Opinion ID: 1906270
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: a suggestion.

Text: We adopt the suggestions made by Hawkins, P.J., for the court in Hill. While we do not suggest that the legislature may not wish to once again revisit this area, we trust they will do so only after careful study. They know, far better than we, hasty legislation drafted to correct a single evil may wreak a greater evil on a previously carefully structured statutory scheme, such as the Mississippi Adoption Laws. We therefore suggest to the chancellors of this state that they take into consideration the scheme already erected by the legislature. In cases such as this and Hill, and perhaps any case of grandparental adoption, they should consider exercising their statutory authority under § 93-17-11, Miss. Code Ann. (1972), as Amended, to enter an interlocutory decree and have an investigation conducted to assure that their actions will be in the child's best interest. It is true that present adoption laws in Mississippi allow the chancellor under certain circumstances to waive the investigation in interlocutory decrees. However, simply exercising a power because one has the power is not always wise. We are aware that the chancellors of our state take their duties quite seriously. This is particularly true where the welfare of children are involved, as in cases of custody, visitation and adoption. However, we feel that we would be remiss in our duty if we did not suggest to them that in an adoption proceeding immediately following on the heels of a tragedy, where the adoption itself would permanently terminate the child or children's contact with the grandparents of their deceased parent, prudence may well be the better part of valor. Time may cure the difficulties between the Smiths and the Hills and between Mrs. Hutchins and Mrs. Muse. However, once the adoption decree has been entered, the grandparent who has become the parent controls the relationship that the children will have with their other grandparent. The manner in which this power is utilized will not always be in the best interest of the child. We remind our chancellors that the best interest of the child is also a polestar consideration in the granting of any adoption. The legislature knew this and wrote it into the adoption statute. We have faith and great confidence in the discretion of the chancellors of this state in cases such as these. An exercise of that discretion might go far to mitigate seemingly harsh results while allowing the legislature of this state time to act with reason and wisdom if they choose once again to address the issue of grandparental rights. In the meantime, because the adoption was granted to Mrs. Hutchins, as under the law the chancellor had the authority to do, without an interlocutory appeal or any investigation; because that adoption was valid and because Mrs. Hutchins was not a natural parent of the children, the rights of Mrs. Muse to have custody or to visit with her grandchildren died with the adoption decree. The judgment below is therefore affirmed. AFFIRMED. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, ROBERTSON, ANDERSON, PITTMAN and BLASS, JJ., concur.