Court Opinion

ID: 9736261
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 18:48:55.525337+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:27:05.364212
License: Public Domain

*841HAYDEN, Judge
(dissenting)
I respectfully dissent. I do not believe that Bruce has met the heavy burden of showing that there has been a substantial change in circumstances since the date of the dissolution decree materially affecting the children’s welfare.
The majority concludes that there has been a change in circumstances due in part to the children’s development of a condition known as psychosocial dwarfism while in Sandra’s custody. This is an ill-defined condition with no known cause in which children fail to grow at a normal velocity in one environment but grow at an accelerated rate in a different environment. In addition to the testimony of Dr. Thompson who made the diagnosis, the deposition of Dr. George Moll was made a part of the record. Dr. Moll obtained both M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago. He completed a residency in pediatrics at Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan and did a fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at the University of Chicago from 1979 to 1981. Dr. Moll testified that he saw the Gravatt children on December 26, 1983, and that he could not confirm or deny a diagnosis of psychosocial dwarfism based on one visit. He found nothing exceptional about the children since their heights were all at about the twenty-fifth percentile. After considering the children’s bone age and the fact that the data on all three was consistent, Dr. Moll stated the children could be late bloomers which would result from an inherited pattern of growth rather than environmental factors. Dr. Moll noted that the children had a normal growth rate between the time of the first visit to Dr. Thompson and the visit to him. He stated that no conclusions could be drawn from that, however. Children normally grow at different rates at different times of the year. Dr. Moll opined that the only way to be sure of the diagnosis would be to compare growth rates from a whole year in one environment with those of a year in a different environment. He also observed that high intelligence quotients would not support a finding of a deprivational environment. He concluded that based on the data available, a diagnosis of environmentally related growth problems would be speculative. Finally, Dr. Moll said that the alleged psychosocial dwarfism of the Gravatt children was “certainly not an obvious case.”
I do not dispute the majority’s statement that the qualifications of Dr. Thompson are impressive. However, the trial court is in a superior position to evaluate the credibility of witnesses and we should give appropriate deference to that evaluation. Iowa R.App.P. 14(f)(7). I do not find enough conclusive evidence that the children are afflicted with this condition to justify reversing the trial court.
Finally, I am not convinced that Bruce has demonstrated a superior ability to minister to the children’s needs. It is incredible that the best interests of these children require them to be in the custody of someone who has so flagrantly disregarded his obligation to support them. At the time of the modification hearing, Bruce owed $14,-000 to Sandra and $5,000 to the State of Iowa for child support. However, Bruce and Cynthia purchased a swimming pool and a baby grand piano, and Cynthia reportedly owns all of the couple’s assets, including the tools Bruce uses for his work. Contrary to the majority, I find these facts to be very relevant to the determination of who would be the best custodian of the children. One of Bruce's complaints about Sandra’s care of the children is that their dental problems were neglected. Perhaps Sandra would have been able to take the children to the dentist more often if Bruce had been current on child support payments. In spite of his inability to pay child support, however, Bruce was able to take the children to the dentist and to the doctor on numerous occasions to build a case for custody modification. The attorney for the children testified that the children expressed a concern to him because they were taken to the doctor so frequently when they visited their father.
I would affirm the trial court and leave the children with their mother. However, *842if there is to be a change of custody, I urge that Sandra should have liberal visitation rights.