Opinion ID: 2054838
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: testimony of jennifer

Text: Appellant next claims that the district court erred in failing to allow Jennifer Beran to testify as a witness on behalf of appellant for the limited purposes stated. The attorney for appellant made an offer of proof that Jennifer would testify from her personal knowledge of Susan Beran's conduct while at home regarding homemaking duties and things that she did for the family. Children of the parties to a marriage dissolution proceeding are not by that fact alone rendered incompetent as witnesses, but whether it is reversible error to refuse to hear their testimony depends upon the circumstances of the case. Murdoch v. Murdoch, 200 Neb. 429, 264 N.W.2d 183 (1978). In Murdoch, this court noted that the trial court had questioned two of the children concerning their custody preferences in the presence of counsel for both parties and that, considering all the testimony in the record, additional testimony of the children would not in any way have affected the trial court's determination of the credibility of the witnesses. In the circumstances of the present case, Jennifer was not being called to testify regarding her custodial preference, to which she did have a strong opinion and which was already apparent, but to corroborate her mother's testimony that she (Susan) took care of the family and household duties as best she could when she was home. Dennis claimed that Susan did very little to care for the family and summoned many witnesses, friends and neighbors, who implied that Susan was no longer taking care of the family or that her family was no longer a priority to her. On the other hand, Susan, to corroborate her testimony, presented only Jennifer, who lived in the house and could have observed firsthand whether her mother was taking care of the family when she could. This evidence could show stability, attitude, care, and environment provided by Susan, which are all factors in determining the best interests of the child for custody purposes. Although courts are rightly wary of placing minor children of a divorce proceeding in the traumatic position of testifying, Jennifer nonetheless should have been allowed to testify. She was 15 years old at the time of trial, and it appears from the record that she had a clear understanding of the situation. The guardian ad litem's opinion, based on the recommendations of a Dr. Meidlinger, who was counseling the family, that Jennifer should not testify is a very broad recommendation. There is no further statement as to how she might be affected by testifying. The slight trauma or detriment, if any, to this young lady testifying in such a limited scope must be outweighed by the potential probative value of her testimony. We therefore find that the district court erred in not allowing Jennifer Beran to testify for the limited purposes stated.