Opinion ID: 902008
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: [¶ 25.] This Court recently reiterated the standard of review for child custody decisions: Child custody decisions are reviewed by this Court under the abuse of discretion standard of review. The credibility of witnesses and the weight afforded to their testimony is also within the discretion of the trial court. `[A]n abuse of discretion refers to a discretion exercised to an end or purpose not justified by, and clearly against reason and evidence.'  An abuse of discretion occurs in a child custody proceeding when the trial court's review of the traditional factors bearing on the best interests of the child is scant or incomplete. The broad discretion of a trial court in making child custody decisions will only be disturbed upon a finding that the trial court abused its discretion. Pietrzak v. Schroeder, 2009 SD 1, ¶ 37, 759 N.W.2d 734, 743 (internal citations omitted). Furthermore, we will uphold the trial court's findings of fact unless they are clearly erroneous. Id. (citing Anderson v. Anderson, 472 N.W.2d 519, 520 (S.D. 1991)). We will overturn the trial court's findings of fact on appeal only when a complete review of the evidence leaves the Court with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made. Id. (quoting Miller v. Jacobsen, 2006 SD 33, ¶ 19, 714 N.W.2d 69, 76).