Opinion ID: 1710872
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: As to Custody

Text: In determining which parent is entitled to the custody of a minor child, each case must stand on its own peculiar facts. Gardiner v. Willis, 258 Ala. 647, 64 So.2d 609, 611; Green v. Green, 249 Ala. 150, 30 So.2d 905; Sneed v. Sneed, 248 Ala. 88, 26 So.2d 561. However, the controlling consideration is the welfare of the child. Gardiner v. Willis, supra; Green v. Green, supra; Hammac v. Hammac, 246 Ala. 111, 19 So.2d 392. It seems to us, under the circumstances here, that the best interests of the minor son would be served by continuing his principal care and custody with his mother. To this end, an order will be here made, as hereinabove indicated, granting her custody for the nine months of September through May in each year and granting the husband custody for the three months of June, July and August in each year, with the right of each parent to visit the child at any reasonable time. In reaching this conclusion, we are impressed with the fact that during the father's absence from the home in Auburn for some sixteen months prior to the initiation of these proceedings, the mother had the complete care and custody of the child. We see no good reason why the principal custody should now be taken away from her. From the evidence, it is indicated that both the mother and the father probably will want to take the child outside the State of Alabama during their respective custodial periods. As a condition for such removal the party removing him shall execute a bond with good and sufficient surety to be approved by the register of the circuit court of Lee County, in equity, or by that court, and deposited with said register, in the amount of $1,000, payable to the other party, conditioned upon the party executing the bond surrendering the child to the other party at Auburn, Alabama, at the beginning of the period prescribed by Alabama decree for custody of said minor child by the other party. Wheeler v. Wheeler, 249 Ala. 119, 122, 29 So.2d 881. Such requirement is subject to future modification or change as the circumstances may warrant, to be determined by the trial court. The chancellor's decree does not indicate the reason for giving custody to the father. It may be that the controlling factor was the statute which provides that in cases of abandonment of the husband by the wife, he shall have the custody of the children after they are seven years of age, if he is a suitable person to have such charge. Code 1940, Tit. 34, Sec. 35. In view of our reversal of the decree, this statute, of course, has no application.