Opinion ID: 1738407
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether the chancellor erred and abused his discretion in denying full custody to lackey and awarding full custody to fuller when the chancellor admitted, considered, and acted on inadmissible evidence.

Text: ¶ 10. This Court reviews a trial judge's decision to admit evidence under an abuse of discretion standard. Rushing v. Rushing, 724 So.2d 911, 914 (Miss.1998). Unless the trial judge's discretion is so abused as to be prejudicial to a party, this Court will not reverse his ruling. Id. (quoting Stewart v. Stewart, 645 So.2d 1319, 1320 (Miss.1994) (citations omitted)). ¶ 11. Lackey asserts that the chancellor erred when he allowed into evidence testimony regarding events that occurred before the granting of the original divorce decree. At the hearing, Fuller attempted to cross-examine Lackey about an extramarital affair she had with Brent Lackey, her present husband. Lackey objected on the grounds that the divorce was a no-fault divorce and that the particulars of the divorce had no relevance in the present hearing. The chancellor held that while the divorce decree was res judicata, information about Brent Lackey, including any pre-divorce conduct with Lackey, was not. Lackey asserts that any pre-divorce conduct, including pre-divorce conduct with Brent Lackey, is barred by the doctrine of res judicata. ¶ 12. The doctrine of res judicata stands for the premise that a judgment is final on all matters which might have been litigated and determined in a previous suit, as well as matters which were actually litigated and decided. Childers v. Childers, 717 So.2d 1279, 1280 (Miss.1998). The doctrine of res judicata has been applied equally in divorce actions as in any other. Newman v. Newman, 558 So.2d 821, 823 (Miss.1990) (citing Bowe v. Bowe, 557 So.2d 793, 794 (Miss.1990); Tedford v. Dempsey, 437 So.2d 410, 417 (Miss.1983); Brocato v. Walker, 220 So.2d 340, 343 (Miss.1969)). ¶ 13. Mississippi case law is clear on issues of child custody and res judicata: A decree fixing the custody of a child is, however, final on the conditions then existing and should not be changed afterward unless on altered conditions since the decree    and then only for the welfare for the child. Brocato v. Walker, 220 So.2d 340, 342 (Miss.1969) (quoting Cassell v. Cassell, 211 Miss. 841, 846, 52 So.2d 918, 921 (1951))(emphasis added). A modification of an original decree granting custody should only occur if there has been a material change in circumstances, subsequent to the original decree, that adversely affects the child. Marascalco v. Marascalco, 445 So.2d 1380, 1382 (Miss.1984), Cheek v. Ricker, 431 So.2d 1139, 1143 (Miss.1983). In Bowe this Court held: We begin with the principles of res judicata which command that a final judgment preclude thereafter all claims that were or reasonably may have been brought in the original action.... The familiar rule that a judgment for alimony, custody or support may be modified only upon a showing of a post-judgment material change of circumstances is a recognition of the force of res judicata in divorce actions. Tedford v. Dempsey, 437 So.2d 410, 417 (Miss.1983); Brocato v. Walker, 220 So.2d 340, 343 (Miss. 1969). Bowe v. Bowe, 557 So.2d 793, 794 (Miss. 1990) (emphasis added). ¶ 14. The original divorce decree found that both parties were fit, proper and suitable persons to have the care, custody and control of the minor children.... The decree granted joint legal and physical custody of the children to the parents. Because the chancellor specifically found that both parents were fit, predivorce conduct is res judicata as to the hearing regarding the modification of child custody. The chancellor clearly abused his discretion in revisiting that which had already been laid to rest. ¶ 15. The decree then went on to grant Fuller and Lackey a divorce on irreconcilable differences. As noted earlier, Fuller had sued for a divorce on the ground of adultery but later agreed to a divorce on the ground of irreconcilable differences. Fuller had the option of pursuing a divorce on the ground of adultery. He chose not to do so. Pre-divorce conduct regarding any extra-marital affair by Lackey with Brent Lackey is also res judicata. ¶ 16. Fuller asserts that because Lackey knew before the divorce that Brent Lackey was being transferred to Delaware or possibly New York and she did not inform the chancellor, the pre-divorce conduct was not res judicata. Fuller seems to imply that if the chancellor had known of the possible relocation, he might have initially granted full custody to Fuller. ¶ 17. Fuller's argument has one fatal flaw: Fuller himself knew before the final divorce that there was a possibility that Brent Lackey would be transferred. Fuller had taped his wife's phone conversations wherein she discussed with Brent Lackey and her mother the possibility that Brent would be transferred and that Lackey would accompany him. Whether the chancellor took this into consideration during the original divorce is irrelevant: Fuller had knowledge of the possible relocation and could have brought it to the court's attention if he wished. As such, Lackey's pre-divorce knowledge of a relocation is res judicata as to the modification. ¶ 18. The final judgment of divorce is res judicata as to the issue of the fitness of both Fuller and Lackey at the time of the divorce. As such, the only evidence the judge should have admitted at the hearing was evidence of post-judgment conduct. Evidence regarding Lackey leaving her husband and children in the marital home, as well as any extra-marital affair with Brent Lackey, is res judicata. ¶ 19. Lackey suffered severe prejudice as a result of the admission of the above evidence. In his ruling, the chancellor found that both parents were fit and suitable parents. However, the chancellor stated that there were two factors which influenced his decision to grant custody of the children to Fuller. One of those factors was that Lackey made a very irresponsible choice in abandoning her children and husband without sufficient reason except for her infatuation with her soul mate who came along, .... If the pre-divorce conduct had not been admitted to evidence, the chancellor would have been forced to make a decision regarding child custody by applying the Albright analysis mandated in Albright v. Albright, 437 So.2d 1003, 1005 (Miss.1983). ¶ 20. The chancellor used the custody decision as a way to punish Lackey for her indiscretions. This Court has long opined that this is not acceptable. In Phillips this Court stated that `a change in custody should never be made for the purpose of rewarding one parent or punishing another.' Phillips, 555 So.2d at 701 ( quoting Tucker v. Tucker, 453 So.2d 1294, 1297 (Miss.1984) (citations omitted)). In Rushing this Court stated that [t]he polestar consideration in custody matters is the best interest of the child, not marital fault. Rushing, 724 So.2d at 916 (citing Moak v. Moak, 631 So.2d 196, 198 (Miss. 1994)). ¶ 21. The chancellor committed manifest error in admitting testimony of pre-divorce conduct into evidence. ¶ 22. The dissent argues that this Court applies the doctrine of res judicata only when it is convenient to do so. The dissent maintains that we failed to apply the doctrine in the recent case of R.E. v. C.E.W., 752 So.2d 1019 (Miss.1999). where, at the time of the divorce, both husband and wife acknowledged that the child whose legitimacy was in question was born of the marriage. Later the presumed father, the husband, sued to prove he was not the father of the child. The child was joined as a party, and a guardian ad litem was appointed. The dissent maintains that res judicata should have prevented the husband from relitigating the issue of paternity which, even if it was not actually litigated at the time of the divorce, could or should have been litigated at that time and, thus, was barred from being relitigated at a later point. ¶ 23. The dissent's argument regarding the doctrine of res judicata is misplaced. Case law clearly states that res judicata does not apply in this situation. In Baker by Williams v. Williams , this Court held that the adjudication of paternity in a divorce decree is not binding on the child. Baker by Williams v. Williams, 503 So.2d 249, 254-55 (Miss.1987). Thus, the doctrine of res judicata does not bar suit when the child later sues to determine his or her paternity: In dealing with the prospective rights of a minor child to establish paternity, the child, it not formally a party, is not bound by a paternity determination in a marital dissolution action. Ruddock v. Ohls, 91 Cal.App.3rd 271, 154 Cal.Rptr. 87 (1979). Similarly a decree in equity cannot adjudicate the rights or liabilities of persons not parties to the proceeding. Mannard v. Locke[Maynard v. Cocke], 18 So. 374 (1895); McPike v. Wells, 54 Miss. 136 (1876). See also Griffith Mississippi Chancery Practice § 612 (2d ed.1950). Baker by Williams, 503 So.2d at 254.