Opinion ID: 2308529
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Abuse of Process Finding

Text: [¶ 12] Kelly next argues that because there was no motion to modify the divorce judgment before the District Court, its finding by clear and convincing evidence that she willfully misused the protection from abuse process, whether or not it was justified by the evidence, was extraneous and unnecessary. Fearing that she may be estopped from relitigating that issue in a future action, she asserts that the finding must be stricken. While we agree that linking the finding to a future motion to modify parental rights and responsibilities was error, the finding itself was not, and so we decline to disturb it as it relates to the protection from abuse case. [¶ 13] The Legislature has directed that a court must consider several factors when determining the best interest of a child as a predicate to awarding parental rights and responsibilities. 19-A M.R.S. § 1653(3) (2007). Among these is [a] parent's prior willful misuse of the protection from abuse process . . . in order to gain tactical advantage in a proceeding involving the determination of parental rights and responsibilities of a minor child. 19-A M.R.S. § 1653(3)( 0 ) (emphasis added). A court may consider a parent's willful misuse of the process only if: (1) it is established by clear and convincing evidence, and (2) that in the particular circumstances of the parents and child, that willful misuse tends to show that the acting parent will in the future have a lessened ability and willingness to cooperate and work with the other parent in their shared responsibilities for the child. Id. [¶ 14] In specifying that a court is to consider prior misconduct, the statute suggests that the finding of willful misuse is retrospective, not contemporaneous. We have done the same. Discussing the connection between misuse of the protection from abuse process and a later action to determine parental rights and responsibilities, we said: [T]here must be a demonstrable nexus between the misuse of the protection process . . . and the children's best interests . . . . The divorce court cannot adequately determine whether that nexus exists unless the divorce court itself, independently of the District Court's earlier dismissal of the protection from abuse proceeding, examines the totality of the circumstances of the family and the litigation between the parents. In making that independent examination, the divorce court must accord the parties an opportunity to present evidence and argument. Campbell v. Campbell, 604 A.2d 33, 37 (Me.1992) (emphasis added). [¶ 15] Section 1653(3)( 0 ) and Campbell thus instruct that when determining parental rights and responsibilities, a court hearing the family matter must make an independent examination of the totality of the circumstances after hearing fresh evidence. A court cannot perform that important function if an earlier finding is binding upon it as res judicata. Accordingly, the District Court erred when it found by clear and convincing evidence that Kelly willfully misused the protection from abuse process, and then tied that finding to the best interest of the child determination required by 19-A M.R.S. § 1653(3). [¶ 16] Restricted to the protection from abuse case, however, the finding was not improper. In that context the trial court was required to decide whether Kelly had proved her allegations of abuse by a preponderance of the evidence. 19-A M.R.S. § 4006(1); Jacobs, 2007 ME 14, ¶ 7, 915 A.2d at 411. The court's finding by a preponderance that she had willfully misused the protection from abuse process was relevant to that determination, and narrowed to that scope the court did not err in making it. The entry is: The judgment of the District Court is modified by replacing the finding of misuse of process by clear and convincing evidence with an identical finding by a preponderance of the evidence, and by striking its reference to 19-A M.R.S. § 1653(3)( 0 ). As modified, judgment affirmed.