Court Opinion

ID: 9726441
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 12:49:30.72849+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:14:34.989689
License: Public Domain

YOUNG, Judge,
dissenting.
I dissent in part.
The trial court had no statutory or common law authority to award visitation of these children to Gilbreath, their deceased mother’s second husband who was an unrelated third party. Odell v. Lutz, (1947) 78 Cal.App.2d 104, 177 P.2d 628; Noll v. Noll, (1950) 277 App.Div. 286, 98 N.Y.S.2d 938. See Mimkon v. Ford, (1975) 66 N.J. 426, 332 A.2d 199, and Geri v. Fanto, (1974) 79 Misc.2d 947, 361 N.Y.S.2d 984, for discussions of the common law. See generally Annot: 90 A.L.R.3rd 233. Such an order is particularly inappropriate when done sua sponte. It was contrary to law. An unrelated third party has no standing to make such a request in the absence of a judicial determination that the natural parent is an unfit person to have custody of minor children. Jackson v. Fitzgerald, (D.C.Mun.App. 1962) 185 A.2d 724, 98 A.L.R.2d 322.
The natural father is entitled to custody of minor children of the marriage upon the death of the custodial parent Unless he is unfit. State ex rel. Gregory v. Superior Court of Marion County, Room 1, (1961) 242 Ind. 42, 176 N.E.2d 126; Hendrickson v. Binkley, (1974) 161 Ind.App. 388, 316 N.E.2d 376, cert. denied 423 U.S. 868, 96 S.Ct. 131, 46 L.Ed.2d 98. Custodial parents have the right to determine with whom their children shall associate. Chodzko v. Chodzko, (1976) 66 Ill.2d 28, 4 Ill.Dec. 313, 360 N.E.2d 60; 59 Am.Jur.2d Parent and Child § 45 (1971). Thus, most courts have held that visitation privileges of grandparents cannot be upheld if the custodial parent objects. See Mimkon v. Ford, supra, 332 A.2d at 200-01, and the cases collected therein. Such privileges abridge the natural parents’ right to custody. Jackson v. Fitzgerald, *925supra; Lucchesi v. Lucchesi, (1947) 330 Ill. App. 506, 71 N.E.2d 920.
It is particularly important that Gilbreath is not related to the children. Visitation concerns parents not strangers to the family. IC 31-1-11.5-24. The right of visitation derives from the right to custody. Jackson v. Fitzgerald, supra. Cf. Franks v. Franks, (1975) 163 Ind.App. 346, 323 N.E.2d 678 (parental right to custody continues even after adverse custodial ruling). The right of custody in this context is an incident of the parent-child relationship. See Major v. Welch, (1954) 233 Ind. 592, 122 N.E.2d 79, 80. When that relationship is terminated, as by an adoption decree, one right the parent loses is the right to ever see his child again. Bristow v. Konopka, (1975) 166 Ind.App. 357, 336 N.E.2d 397, 400; Bryant v. Kurtz, (1963) 134 Ind.App. 480, 189 N.E.2d 593.
The case of English v. Macon, (1970) 46 Ala.App. 81, 238 So.2d 733, is most nearly applicable to the present case. There, a child who had been adjudged dependent and neglected and whose permanent custody was awarded to the State Department of Pensions and Security, lived in the petitioner’s home for six years as a foster child. The court found that the petition for visitation failed to state a claim because it alleged neither kinship with the child or that adoption proceedings had ever been instituted: “We find no averment in this petition that would support any sort of custodial right or claim on the part of [the petitioner] and without such allegation the petition is without equity and the court without jurisdiction of the subject matter.” The court noted that the State Department of Pensions and Security acquired all the rights and duties of natural parents by virtue of the custody award, and concluded:
If the natural parents of a child should send it to boarding school for several years, then withdraw it, would the headmaster have acquired visitation rights against the wishes of the natural parents because he had become fond of the child and wanted to ‘ascertain its welfare from time to time?’ We think the answer of any court would be a resounding “no” and that most courts would dismiss the petition ex mero motu.
I concur with the reversal of the trial court upon the issue of support arrearages.