Opinion ID: 1696726
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the chancellor erred as a matter of law by using the albright factors to determine custody in a dispute between a natural parent and a third party.

Text: ¶ 5. A.G. alleges the Chancellor erred by using the Albright factors, Albright v. Albright, 437 So.2d 1003, 1005 (Miss.1983), to determine custody in a dispute between a natural parent and a third party. It is true that there is a presumption that a natural parent is the proper custodian for their child. Logan v. Logan, 730 So.2d 1124, 1125 (Miss. 1998). However, it has been stated many times that this presumption can be overcome by a clear showing that the parent is unfit. Id. (citing Sellers v. Sellers, 638 So.2d 481, 485 (Miss.1994)). See also McKee v. Flynt, 630 So.2d 44, 46 (Miss.1993); Carter v. Taylor, 611 So.2d 874, 876 (Miss.1992); Bubac v. Boston, 600 So.2d 951, 956 (Miss. 1992); Moody v. Moody, 211 So.2d 842, 844 (Miss.1968). In fact, Miss.Code Ann. § 93-13-1 (1994) states in pertinent part: [I]f any father or mother be unsuitable to discharge the duties of guardianship, then the court, or chancellor in vacation, may appoint a suitable person.... ¶ 6. As far back as 1929, this Court has held that when one parent dies, the other parent has a right to the child's custody until there has been abandonment or the living parent has forfeited that right by immoral conduct. Stegall v. Stegall, 151 Miss. 875, 119 So. 802, 803 (1929). More recently, this Court has ruled unfitness may be shown by (1) abandoning the child; (2) behaving so immorally as to be detrimental to the child; or (3) being unfit mentally or otherwise to have custody of the child. Carter, 611 So.2d at 876 (citing Rodgers v. Rodgers, 274 So.2d 671, 672 (Miss.1973)). See also Bubac, 600 So.2d at 956; Rutland v. Pridgen, 493 So.2d 952, 954 (Miss.1986). Despite A.G.'s contention otherwise, the Chancellor clearly found him to be an unfit parent. Only after this determination had been made, did the Chancellor follow the Albright factors to decide M.A.G.'s best interest. While this Court has not established the Albright factors as a test for the fitness of a parent, the mere mention of these factors in showing A.G. an unfit parent does not constitute error. Indeed, the Chancellor specifically stated that A.G. was unfit, and her reasons for this conclusion were carefully laid out. Clearly, however, a finding of unfitness is necessary to award custody to a third party against a natural parent and must be done before any analysis using the Albright factors to determine the best interests of the child. ¶ 7. Here, the Chancellor applied the proper legal standard for deciding custody between a natural parent and a third party, i.e., a finding of unfitness is required before a third party can be awarded custody. Thus, our correct standard of review is abuse of discretion. Touchstone, 682 So.2d at 377. Since this decree deprives a natural parent of the custody of his child, we have reviewed the record with care. There was substantial evidence of drug and alcohol abuseat times in the presence of M.A.G. There were errors of judgment by A.G. such as renting a horror movie to watch with his son when the six-year-old M.A.G. thought A.G. had killed his mother and brother with a baseball bat. There was evidence of drunken driving by A.G. with M.A.G. in the car. A.G. exposed M.A.G. to sexual situations. A.G. threatened and abused P.R. A.G. was involved in sexual relationships with married womenonce in the presence of her husbandand was promiscuous. A.G. never reported his live-in girlfriend and their five-month-old son missing after they were killed. We conclude that the Chancellor did not abuse her discretion in finding A.G. to be an unfit parent.