Court Opinion

ID: 9531078
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:07:14.698887+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:20.393504
License: Public Domain

SANDSTROM, J.,
dissenting.
[¶ 33] I agree with the majority that the separation of siblings properly should be considered in move-away cases. I disagree with the majority’s assertion that the district court considered the negative effect of separating siblings or that the district court knew it should or even could consider those effects. The separation of siblings has not previously been enunciated as a consideration under the move-away factors set forth in Stout and modified in Hawkinson. See Stout v. Stout, 1997 ND 61, 560 N.W.2d 903; Hawkinson v. Hawkinson, 1999 ND 58, 591 N.W.2d 144. Therefore, I respectfully dissent.
I
[¶ 34] The majority relies heavily on Dr. Yeager’s testimony to support its conclusion that proper consideration was given to the effect of separating the siblings.
[¶ 35] Dr. Yeager’s testimony was related to how the second-youngest child would cope with the move, given his attention deficit hyperactivity and his oppositional defiant disorder, not to his ability to adjust to life without his older siblings. The line of questioning was related to how the new school and community would affect him and whether he would be able to adjust to the new environment. Dr. Yeager’s testimony also indicates she is unsure how he will cope with the move.
Question: Do you have any opinion in whether a move would be harmful to [the second-youngest child]?
Answer: You know, I can’t really. I don’t really feel like I can say very specifically what a move would be like for him because I don’t have anything to base it on. Since I’ve known him he’s never moved. I don’t have anything that would specifically tell me yes or no with [the second-youngest child]. I would say given his, you know, .given the fact that he’s a kid, moves are typically stressful for kids as they are for anyone in the family. I would expect that, you know, he would, he would, be, it would *248cause some stress. We might see some deterioration in his behavior for a time. I don’t have any reason to believe, though, that he wouldn’t eventually. Just like most kids do. I think that given the previous behavioral kind of difficulties he’s had, whatever deterioration in his behavior might be somewhat more significant for him but, again, I would expect that he would return to his baseline just like other kids do.
[¶ 36] The testimony from Dr. Yeager regarding the family relationship seems, if anything, to indicate that separation from his father and siblings may be negative.
Question: And you [Dr. Yeager], ... talk[ ] about with regard to [the second-youngest child’s] relationship with family members?
Answer: Mm-hmm.
Question: You go on, “his relationship with his mother and stepfather is quite strained and as mentioned above, he tends to direct a lot of negativity and defiance towards his stepfather.”
Answer: Mm-hmm.
Question: “His mother also has had difficulties in managing his behaviors and [the second-youngest child’s] relationship with her has been stressed as a result.”
Answer: Mm-hmm
[¶ 37] Dr. Yeager’s testimony is not in regard to how well the child will cope with being separated from his siblings. It seems, conversely, to indicate that being separated from his father and the rest of his siblings may adversely affect him.
[¶ 38] The majority attempts to bolster Dr. Yeager’s testimony by saying that she was told at the trial that the second-eldest child would remain with his father in North Dakota. The transcript indicates she did not know until she was told during the trial — after the testimony relied on by the majority — that the second-eldest brother would be separated from the younger siblings. The testimony relied on by the majority is located on page 202 of the transcript while Dr. Yeager’s following testimony is located on pages 221 and 222 of the transcript:
Question: And are you aware what agreements have been reached with respect to the relocation of any of the other siblings?
Answer: I believe that one sibling was old enough to decide where he was going to stay and he preferred to stay back. Other than that I don’t know.
Question: If I told you there’s been an agreement placed on the record in the courtroom that of the four Schmidt children between my client and Ms. Bakke two of them will remain with their father and the parties are in dispute about where the other two will be or whether the relocation will be allowed.
Answer: Mm-hmm.
Question: So there would be two boys here, it would be [the second-youngest child] and his younger brother that she’s asking to relocate.
Answer: Okay.
Question: And then you understand that [Schmidt] has another child here, correct?
Answer: Yes.
Question: And that Ms. Bakke has another child?
Answer: Mm-hmm.
Question: So all you knew was that one child was staying behind, correct?
Answer: That’s all I knew although I know that there had been some — I know that given the other boy’s age that moving was going to be, would maybe be difficult and I didn’t know that there had been any agreement about where he would go.
*249[¶ 39] Dr. Yeager did not testify to the effect the separation would have on the siblings, and the record reflects that she did not even know the second-eldest boy was going to stay with Schmidt before she was told during the trial by Schmidt’s lawyer. This is not enough relevant testimony to conclude whether the separation would harm the children.
II
[¶ 40] The majority concludes the “trial court gave the effect of separation of siblings proper consideration in the context of a relocation motion and the record of this case.” The district court mentioned only that “[Schmidt] believes that this Court should hesitate to separate the children from one another.” That is all the district court said about the issue; there is no discussion, analysis, finding, or ruling on it. The district court merely reiterated Schmidt’s concern that the separation would harm the siblings. This highlights how important'it was for the district court to determine how the separation may affect the siblings.
[¶ 41] The district court’s failure to consider the effects of separating the siblings is evident when viewing this Court’s past holdings. This Court has generally looked unfavorably upon decisions that result in splitting siblings. BeauLac v. BeauLac, 2002 ND 126, ¶ 16, 649 N.W.2d 210 (citing Leppert v. Leppert, 519 N.W.2d 287, 291 (N.D.1994)); McAdams v. McAdams, 530 N.W.2d 647, 650 (N.D.1995).
[¶ 42] In cases involving relocation, this Court has long emphasized the importance of maintaining the continuity and stability of the family. Hawkinson v. Hawkinson, 1999 ND 58, ¶ 11, 591 N.W.2d 144; see, e.g., Paulson v. Bauske, 1998 ND 17, ¶¶ 10-12, 574 N.W.2d 801; Thomas v. Thomas, 446 N.W.2d 433, 435 (N.D.1989); Novak v. Novak, 441 N.W.2d 656, 658 (N.D.1989).
[¶ 43] Other courts have generally held that siblings should not be separated in a relocation proceeding. See In re Paternity of B.D.D., 779 N.E.2d 9 (Ind.Ct.App.2002) (custody should be transferred from mother to father, if mother moved out of state, in order to keep the siblings together); Richardson v. Richardson, 802 So.2d 726 (La.App.2001) (in a relocation case, under the best-interest-of-the-child standard, the trial court erred in determining the interests of the children could be served by splitting their custody); In re Williams, 88 Cal.App.4th 808, 105 Cal.Rptr.2d 923 (2001) (reversing a lower court order splitting the children and ruling one parent should be awarded custody of both children if the other parent moves out of state); In re Thielges, 623 N.W.2d 232 (Iowa Ct.App.2000) (the court will not separate an older sibling from her younger sibling despite the older sibling’s preference not to move).
[¶ 44] In light of this Court’s consistent hesitation, and the number of other courts denying the separation of siblings in a relocation motion, the district court’s reiteration that Schmidt is concerned with the separation falls far below the proper and necessary consideration needed to determine the best interest of the children. To ensure proper consideration is given to the decision to separate the siblings, I would require the district court to include “the potential negative effect of separating siblings” as a relevant factor that must be considered along with the other factors identified in Stout and modified in Hawkinson.
[¶ 45] Because the district court did not consider .and reach a conclusion whether the separation of the siblings would have a- negative effect on them, I would *250reverse and remand this case to ensure the move is in the best interest of the children.
[¶ 46] DALE V. SANDSTROM