Court Opinion

ID: 9733737
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 17:16:12.704929+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:43.860996
License: Public Domain

AMUNDSON, Justice
(dissenting).
Kimberly Anderson, in compliance with the judgment and decree of divorce entered in this case, filed a motion with the court seeking permission to move to the State of Indiana. The result of this compliance was a loss of custody of her minor children.
The majority finds that the children “were well cared for and thriving in Kimberly’s care.” The record discloses that Kimberly receives aid, works part-time, has dated several male individuals since the divorce who have slept overnight at her residence so that the children could observe such conduct, and has moved on two occasions since the divorce was granted on April 18, 1985. (Hardly what could be described as a nomadic life-style.) Kimberly further stated under oath that if the proposed move to Indiana for a job opportunity would mean a loss of her children, she would forego this opportunity.
The father’s evidence at the time of hearing on this custody dispute came from Keith, Keith’s new wife, Keith’s mother and the children’s grandmother and friends. Kimberly testified in her own be*523half and presented the testimony of two friends who had observed how she cared for the children, what she did for recreation with the children, and how she maintained her home. There was no home study made of the parties’ homes nor were the children evaluated in order to determine what type of an impact, if any, a change in living arrangement would have on the children if they were removed from the home of their mother who had cared for and nurtured them since their birth. The evidence presented in this case could hardly be characterized as having come from impartial or disinterested persons.
This court has held that in cases as important as child custody disputes, a trial court, while acting in its role as parens patriae, has a duty to insure that the best interest of the minor children is being served. Williams v. Williams, 425 N.W.2d 390 (S.D.1988). The trial court has the right and the duty to have appropriate studies and evaluations made in cases of this nature, even if counsel and the parties fail to present all types of evidence needed for making an informed, fair, and impartial custody decision.
This record is devoid of any evidence which showed an adverse effect upon the children as a result of their mother’s lifestyle. Jones v. Jones, 423 N.W.2d 517 (S.D.1988). No evidence was presented which reflected adversely on the children’s educational progress while in their mother’s custody. This is not a case where the mother did not provide a stable home, was involved in a strained relationship, was facing criminal charges, leaving the children alone or having substantial financial problems. Olson v. Olson, 438 N.W.2d 544 (S.D.1989). Quite to the contrary. Kimberly was providing a home where the children were thriving and being well taken care of. There is no question that she did not have the resources to provide the children with new bikes or a Nintendo game, which were available at the father’s home, but could not be brought back to the children’s home in Sioux Falls. (It is a foregone conclusion that young children’s affections can at time be purchased with material things.) In fact, the father and his new wife (mother-to-be) had sufficient resources to hire a private investigator to attempt to ferret out damaging evidence against the mother. It is obvious that the investigator was not successful in finding the bomb to be dropped at the hearing in view of the fact that the record is devoid of any evidence from this “Paul Drake.”
This case seems to hold that if you receive aid, do not have a full-time job (the custodial parent made her decision to not hold down a full-time job due to the adverse economic impact that would have on her ability to provide for the necessities of the minor children), have boyfriends (even though your ex-husband lived out of wedlock with the new Mrs. Anderson for a number of years which relationship the children were also exposed to), keep a clean and stable home environment, love and care for your children and walk your children to school, that you are not a fit and proper person to have custody. This is not a message this court should send out on a record which is devoid of any negative, credible evidence that living with the mother had an adverse impact on these children. Haak v. Haak, 323 N.W.2d 128 (S.D.1982). Even though the legislature has repealed the tender years doctrine, all things being equal, as the record in this case seems to show, there is still no substitute for the care, guidance, love, and devotion given to these young children by Kimberly, which is unrefuted in this record. Holforty v. Holforty, 272 N.W.2d 810 (S.D.1978).
I would reverse and remand back to the trial court with directions that a home study be completed on the parents’ homes and the children be evaluated by a child psychologist for determining what effect this uprooting from the mother’s home would have on their mental health and well being.
I am authorized to state that Justice Sabers joins in this dissent.