Opinion ID: 1688572
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the trial court erred in applying the albright factors in a custody case and refusing to award physical custody of a seven-year old female to her mother.

Text: ¶ 9. When a court enters an order awarding custody of a child, that court holds continuing jurisdiction over the subject matter and the parties for the purpose of later modifications of that order. Miss.Code Ann. § 93-5-23 (Supp.1996). Any order for joint custody may be modified upon the showing of a material change of circumstances adverse to the interest of the child. Rutledge v. Rutledge, 487 So.2d 218, 220 (Miss.1986); See also Miss.Code Ann. § 93-5-24(6) (1994). In the case sub judice, the parties admitted that a material change in circumstances adverse to the interest of the child had occurred. It was thus necessary for the court to determine the custody arrangement which would be in the best interest of the child. Newsom v. Newsom, 557 So.2d 511, 515-16 (Miss.1990); Phillips v. Phillips, 555 So.2d 698, 700 (Miss.1989). Margaret asserts the chancellor misapplied that law in the instant case. ¶ 10. The Albright factors are as follows: 1. Age, health, sex of the child. 2. Continuity of care prior to the separation. 3. Parenting skills and willingness and capacity to provide primary child care. 4. Employment of the parent and responsibilities of that employment. 5. Physical and mental health and age of the parents. 6. Emotional ties of the parent and the child. 7. Moral fitness of the parents. 8. The home, school, and community record of the child. 9. The preference of the child at the age sufficient, by law, to express a preference. 10. Stability of home and employment of each parent. 11. Other factors relevant to the parentchild relationship. Albright, 437 So.2d at 1005. The polestar consideration in custody matters is the best interest and welfare of the child, and the above stated factors are to be employed in the furtherance of that determination. Id. ¶ 11. In the instant case, the chancellor found that factors 3, 4, 8, and 10 weighed in Steve's favor. The chancellor found the remaining factors, with the exception of factor 9, which is not applicable here, to weigh equally between the parties. ¶ 12. Margaret asserts that the chancellor erred when he concluded that factor number one, the age, sex and health of the child, weighed equally between the parties. She cites a litany of cases to support her proposition that if a mother is fit and a child, especially a female child, is of tender years, then the mother should be awarded custody. Buntyn v. Smallwood, 412 So.2d 236, 238 (Miss.1982) (custody of female child of five years of age granted to mother); Kyzar v. Kyzar, 248 Miss. 59, 157 So.2d 770 (1963) (custody of three females and one male, ranging in age from one and one-half years old to nine years old, granted to mother); Brown v. Brown, 237 Miss. 53, 112 So.2d 556 (1959) (custody of four and onehalf year old female granted to mother); Thames v. Thames, 233 Miss. 24, 100 So.2d 868 (1958); Scott v. Scott, 219 Miss. 614, 631, 69 So.2d 489 (1954) (custody of female five year old granted to mother); Kennedy v. Kennedy, 222 Miss. 469, 76 So.2d 375 (1954) (custody of four year old male granted to mother); Boswell v. Pope, 213 Miss. 31, 56 So.2d 1 (1952) (custody of three year and five month old female granted to mother); Miles v. Miles, 111 Miss. 110, 71 So. 295 (1916). ¶ 13. The tender years doctrine on which Margaret relies was established by this Court in 1879 in Johns v. Johns, 57 Miss. 530 (1879) and is stated as follows: `In all cases where any child is of such tender age as to require the mother's care for its physical welfare it should be awarded to her custody, at least until it reaches that age and maturity where it can be equally well cared for by other persons.' Brown v. Brown, 237 Miss. 53, 58, 112 So.2d 556, 559 (1959) ( quoting Amis, Divorce and Separation in Mississippi (1935), Sec 219, page 296). ¶ 14. The tender years doctrine has been gradually weakened in Mississippi jurisprudence to the point of now being only a presumption. Law v. Page, 618 So.2d 96, 101 (Miss.1993). Today, the age of a child is simply one of the factors that we consider in determining the best interests of the child. Albright v. Albright, 437 So.2d 1003, 1005 (Miss.1983). In this case, Dusty was within weeks of her seventh birthday at the time of trial. The cases cited by Margaret in support of the proposition that, as a female in her tender years Dusty should reside with her mother, are all pre- Albright cases when the tender years doctrine was a rule rather than one of several factors to consider in determining custody. Furthermore, in each of these cases, the child was younger than Dusty, or there were several siblings, with at least one of them being younger than Dusty. ¶ 15. Margaret further alleges that the chancellor summarily dismissed the tender years doctrine without inquiry. We disagree. The chancellor addressed this issue when he noted that Dusty was no longer of tender years since she was nearly seven at the time of hearing. As stated supra, a child is no longer of tender years when that child can be equally cared for by persons other than the mother. We have held that a child of seven is long past the age that requires this type of special care from her mother. Torrence v. Moore, 455 So.2d 778, 780 (Miss.1984)( citing Duncan v. Duncan, 119 Miss. 271, 80 So. 697 (1919)). Not only can other people care for Dusty as well as her mother, but the record reflects that Steve Mercier does care for Dusty as well as or better than her mother. We are satisfied that the chancellor sufficiently addressed the tender years doctrine by finding that it did not apply. ¶ 16. Not only do we find that the chancellor correctly evaluated the tender years doctrine, but we also find that he properly weighed the remaining Albright factors. The chancellor noted that Steve has a steady job and significant income while Margaret is a student living on a Pell grant, student loans, and part time jobs. In fact, Margaret has admitted that she is forced to rely upon the kindness of her kin to sustain Dusty and herself. While the income is certainly in Steve's favor, the record shows numerous other reasons why the Albright factors are weighted in Steve's favor. The chancellor found that Steve Mercier had better parenting skills and ability to provide primary child care, that his employment and responsibilities were more suited to the care of Dusty, that he could provide a more stable home environment for Dusty, and that Dusty's home, school and community record indicate that she should be with Steve. ¶ 17. Steve testified that he is the manager of a cable company where he has been employed for six years. He illustrated that his hours are flexible and that he is able to adjust his work schedule to meet Dusty's needs. ¶ 18. Steve further testified that either he or his present wife, Lisa Mercier, always take Dusty to school on time and pick her up on time. To the contrary, Margaret Mercier admitted that she has repeatedly checked Dusty out of school early because neither she, nor Dusty, like to wait in the car line. She also admitted that on at least one occasion, she had checked Dusty out before 11:00 a.m. for a fun day. The record also reflects that Margaret's work and school schedule do not permit her to take and pick Dusty up from school on Thursdays. Her elderly aunt, who lives with them, picks Dusty up on these days. When the elderly aunt is traveling, another family member provides Dusty with transportation to and from school. ¶ 19. Steve's home also seems to be more appropriate because he has been married to Lisa for three and a half years, and they provide a stable home life, with siblings, for Dusty. He shares in the responsibilities of raising Lisa's daughter, Sarah Mullins, who is 9. They also have visitation with his son Brent, and at the time of litigation Lisa was pregnant. The record reflects amity between Dusty and her siblings, Sarah and Brent. As the chancellor noted, Steve spends most evenings at home and his life seems to revolve around his family and his children. ¶ 20. While Margaret is not an unfit mother, she has not provided the stability that Steve provides. She has moved six times since her divorce from Steve. Subsequent to the divorce, she remarried Richard Hitt. She then left Hitt, stating in her complaint for divorce that he caused Dusty and her to suffer mental duress. There is conflicting testimony over whether or not she has subsequently been engaged to a man in McComb and broken that engagement. Margaret presently lives with her elderly parents. It is undisputed that Dusty has a close and loving relationship with her grandparents; however, we agree with the chancellor that Steve's household is more appropriate for a young child. While in Steve's home Dusty is cared for by Steve and Lisa. She interacts not only with her siblings, but with other children close to her age. Steve has ensured that Dusty is involved in child-oriented activities by enrolling her in gymnastics and T-ball. While in Margaret's care, Dusty seems to spend all of her time with her grandparents, her elderly aunt, or Margaret. Margaret has enrolled her in piano lessons; however, this one hour lesson every week is spent with another adult, her piano teacher. The record reflects that Steve's home is simply a happier, healthier home for a child. Perhaps this is why on more than one occasion Dusty has cried and Steve has had to physically force her to return to Margaret. ¶ 21. Not only does Steve ensure that Dusty is involved in child oriented activities, but he has shown that he is able to meet her emotional needs in other ways. After Margaret ended her tumultuous relationship with Richard Hitt, Steve sought professional counseling for Dusty to help her with emotional problems she exhibited. He is also providing guidance by rearing Dusty in a church-oriented environment. ¶ 22. All too often chancellors, as arms of the state, are forced to render difficult decisions when adults fail to act in the best interests of their children. In this case, the learned and compassionate chancellor got it right. His decree correctly balances the Albright factors and is not in error. We, therefore, affirm. ¶ 23. AFFIRMED. PRATHER, C.J., SULLIVAN and PITTMAN, P.JJ., and McRAE and JAMES L. ROBERTS, Jr., JJ., concur. McRAE, J., specially concurs with separate written opinion joined by ROBERTS, J. WALLER, J., dissents with separate written opinion joined by BANKS and SMITH, JJ.