Court Opinion

ID: 9543219
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:43:18.546987+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:09:58.477861
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE STOUDER, dissenting: Initially, I agree with the court’s denial of Donald Eldert’s motion to dismiss this appeal. The court was correct in holding the record adequate for consideration of the issues presented. With regard to the custody issue, I disagree with the result set forth in the majority opinion. At the time of the petition, hearing and order, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 40, par. 610(b)) provided as follows: “After the expiration of the 2 year period following a custody judgment specified in subsection (A) of this Section, the court shall not modify a prior custody judgment unless it finds by clear and convincing evidence, upon the basis of facts that have arisen since the prior judgment or that were unknown to the court at the time of entry of the prior judgment, that a change has occurred in the circumstances of the child or his custodian *** and that the modification is necessary to serve the best interest of the child.” In the instant case, the trial court found, and the majority agrees, that there have been changes in the child’s behavior since the original custody decree. The changes include behavior problems in school and at home. In addition, the record indicates that the child seems to be hyperactive. The court erred in analyzing the evidence presented as if this were an original custody determination, and not a modification proceeding. On or about September 7, 1984, Donald Eldert, Jason’s father, filed an amended petition for change of custody. The petition alleged that: (1) a change of custody would be in Jason’s best interests, (2) he could provide a better home and living conditions than Sandra, Jason’s mother, (3) he intended to remarry and could, thereafter, provide a more stable home for Jason, and (4) the home environment Sandra provided was undesirable in that (A) she has allowed male friends to hit and batter Jason, (B) has disciplined Jason by putting pepper oil on his tongue, and (C) has exposed Jason to acts of a sexual nature which are injurious to his health.. The first three allegations of Donald’s petition fail to set forth any reasons required by the statute for changing custody. These three contentions are the type of arguments that are appropriate in an original custody determination and do not address the requirements of the modification statute. The fourth allegation does not appear to have been proved. Neither the trial court nor the majority suggest that this allegation forms any basis for their decisions. At trial, the petitioner’s principal evidence consisted of a team of professionals from the Isaac Ray Center. The professionals included a psychiatric social worker, a child psychiatrist, and a clinical psychiatrist. The team’s evaluation report was based upon visits to the homes of Donald and Sandra, interviews with the parties involved and psychological treating of Jason. The team of professionals concluded that Jason is an emotionally disturbed child with a high anxiety level and an attention deficit disorder. The team identified the possible sources of Jason’s problems as being internal, biological or environmental. Although the team stated that the present legal dispute may be a major cause of the difficulties, an exact area could not be identified as the source of Jason’s problems. The team felt that custody should be changed. However, they were not certain that such a change would be beneficial to Jason. Thus, the team recommended that custody be given to Donald for a one-year period. In light of the statute’s requirements I do not find the professionals’ testimony to be helpful. The professionals’ findings do not address the custody problems now or those problems which may arise at a later date. The experts only offer opinions as to the possible causes of the child’s problems. The experts do not affirmatively state that Donald’s having custody would change Jason’s behavior. Further, the experts do not suggest that the present custody situation bears any causal relation to Jason’s problems. In addition, Sandra’s expert, Dr. Littner, testified that Jason should remain in the sole custody of his mother. Dr. Littner concluded that separating Jason from his mother would result in further anxiety and behavioral problems. Dr. Littner feels that both parties have adequate ability to care for Jason. The trial court rejected both the Isaac Ray professionals’ one-year trial period suggestion and Dr. Littner’s recommendations. The court awarded Donald full custody. The court did not .find Sandra to be an unfit mother. The trial court stated that it was their opinion that Jason’s behavioral problems would continue no matter where he was placed. The trial court found that there was no evidence on whether Jason’s behavioral problems did or did not exist at the time of the original judgment, but assumed that because they were not mentioned that they did not exist. Such an assumption is legally and factually erroneous, and in effect illuminates the necessity of proving a change of circumstances. The trial judge’s decision, as set forth in his final pronouncement, does not address the elements of Donald’s petition. The judge’s conclusion is based upon assumed behavioral problems which are not included in the petition. Further, the trial court erred by stating that a change of custody is determined by what is in the child’s best interest. This is not the correct standard to be applied. According to the statute, the question to be decided is not whether Donald could provide a better home. The issue is whether changes have occurred in Jason or in Sandra which have adversely affected the custodial arrangement and which deem it necessary to change custody to serve Jason’s best interests. Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 40, par. 610(b). The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 40, par. 610(b)) reflects a legislative presumption in favor of the custodial parent in order to promote stability and continuity in the environment. (In re Custody of Dykhuis (1985), 131 Ill. App. 3d 371, 475 N.E.2d 1107.) Further, custody cannot be modified unless there is a material change in the circumstances of the child related to the child’s best interest and unless the evidence establishes either that the parent to whom custody was originally awarded is unfit or that the change in conditions is directly related to the child’s needs. (In re Marriage of Lichtenstein (1986), 139 Ill. App. 3d 881, 487 N.E.2d 1293) The record does not contain any substantive evidence indicating that Jason’s situation has changed as a result of living with his mother. In addition, the evidence presented does not overcome the legislative presumption in favor of the custodial parent that is reflected in the statute. The speculative nature of the evidence is not helpful in a modification proceeding. The record does not indicate that a causal relationship exists between Jason’s behavior and the present custody situation. I have been unable to locate any authority which would permit a change of custody where a causal connection does not exist between a child’s problems and his custodian. Thus, because the evidence presented is insufficient in this type of proceeding, Donald has failed to prove that Jason’s circumstances have changed in such a manner as to award him custody. Consequently, I would reverse the lower court’s holding, and allow Jason to remain with his mother.