Opinion ID: 1697830
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: In Loco Parentis Parent versus Third Party

Text: ¶ 67. Our decision in Pell was based on an earlier, although factually and legally distinguishable, decision in Logan. In Logan the stepfather sought custody of his stepson following a divorce with the child's mother. The Logan Court recognized a strong policy in the law of this State that a child shall remain in the custody of one of the [natural] parents unless there has been a clear showing that both are unfit. Id. at 1125 (quoting Sellers, 638 So.2d at 485). The basis for that statement was that human experience has demonstrated that as a general rule parental love and solicitude for the child's welfare are the best guarantees that it will be properly cared for and trained for the station in life for which it will likely be best fitted. Logan, 730 So.2d at 1126. ¶ 68. Logan was a dispute between the natural parent, the mother, and a third party, the stepfather. It is well-settled law in Mississippi that a natural parent is entitled to custody, as against a third party, unless one of the following conditions is clearly proven: (1) the parent abandoned the child; (2) the parent's immoral conduct adversely affects the child's interests or (3) the parent is unfit to have custody. Carter v. Taylor, 611 So.2d 874, 876 (Miss.1992); Bubac v. Boston, 600 So.2d 951, 956 (Miss. 1992). In Logan the chancellor specifically found the mother unfit, but refused to grant custody to the stepfather because the natural father could not be found and given notice of the hearing. Logan, 730 So.2d at 1127. ¶ 69. This Court found the chancellor's approach troubling because the child was returned to an unfit mother while a fit and suitable third party sat waiting in the wings. Therefore, we looked to a temporary solution in the in loco parentis doctrine. The holding of Logan is markedly different from Pell because in Logan this Court found where it is in the best interests of the child, temporary custody/guardianship should have been given to the stepfather, until such time as the biological father could be located and given proper notice.  Id. at 1124-25 (emphasis added). However, in Pell we went beyond that limited holding to find that, as between a natural parent and a deceived party, the chancellor erred in terminating the latter's parental rights. Pell, 881 So.2d at 186-87. ¶ 70. In both cases this Court used the term in loco parentis; however, no clear definition was given. According to Black's Law Dictionary in loco parentis exists when [one] person undertakes care and control of another in absence of such supervision by [the] latter's natural parents and in absence of formal legal approval, and is temporary in character and is not to be likened to an adoption which is permanent. Black's Law Dictionary, 787 (6th Ed.1990). This definition is inapposite of our holding in Pell but consistent with our holdings in Logan and those cases upon which Logan relies. ¶ 71. For support, Logan relies on Worley v. Jackson, 595 So.2d 853, 855 (Miss.1992) and Fairchild Constr. Co. v. Owens, 224 So.2d 571, 575 (Miss.1969). In Owens a claim was filed seeking worker's compensation death benefits for a dependent child of Owens, the deceased natural father. The mother and Owens had divorced subsequent to the child's birth, and the child had been adopted by the mother's new husband prior to the Owens' death. The Court held that because the child had been adopted by another man, the child was not entitled to receive death benefits from the natural father under the worker's compensation statute. Owens, 224 So.2d at 575. The Court reasoned that one who cares for a child like his own stands in the place of the natural parent or in loco parentis. Id. In Worley the paternal grandparents sought custody of their grandchild following the incarceration of the mother for murdering the child's father. There the Court denied in loco parentis status to the grandparents because they never intended to take the incarcerated mother's place and because the children never regarded them as parents. Worley, 595 So.2d at 855. In neither case was a comprehensive definition given, but it is clear that both cases are factually distinguishable from Pell and the present case. ¶ 72. To better understand the substance of in loco parentis, we need only look to Farve v. Medders, 241 Miss. 75, 128 So.2d 877 (1961), cited in both Worley and Owens. In Farve this Court held that a person acting in loco parentis is one who assumes the status of a parent, including those obligations incident to that position without a formal adoption. Farve, 128 So.2d at 879. The Court found that [t]he rights, duties and liabilities of one standing in loco parentis are the same as those of a natural parent. Id. Whether the relationship exists is a matter of intention and fact to be deduced from the circumstances of the particular case. Id. However, the Court added one final note, that the person standing in loco parentis is entitled to custody, as against third parties. Id. (emphasis added). ¶ 73. Farve does not mention rights against natural parents, neither does Worley, Owens or Logan. Those cases are consistent with the tenet that a person standing in loco parentis has the rights of a parent as against the entire world, except the natural parents. In Pell that standard was changed, without analysis, to apply against the child's natural mother and in favor of what is in reality a third party. The change in Pell tore in loco parentis from its original moorings. In loco parentis was never meant to be used against the natural parent as it is in this case and in Pell. Rather, the doctrine was intended to protect third parties, who assume custody and care of a child whose natural parents are absent or unable to care for it, from losing the child to other third parties including the State. ¶ 74. Therefore, in my view, we should not use in loco parentis to strip custody from Jane. In custody disputes between natural parents and third parties, it is presumed that the child's best interest is served by remaining with the natural parent. Mabus v. Mabus, 847 So.2d 815, 819 (Miss.2003). Under the traditional in loco parentis analysis Tom is a third party, and, absent a showing that Jane was unfit, immoral or had abandoned Catherine, application of in loco parentis is inappropriate to grant Tom custody. A finding of unfitness requires a higher burden than is met by a best interest analysis under Albright. See In re Custody of M.A.G., 859 So.2d 1001, 1004 (Miss.2003) (a finding of unfitness is necessary to award custody to a third party against a natural parent and must be done before a best interest analysis). ¶ 75. There was no showing before the chancellor, that Jane was an unfit parent, had abandoned Catherine or engaged in immoral conduct. It is true that Jane has had her share of problems, however she appears to be back on her feet, and even the chancellor commented as to the marked improvement in her life. Applying the traditional third party versus natural parent analysis, Tom could simply not be afforded custody of Catherine. This Court has twisted the meaning of in loco parentis and is now using it in a way that is clearly unwarranted by our precedent. However, Tom should be given custody of Catherine, so another approach must be utilized. ¶ 76. There are at least two possibilities, both of which have been addressed in other jurisdictions: namely, equitable estoppel and equitable parenthood. The first is not plausible under the timing and facts of the present case, but a brief description is instructive.