Opinion ID: 2179476
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Parental contact

Text: Due to husband's history of alcohol abuse and poor impulse control, wife argues that the District Court erred in awarding unrestricted and unconditional parental contact to husband. She also contends that the court erred in granting husband a six-week summer visitation with no intervening weekend visitation to wife. In response, husband points out his active involvement as a parent and the recent improvement in his behavior. We have held that any decision terminating or limiting the right of a parent to physical custody of his child affects his `constitutionally protected liberty interest in maintaining his familial relationship with the child.' Jacobs v. Jacobs, 507 A.2d 596, 598 (Me.1986) (quoting Osier v. Osier, 410 A.2d 1027, 1029 (Me.1980)). The right of a parent to the physical custody of the child, however, is not absolute. The paramount consideration for the court at the time of a divorce is the present and future welfare and well-being of the child. See, e.g., Grover v. Grover, 143 Me. 34, 37, 54 A.2d 637, 638 (1947). Thus, while husband has a constitutional right to the physical custody of his daughter, he may only exercise that right if the District Court finds that it furthers the best interest of the child. The court has broad discretion in determining what is in a child's best interests in a custody case, and its judgment, when properly exercised on the basis of the evidence presented, is entitled to very substantial deference. Cooley v. St. Andre's Child Placing Agency, 415 A.2d 1084, 1086 (Me.1980). In applying the standard of the best interest of the child, the court was required to consider the factors enumerated in 19 M.R.S.A. § 752(5) (Supp.1990). [1] Here, the District Court found that both parents are caring and capable, that each has taken an active part in caring for the child, and that husband has persevered in maintaining contact with his daughter, even in somewhat difficult circumstances. The court took into account husband's alcohol problem by conditioning its award of unsupervised visitation on his remaining sober and refraining from the use of intoxicating liquor during periods of contact with the child. It granted him six consecutive weeks of summer contact only upon his completion of an alcohol treatment program. We find no abuse of discretion in this award of visitation to husband. The court acknowledged the best interest of the child as the paramount concern and structured a visitation award that permits father to maintain his familial relationship with his daughter under conditions providing adequate protections for the child. The entry is: Judgment affirmed. All concurring.