Opinion ID: 902008
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Primary Physical Care

Text: [¶ 28.] Under her first argument, Kelly offers the proposition that the parent who served as the primary caretaker should be the primary factor in determining child custody disputes because it is in the first order of priority in the listing under the Fuerstenberg factors. [1] Kelly relies on the fact that many jurisdictions give preference to the primary caretaker in child custody determinations as noted by this Court in Price v. Price, 2000 SD 64, ¶ 32, 611 N.W.2d 425, 433. [¶ 29.] We have acknowledged that other jurisdictions place greater emphasis on this factor than others. Id. (citing Fuerstenberg, 1999 SD 35, ¶ 28, 591 N.W.2d at 808). However, we have always been clear that the trial court analyzes various factors in making custody determinations, including which parent served as the primary caretaker of the children. Id. ¶ 18, 611 N.W.2d at 430. We have never held that this factor should prevail over all other factors a trial court may consider. Rather, this factor assists the trial court in determining which of the parents was more devoted to the children prior to the custody dispute, as well as which parent invested predominant time, care and consistency in raising the child. Id. ¶ 33, 611 N.W.2d at 433 (quoting Fuerstenberg, 1999 SD 35, ¶ 28, 591 N.W.2d at 808). A trial court should utilize `a balanced and [ systematic ] approach' under the best interests standard. Pietrzak, 2009 SD 1, ¶ 37, 759 N.W.2d at 743 (quoting Fuerstenberg, 1999 SD 35, ¶ 23, 591 N.W.2d at 807). [¶ 30.] In the instant case, the trial court determined that Jason and Kelly both provided primary physical care for Dylan while the couple lived in Des Moines. This finding of fact is supported in the record in that Jason and Kelly both testified that while Kelly was in Kirksville, Missouri for her residency, Jason provided primary care for Dylan in Kirksville during the four days per week he was there and not at work, and then provided care at the family home in Des Moines during the evenings after returning from work when Dylan was often with Jason in Des Moines. At the time Kelly moved to Kirksville, Dylan was approximately ten months old. For the next four months of Dylan's life, Jason provided primary care. Furthermore, while the record does not specify which parent provided the majority of the care before Kelly moved to Kirksville, it does indicate that while Jason was working, Kelly was finishing her medical school training during the first ten months of Dylan's life. The trial court's conclusion that the couple shared primary care while living together in Des Moines is supported by the record. [¶ 31.] With regard to Kelly's role as the primary care parent after she moved to Sioux Falls, the trial court found that Kelly had served in this capacity by manipulating the custody evaluation and the timeline for the legal proceedings in order to log more time as the primary care giver. Kelly also denied Jason visitation during this time, which helped ensure the children were more bonded to her than to Jason by the time the custody trial was heard. [¶ 32.] The trial court considered the primary care parent factor carefully and fully and weighed it against the other six Fuerstenberg factors, and its findings of fact are supported by the record. We see no evidentiary error in the trial court's findings of fact for this single Fuerstenberg factor, or in its conclusion of law that this factor did not weigh in favor of primary care being placed with Kelly.