Opinion ID: 3172171
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Modification of the Referee’s Report

Text: [¶22] Simpson makes a related argument that the court erred by supplementing the referee’s report with language required by 19-A M.R.S. § 1653(2)(D)(1) to explain the denial of Simpson’s request for shared primary residential care, without first receiving, or instructing the referee to receive, further evidence to determine whether that arrangement was in the children’s best interests. [¶23] When a party files a timely objection to a referee’s report, “the court after hearing may adopt the report or may modify it or may reject it in whole or in part or may receive further evidence or may recommit it with instructions.” M.R. Civ. P. 53(e)(2). “If the [trial court] modifies the referee’s report, we review the evidence to see whether it supports the referee’s finding, or the court’s modification.” Hennessy v. Fairley, 2002 ME 76, ¶ 18, 796 A.2d 41 (quotation marks omitted). 13 [¶24] Here, Simpson filed an objection to the referee’s report. After holding a hearing on the objection, the court adopted the report in full and added one sentence: “[Simpson’s] request for shared residence is denied and is not in the children’s best interest, and primary residence with [Wechsler] is in their best interest based on the GAL’s recommendation and the facts supporting it as outlined earlier in this paragraph.” When seen in the context of the report, this sentence is merely a way of characterizing the express finding already made by the referee—that it would be in the children’s best interests if they were to live primarily with Wechsler, which itself implies that shared residence is not in their best interests. But see supra n.3. As the court correctly noted, “It is clear what the referee intended.” The added sentence therefore is fully supported by the referee’s findings and was not erroneous, see Hennessy, 2002 ME 76, ¶ 18, 796 A.2d 41, and it was unnecessary for the court to receive further evidence or recommit the matter to the referee before adding the explanatory language.