Court Opinion

ID: 9735881
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 18:34:14.490644+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:27:02.319223
License: Public Domain

LEVINE, Justice,
dissenting.
It goes without saying that any change of residence will “negatively impact” a father-child relationship where that father is a loving and attentive noncustodial parent. But nowhere does our law forbid a custodial parent from moving notwithstanding such “negative impact.”
As Justice Meschke points out, there is no dispute that it is in the best interest of the child to remain in the custody of her mother. The question is, why did the trial court decide that the mother did not establish that it was in the best interest of the child to move to Seattle? The trial court notes that the move to Seattle gives the mother “flexibility” in her working schedule and greater opportunities for advancement. It apparently balances these factors with the “healthy relationship” between the child and the father as demonstrated by the father’s full exercise of his alternate weekend visitation. Most telling is the trial court’s finding that the mother established no “economic advantage” in moving.
So, I draw from the trial court’s opinion the principle that, absent an immediate increase in wages, i.e., economic advantage, a change of residence is not in the child’s best interest, despite the fact that the custodial parent will have a more flexible work schedule allowing more time to be spent with the child, as well as greater opportunities for future economic advantage, if that move will interfere with a loving noncustodial parent’s alternate weekend visitation. In my view, this is a clear misapplication of our law.
Whether or not Olson was correctly reasoned, its application to this case is wrong. Olson refused to recognize a presumption that it is in the child’s best interest to move with a custodial parent. Here, however, the mother established that the move would provide long-term economic advantage and the immediate advantage of a flexible work schedule. I cannot see how *513improving the quality of a custodial parent’s life does not necessarily improve the quality of the child’s life and is not therefore necessarily in the best interest of the child.
I could understand a decision denying a move intended simply to put distance between parents. Indeed, vindictiveness should be the primary, if not exclusive, target of the statute. But where there are legitimate reasons for a move, as have been established in this case, it is a grave mistake for the court to deny permission to move.
The effect of this decision is to stymie the custodial parent’s efforts to improve the child’s life. It leaves the custodial parent in a dead end job, bringing an abrupt halt to any attempt to make a better life for herself and the child. I will not speculate as to the strain this decision imposes upon the custodial parent-child relationship. While it leaves intact the noncustodial parent’s alternate weekend visitation schedule, should he continue to choose to exercise it, it does so only at high cost to the child. The choice appears to be between providing visitation at less frequent intervals but of longer duration, or denying the custodial parent and child the reasonable opportunity to improve their lives. In endorsing the latter, we impose an unreasonable burden upon the custodial parent who wishes to move for a legitimate reason.
The majority affirms the principle that, absent the most compelling reasons, no move will be allowed if there is a loving noncustodial parent. The statute does not say that. Olson does not say that. But the trial court did, and in affirming the trial court, so does the majority.
I respectfully dissent.