Opinion ID: 1327425
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Judge Carr's Further Findings of Fact.

Text: The Bright and the Gibbons families differ in their methods of control of the boy. The Brights are inclined to leniency, and the Gibbons to strictness almost bordering on severity. Consequently, the child thinks the Brights love him more, and he is very fond of them. The boy is not a neglected child, and respondent has not abandoned him. Both the Bright and the Gibbons families are fit and proper persons to have the custody of the boy. This is Judge Carr's 4th finding of further facts: Guy A. Gibbons at one time, between the death of his first wife and his remarriage, was such an excessive user of alcohol that he was unfit at that time to have the custody of said child. However, he, since his remarriage, has made remarkable progress in controlling his habits in the excessive use of alcohol but has not reached the point that he does not occasionally get under the influence of intoxicants and was arrested in March, 1957, on a charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicating liquor, was found guilty of the charge in Recorder's Court of Wendell, N. C., and has appealed said conviction to the Superior Court of Wake County and a jury has not heard and passed on his appeal. The Brights in 1950 realizing that they were becoming attached to the boy requested respondent to take him, but he declined to do so. After respondent's remarriage in 1952 his conduct was such as to give the Brights notice that he would ultimately ask for the child. This contest for the custody of the boy has created a situation whereby the boy's best interest requires that he be placed in the custody of one or the other family, and that the order should not provide for any visitation of the child by the family not awarded his custody.