Opinion ID: 1357362
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Care and Custody

Text: Appellant contends the minors here involved continued as wards of the divorce court, which was the district court in Sublette County, Wyoming; and that no other court could interfere with its jurisdiction. The cases cited, however, in support of this contention are authority only for the proposition that a divorcing court continues to have exclusive jurisdiction for the welfare, care, and custody of minor children. None of the cases hold that another court is powerless to appoint a guardian for the estate of a minor whose care and custody has been awarded by a divorce court. In any event, regardless of what limitations there may be for the appointment of guardians in other states, we have no such limitation in Wyoming. Our statutes make a distinction between a guardian of the estate of a minor child and the guardian of the child's person. Section 3-6, W.S. 1957, provides that the estate of every minor child shall be managed by a legally appointed guardian of such estate, under the provisions of the chapter relating to guardians and wards. The next paragraph of the section makes a married woman the joint guardian of the person of her children with her husband. In the event of the inability of the parents to exercise such joint custody, a judge, or court having jurisdiction, is to designate one or the other to perform such trust. Thus, when the care and custody of a minor is awarded to one parent in a divorce action, it means that parent is made the sole guardian of the person of the child. The same result is indicated in other sections of the chapter pertaining to guardians and wards. For example, § 3-8, W.S. 1957, specifies the guardianship of the person of a minor shall continue until the minor attains majority or is married, while the guardianship over the estate of a minor ward shall continue until the ward attains majority. This means the custody of the father over Elbert, III, terminated when the minor married. Also, even if we considered the father to be a duly appointed guardian of the estates of his boys under the divorce decree, they had an absolute right, after attaining the age of 14 years, to appoint their own guardian, subject to the approval of the court. This is provided for in §§ 3-2 and 3-5, W.S. 1957. It has been held, under similar statutes, that this right is an absolute right; that it applies both to a guardian of the minor's person and a guardian of his estate; and that it is immaterial that the previous guardian was the minor's father. In re Kirkman's Estate, 168 Cal. 688, 144 P. 745; In re Helm's Estate, Mo. App., 136 S.W.2d 416, 418-419; Meiklejohn v. Meiklejohn, 171 Cal. 247, 152 P. 734, 735. Counsel for appellant makes argument to the effect that even if our law does not recognize the exclusive jurisdiction of the divorce court over the estates of the boys, the law of Nicaragua makes a natural guardian a guardian of any property owned by his minor child; and that we should follow the law of the father's domicile under the principles of comity and international law. We have searched the record herein diligently and fail to find any evidence as to what the law in Nicaragua is with respect to guardianships. Our Uniform Judicial Notice of Foreign Law Act, §§ 1-178 to 1-185, W.S. 1957, seems to make it clear we do not take judicial notice of the law of Nicaragua. In fact, § 1-184 states specifically that the law of such a jurisdiction shall be an issue for the court. Therefore, without attempting to say whether the law of Nicaragua would or would not have application in a case such as the one before us, it is sufficient for us to say appellant has failed to prove what such law is. Section 3-2 of our statutes, on the other hand, provides that the district court of each county, or the judge thereof, when it appears necessary, may appoint guardians for the estates of minors who have no legally appointed guardians, and who reside or have estates within the county. In the case of minors over 14 years of age, this may be done on the petition of the minor. With the boys actually living in Park County and having estates therein, the district court of Park County qualified for jurisdiction to appoint a guardian under this section.