Court Opinion

ID: 7758296
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-30 20:31:58.332533+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:40:32.230661
License: Public Domain

I concur except as to the affirmance of the visitation provision; I dissent from that affirmance. "[T]he child's wishes are given consideration in custody [and visitation] situations; however, they are not controlling." Hermsmeier v. McCoy, 591 So.2d 508, 509 (Ala.Civ.App. 1991); Patterson v. Patterson, 345 So.2d 1364 (Ala.Civ.App. 1977).
I think there is a critical difference between the 1996 order "givingconsideration to the child's wishes," in regard to visitation, which is permissible, and the 1998 order awarding visitation "according to the child's wishes," which I believe is impermissible. The wording of the 1998 order permits the father's visitation rights to hinge on the son's wishes and, thus, allows the son's preference to control.