Opinion ID: 2639488
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The importance of a child's kinship circle

Text: The M.s argue that in not granting their adoption petition, Judge Reese did not place enough importance upon the evidence presented by their experts that adopted children fare best among their kinship circle, where they may develop a stronger sense of family history, genetics, and identity formation. The superior court took the kinship circle argument seriously, and cited its importance in the opinion. However, the superior court also found that [Sally D.] is as important to [Lucy] as [Cole M.]. The evidence tended to show that the M.s knew little about Lucy's mother and maternal family, whereas Elsa C. had grown up with Sally D. as children, still kept in contact with her family, and had been close to Lucy's parents when they were alive. The superior court heeded the family circle argument, but recognized that Lucy had two family circles. By necessity, her kinship relationship with one of those families will have to be met through visitation rather than primary custody. We do not find an abuse of discretion on this point.