Opinion ID: 1697830
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Equitable Parenthood Parent versus Parent

Text: ¶ 81. Even though judicial economy would have been better served had Jane been estopped from challenging Tom's paternity of Catherine at an earlier point in the proceedings, obviously we must deal with the fact that it has now been proven that Tom is not her biological father. Were we able to un-ring the bell, there would be no doubt that Tom was the child's presumed father, and no further analysis would be required. It is well-settled law in Mississippi that a man is presumed the natural father of a child when he was married to the mother at the time of birth. Baker by Williams v. Williams, 503 So.2d 249, 253 (Miss.1987). This presumption applies even though the child was conceived prior to the marriage. Id. ¶ 82. However, the bell cannot be unrung. Further, equitable estoppel could only be used by Tom against Jane, whereas the rest of the world still could challenge Tom's parental rights. The chancellor confronted this issue by using equitable parenthood to vest Tom with parental rights as against the rest of the world, basing his decision on the holding of the Iowa Supreme Court in In re Marriage of Gallagher, 539 N.W.2d 479 (Iowa 1995). The majority dismissed this approach, opting to apply in loco parentis, which is problematic because application of in loco parentis has no clear limit. The doctrine of equitable parenthood, as it was applied by the chancellor, is more in line with United States Supreme Court precedent and our traditions. ¶ 83. The United States Supreme Court has emphasized the importance of the family unit and granted individuals due process rights in preserving the continuation thereof. Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 651, 92 S.Ct. 1208, 31 L.Ed.2d 551 (1972). The touchstone of all child custody disputes is the best interest of the child. Lehr. v. Robertson, 463 U.S. 248, 257, 103 S.Ct. 2985, 77 L.Ed.2d 614 (1983); Williams, 503 So.2d at 252. Looking through that lens, the right to custody of the child requires more than a biological connection. As Justice Stewart said in his oft-quoted concurrence, [p]arental rights do not spring full-blown from the biological connection between parent and child. They require relationships more enduring. Caban v. Mohammed, 441 U.S. 380, 397, 99 S.Ct. 1760, 60 L.Ed.2d 297 (1979) (Stewart, J., concurring). The emotional attachments that derive from the intimacy of daily association, and from the role it plays in `promot[ing] a way of life' through the instruction of children as well as from the fact of blood relationship also shows the importance of the familial relationship. Lehr, 463 U.S. at 261, 103 S.Ct. 2985 (quoting Smith v. Organization of Foster Families for Equality and Reform, 431 U.S. 816, 844, 97 S.Ct. 2094, 53 L.Ed.2d 14 (1977)) (emphasis added). This is a clear revelation from the United States Supreme Court that the family unit is more than biology, rather it is a sum of its parts including the bond which forms between an equitable father and child. In my view, there is room in United States Supreme Court jurisprudence for the doctrine of equitable parenthood. ¶ 84. There are two distinct approaches to equitable parenthood. It is accepted that the doctrine of equitable parenthood was born in the Michigan decision of Atkinson v. Atkinson, 160 Mich.App. 601, 408 N.W.2d 516 (1987). See Randy A.J., 677 N.W.2d at 642. In Atkinson, the Michigan Court of Appeals crafted the following three-part test: Therefore, we adopt the doctrine of equitable parent and find that a husband who is not the biological father of a child born or conceived during the marriage may be considered the natural father of that child where (1) the husband and the child mutually acknowledge a relationship as father and child, or the mother of the child has cooperated in the development of such a relationship over a period of time prior to the filing of the complaint for divorce, (2) the husband desires to have the rights afforded to a parent, and (3) the husband is willing to take on the responsibility of paying child support. Atkinson, 408 N.W.2d at 519. This was modified by the Iowa Supreme Court in In re Marriage of Gallagher where the Court held: Applying general equitable principles, however, we believe equitable parenthood may be established in a proper case by a father who establishes all the following: (1) he was married to the mother when the child is conceived and born; (2) he reasonably believes he is the child's father; (3) he establishes a parental relationship with the child; and (4) shows that judicial recognition of the relationship is in the child's best interest. In re Marriage of Gallagher, 539 N.W.2d at 481. The two tests are similar but have markedly different permutations. The parameters of the Atkinson test are too indistinct, permitting its use to create uncertainties in the law. Randy A.J., 677 N.W.2d at 642. For that reason I would agree with several of our sister states who have been unwilling to adopt this approach. See Dept. of Human Services v. Chisum, 85 P.3d 860, 863 (Okla.Ct.App. 2004); Randy A.J., 677 N.W.2d at 642. ¶ 85. In my view, In re Marriage of Gallagher is more in step with Supreme Court precedent and our traditions, and therefore we should adopt it in the present case. With the progress of science and the movement of contemporary moral values, the basic structure of the family has shifted. We should not apply laws that force a square peg through a round hole, but rather we should adopt an approach that allows us to deal with changes while remaining resolute in our protection of the most basic tenets of the family. ¶ 86. Upon close scrutiny, in loco parentis does not even require a stable family. All that is required is a willingness by the non-biologically related party to accept the child into the household and care for it under a minimum yet undefined standard. That fails to preserve our traditions and refutes the Supreme Court's desire to ensure the protection of the family unit. The approach taken in In re Marriage of Gallagher protects the family unit. The first factor preserves this State's presumption that it is a child of the marriage by ensuring that it was born during the marriage. [8] Thus the chancellor must determine, based on an objective standard, that the husband reasonably could have believed that it was his child, and based on that reasonable belief, the husband established a father-child relationship. Lastly, by allowing a best-interest analysis, the chancellor is put in the familiar role of weighing competing factors to determine as a matter of fact that the child would benefit from the continuing relationship. ¶ 87. In my view, we should not apply in loco parentis to the present facts. Although it is too late for this Court to prevent Jane from asserting Tom's lack of paternity, we nevertheless should adopt the equitable parenthood doctrine and thereby turn this dispute into one between two parents as opposed to one between a parent and a third party. From the chancellor's Albright analysis it is clear that the chancellor did not abuse his discretion in awarding custody to Tom. In that case, applying the reasoning discussed above, this Court would merely affirm the chancellor's judgment and not further distort in loco parentis analysis as was done in Pell. DICKINSON, J. JOINS THIS OPINION. RANDOLPH, J., JOINS THIS OPINION IN PART.