evidence in order that the intended purpose of the proceeding might be served. There is no indication that LA. CODE EVID. art. 1101 is inapplicable to certain types of custody determinations. When the Legislature enacted the PSFVRA just four years after enacting article 1101, it did not express an intent that article 1101 evidentiary rules not apply. Nor did the Legislature amend article 1101 to make its provisions inapplicable to PSFVRA custody determinations. It is presumed that the Legislature enacts laws with deliberation and with full knowledge of all existing laws on the same subject. Theriot v. Midland Risk Ins. Co., 95-2895 (La.5/20/97), 694 So.2d 184. Therefore, it must be presumed that the Legislature intended that the evidentiary rules applicable to custody determinations in general be applicable to custody determinations pursuant to the PSFVRA. Our next consideration is whether the application of article 1101(B) to PSFVRA custody determinations is consistent with legislative intentthat is, to promote the purposes of the custody determination. It is well known and documented that sexual abuse of children is extremely difficult to detect because the offense often takes place in secret, the victim is young, vulnerable, and reluctant to testify, and there is often no physical or other evidence the abuse took place. State v. Miller, 98-0301 (La.9/9/98), 718 So.2d 960, 962. The evidence is rarely direct, but is circumstantial. Moreover, reports of family violence are exceedingly lower than their actual occurrence. La.R.S. 9:361; La.R.S. 46:2121(C). Thus, the purposes of unearthing the truth under the difficult circumstances of child sexual abuse would be served by permitting a judge to use the rules of evidence as guides rather than blinders because the relaxed standard is responsive to the circumstances in which child abuse occurs and is exposed. Application of a relaxed evidentiary standard is also consistent with public policy regarding the welfare of children. Moreover, special consideration in matters concerning juveniles is not new. A relaxed evidentiary standard has been applied in considering placement of children. State in the Interest of CW v. Womack, 28,310 (La.App. 2 Cir. 2/28/96), 669 So.2d 700, superceded on other grounds by LA.CH. CODE art. 606 A(5); LA.CODE EVID. art. 680. Even in the criminal context, a relaxed evidentiary standard is applied in cases involving sex crimes against children. State v. Miller, 98-0301 (La.9/9/98), 718 So.2d 960 (where evidence of uncharged misconduct is admissible to show lustful disposition). A relaxed evidentiary standard has also been applied to minimize the effect of the harsh courtroom experience. Maryland v. Craig, 497 U.S. 836, 110 S.Ct. 3157, 111 L.Ed.2d 666 (1990); Michael H. Graham, The Confrontation Clause, the Hearsay Rule, and Child Sexual Abuse Prosecutions: The State of the Relationship, 72 MINN. L. REV. 523, 558-60 (1988) (citing state statutes providing relief). The basis of the relaxation of the rules reflects a state policy favoring the interests of the child. Miller, 718 So.2d at 960; State v. McArthur, 97-2918 (La.10/20/98), 719 So.2d 1037. The court of appeal in the case sub judice erroneously concluded that LA. CODE EVID. art. 1101(B) did not apply to PSFVRA custody determinations. The appellate court relied on In re A.C., 643 So.2d at 743, which held that mandatory suspension of custody and visitation pursuant to the PSFVRA was effective only when sexual abuse was proven by the elevated clear and convincing standard. [6] The appellate court's misplaced reliance on In re A.C. cuts against the clear legislative intent that only the burden of proof be elevatednot the admissibility of evidence. Moreover, the appellate court ignored the fact that there are rarely witnesses to sexual abuse. The First Circuit's ruling, if affirmed, would stand for the proposition that no hearsay evidence would be allowed to prove a case that required proof by clear and convincing evidence. Since that was not the intent of the Legislature, the court of appeal's ruling was in error.