Opinion ID: 1791331
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: did the chancellor show a predisposition toward west?

Text: ¶ 26. Derek and Rachelle make several assertions of error in their brief regarding the chancellor. Included among these are claims (A) that the chancellor applied an erroneous standard by reversing the burden of proof; (B) that the chancellor violated a code of judicial conduct by not allowing Derek and Rachelle the opportunity to be fully heard; and (C) that the chancellor erred by granting West superior visitation rights to those of the father. The Court will address each assertion separately.
¶ 27. A review of the ruling on June 14, 2000, clearly shows that the chancellor applied an erroneous legal standard. In her ruling she awards West visitation rights based on the fact that West was relied upon by Zack's parents during hard times and that West was deserving of being able to develop a relationship with her grandson Zack. As discussed previously in this opinion, in determining whether grandparent visitation should be granted the best interests of the child and the Martin factors should be the determining elements, not what is in the best interest of the grandparent.
¶ 28. Derek and Rachelle claim that the chancellor violated Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct when she limited Derek and Rachelle's testimony at trial and announced her decision that she was going to award visitation to West. ¶ 29. West contends that the chancellor was within her power to limit the testimony; that Derek and Rachelle did not object to the limitation, but instead rested; and that if there was any error, it was cured by the second trial heard by the chancellor on June 14, 2000. ¶ 30. Canon 3(A)(4) of the Code of Judicial Conduct states: The judicial duties of a judge take precedence over all his other activities. His judicial duties include all the duties of his office prescribed by law. In the performance of these duties, the following standards apply: A. Adjudicative Responsibilities.       (4) A judge should accord to every person who is legally interested in a proceeding, or his lawyer, full right to be heard according to law, and, except as authorized by law, neither initiate nor consider ex parte or other communications concerning a pending or impending proceeding. A judge, however, may obtain the advice of a disinterested expert on the law applicable to a proceeding before him if he gives notice to the parties of the person consulted and the substance of the advice, and affords the parties reasonable opportunity to respond. Miss.Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3(A)(4). Rule 611(a) of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence provides: (a) Control by Court. The court shall exercise reasonable control over the mode and order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence so as to (1) make the interrogation and presentation effective for the ascertainment of the truth, (2) avoid needless consumption of time, and (3) protect witnesses from harassment or undue embarrassment. Miss. R. Evid. 611(a). In support of her argument, West specifically refers this Court to the chancellor's power to exercise reasonable control over the mode and order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence and the ability to avoid needless consumption of time. ¶ 31. The main focus of West's argument is that Derek and Rachelle rested their case. A review of the record, however, reveals that at the initial hearing on the matter of West's visitation rights, the chancellor cut short the presentation of evidence because she needed to leave the courthouse at a quarter till 3 p.m. The chancellor also made several peremptory remarks during this hearing which indicate an unnecessary haste to resolve the conflict. ¶ 32. After West had completed her presentation of witnesses, she rested. Immediately thereafter the defense began to present its case with Derek testifying. Following a noon recess, direct examination of Derek was set to resume, when the chancellor told both attorneys of her need to leave at a quarter till 3:00. The chancellor then stated the following: ... And I'm going to say this to all of the parties while we're in here, I think this case is absolutely ridiculous. It should be settled in the living room and not the courtroom. This is a grandmother. This is a father. This is a mother. From what I get from the proof, she helped y'all when you were down. She helped take care of the child. I don't know what the animosity is about now, but it really needs to be gotten over with. Because I'm going to tell y'all what y'all are going to do, you're going to screw your kid up emotionally. You're going to be so worried about getting back at somebody, y'all are going to mess the kid up. Now I've gone over withwith the attorneys on the phone several weeks ago ... The chancellor and attorneys for both parties then discussed a preliminary agreement that had been made regarding scheduling dates for grandparent visitation. Then, the chancellor commented: All right. We can proceedI mean, do y'all want to put on more proof. I mean, from what I've discussed with y'all in the hallway just then, I wasI am under the impression that this is a workable solution to the problem we just have to go in and put it in the record as far as the weekends and what days that involved. Counsel for Derek and Rachelle then stated that she did not want her clients to feel that they've not had their day in court, whereupon cross-examination of Derek by West's counsel began. Rachelle then took the stand and commented on her concerns regarding possible grandparent visitation until the chancellor called for a recess whereupon West made a motion for a directed verdict. The chancellor did not rule on the motion, but instead stated, [w]ell, I've already told y'all how I'm going to rule. We find such comments to indicate the chancellor was predisposed in favor of West and find her efforts to cut short the presentation of evidence to be improper. ¶ 33. No such remarks were made during the rehearing on the matter and Derek and Rachelle were allowed to testify to their satisfaction and without any time constraints. We agree with West that any error the chancellor may have committed in the first hearing concerning West's visitation rights was cured by the full rehearing on the matter in June 14, 2000.
¶ 34. Derek and Rachelle also contend that the chancellor's scheduling of visitation for West conflicted with Derek's scheduled times, and that because West was successful in getting visitation rights, such an award made Derek's visitation rights inferior to West's. Derek and Rachelle rely on Settle v. Galloway, 682 So.2d 1032 (Miss.1996), where this Court held that a grandparent does not have a right to visitation as comprehensive as that of a parent. Id. at 1035. The schedule plainly states that where it and Derek's visitation weekends conflict, the order granting West visitation rights shall prevail. The chancellor's decision to award visitation to West that conflicted with times that Derek was to have Zack resulted in West gaining visitation rights superior to that of the father, which is in direct violation of Settle. We conclude that the chancellor applied an erroneous legal standard when granting West visitation rights. Furthermore, the award of visitation rights to West improperly exceeded the visitation rights of Derek in contradiction of our established precedent.