Opinion ID: 1662406
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether the circuit court erred in awarding custody of danielle to mother.

Text: Having determined that the circuit court properly exercised jurisdiction over this matter, we turn to the issue of whether it erred in awarding custody of Danielle to Mother. Again, our standard of review is whether the circuit court abused its discretion in making its determination. See Kolb v. Kolb, 324 N.W.2d 279 (S.D.1982). The evidence adduced by the circuit court was that each parent was equally fit to be the primary custodian of Danielle. The court noted, however, that Danielle had lived most of her life with Mother and had become attached to her older half-sister. While Father and Mother each volleyed allegations of abuse and neglect of Danielle against each other, none of the allegations were substantiated so as to necessitate the removal of Danielle from either parent's custody. Reviewing the circuit court's decision in its entirety, we do not believe that it abused its discretion in finding that Danielle's best interests would be served by placing her in the primary custody of Mother with liberal visitation granted to Father. For all of the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the circuit court is affirmed. WUEST, C.J., and MORGAN and SABERS, JJ., concur. HENDERSON, J., concurs in result.