Court Opinion

ID: 9720045
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 08:14:07.524603+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:12.594709
License: Public Domain

HOPPER, J.
I concur but believe an additional comment is in order.
If husband had asserted in his response to the petition in the dissolution action, that there were children of the marriage because he stood in loco parentis with regard to Lonnie, the superior court might have jurisdiction over the subject matter. In other words, if husband had raised the issue and had been found by the superior court to be in loco parentis with regard to Lonnie, one could conclude that Lonnie was a “child of the marriage” within Civil Code section 4351 (see Gribble v. Gribble (Utah 1978) 583 P.2d 64;1 Spells v. Spells (1977) 250 Pa.Super. 168 [378 A.2d 879]; cf. In re Marriage of Valle (1975) 53 Cal.App.3d 837 [126 Cal.Rptr. 38]; on the general subject of steparents see 59 Am.Jur.2d, Parent and Child, § 91, pp. 187-190; see also Annot. (1964) 98 A.L.R.2d 325, on visitation rights of persons other than parents).
However, husband did not allege he stands in loco parentis with regard to Lonnie and the issue of whether a finding in his favor on that question would make Lonnie a child of the marriage under Civil Code section 4351 for the purposes of visitation has not been briefed or argued. Therefore it would not be proper to determine such issue at this time.
The trial court was obviously impressed by the close relationship which had developed over the years between Lonnie and his stepfather. That court also determined that visitation by the stepfather was in the best interests of the child. Therefore, it is with reluctance and solely under the compulsion of Civil Code section 4351 as now written, I agree the writ should issue.
The petition of real party in interest for a hearing by the Supreme Court was denied November 4, 1980. Tobriner, J., and Newman, J., were of the opinion that the petition should be granted.

Gribble v. Gribble, supra, holds that a stepparent has a right to a hearing to determine if the stepparent stands in loco parentis with regard to the stepchild and that if an affirmative finding is made, that the stepparent should have the same rights and responsibilities as a natural parent and should be deemed a parent under the Utah statute governing visitation (583 P.2d at p. 68).