Opinion ID: 1595736
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: Ties to Community and Extended Family

Text: The evidence adduced in the district court indicated that living in New York would place the children closer to Cynthia's extended family and some of Dwight's extended family, who live generally in the New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas. Dwight also testified, however, that his remaining extended family lives in the Lincoln area. No evidence was adduced regarding the ties of the children in the community, other than some brief testimony regarding Dwight III's friends at school. Members of the extended family of the children live in both Lincoln and New York. Furthermore, we note that although Cynthia had no other children, Dwight and Shelley had another child, and Shelley was pregnant at the time of the hearing. In considering the familial relationships of the children, we would be remiss if we did not consider the relationship of the children to their younger siblings. Allowing the children greater contact with members of Cynthia and Dwight's extended family must be balanced against contact with Dwight's remaining extended family and, perhaps most importantly, the children's siblings. In balance, we conclude that this factor does not weigh significantly for or against permitting relocation of the children.