Court Opinion

ID: 9794406
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 03:05:12.580251+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:15:42.696583
License: Public Domain

MATTHEWS, Justice,
with whom BURKE, Justice, joins, dissenting in part.
I agree with the majority opinion except as to part III, relating to the award of custody to Samuel. With respect to that issue, I would affirm the decision of the superior court. In my view, the court’s findings are sufficient to demonstrate the reasons for the court’s conclusion that it was in the best interest of the child, Christopher, that Samuel be awarded custody.
A.
I will discuss each of the reasons given by the majority opinion for its conclusion that custody must be reconsidered.
*8801. The finding that Diane “does not see the world as the average person sees it.”
The trial court’s written statement that Diane “does not see the world as the average person sees it” was also expressed in the court’s oral decision, but in a more detailed context. The court said:
■ And, I don’t know why she didn’t understand that her impact upon the trier of fact would be directly impacted by what a reasonable person would find to be her misleading the trier of fact by omission. That bears out, of course, what Dr. Cassell has said on the witness stand here and said very clearly.
And, I have seen no evidence that Mrs. Lowdermilk has made any effort to deal with what I consider to be a very significant problem. I do not know how a child deals with the fact that his parent does not see the world the same as the average person sees the world in very important respects. Mrs. Lowdermilk does not see the world as the average person sees it. I expected the child allowance for that,1 but it may be that the child buys into seeing the same as his mother sees it and I think that would be very, very serious and that is one of the most troubling aspects of this case.
There was evidence that Diane has perceptual problems. Dr. Cassell, Diane’s treating psychiatrist, described Diane as having “a hysterical character disorder.” He said Diane lacked insight into her condition and was unwilling to shoulder responsibility for her problems. At one point Dr. Cassell referred to “her paranoia and borderline thought disorder.” Dr. Cassell said that the prognosis for one in Diane’s condition was not good in the absence of insight into her condition.
Despite therapy, Diane did not improve. Dr. Cassell was asked whether Diane’s apparent lack of insight would be a significant factor which the court should weigh in determining custody. In response, Dr. Cassell questioned whether such a person would serve as a good role model for children “as they [the children] want to mature beyond adolescence themselves.” Further, Dr. Cassell expressed concern that a child of such a parent might be drawn into the parent’s world of conflict and blame: “If they are involved in a whole lifestyle of eonflictual relationships, then the child will be a party to this.” Finally, the doctor thought the physical health of a child might be affected: “And, as I testified previously with the infant son, the history of stress picked up by the child, lowering their resistance to infection and so on, all these things would be a major concern_”
Dr. Cassell was not alone in noting Diane’s mental outlook. Custody Investigator Yeotis wrote:
Investigator believes that Mrs. Low-dermilk has difficulty accepting her portion of the responsibility for the turmoil and chaos in her relationships. She appears to be unwilling or unable to perceive how her behavior impacts on others and tends to “blame” her partners when things go wrong. Although Mrs. Low-dermilk has spent considerable time in therapy with a variety of therapists, she appears to have made little progress in becoming independent and responsible for herself and her actions.
The trial court’s finding that Diane “does not see the world as the average person sees it” is understandable in the context of the evidence that she suffers from a hysterical character disorder with paranoid features, lack of insight, and an unwillingness to accept personal blame. Further, in view of the above evidence, the finding is not clearly erroneous.
The trial court also related the challenged finding to the well being of the child, for it found that because of her mental outlook Diane “would therefore not be a good role model for a child.” Dr. Cassell’s testimony, which was explicitly accepted by the trial court, also directly reflects on Diane’s parenting ability. As noted, the doctor expressed concern that a person suffering from her disorder would be a poor *881role model who might, in various ways, pass on her disorder to her children. He further observed that the stressful environment that a person with such a disorder tends to create can be physically damaging to children. Thus, there is an obvious nexus between Diane’s mental state and her parenting ability.
2. The finding that Diane is unstable.
In a footnote, the majority opinion mentions that the trial court also found that Diane was “unstable” without explaining what this term means. Again, in context, it is reasonably clear that this is a reference to the hysterical personality disorder from which she suffers and its various manifestations.
3. The question of domestic violence.
I do not agree with the majority that the trial court ignored the issue of spousal abuse. AS 25.24.150(c) requires the court in determining custody to consider a number of factors including “(7) any evidence of domestic violence, child abuse, or child neglect in the proposed custodial household or a history of violence between the parents.” In his oral decision, the trial court demonstrated that he had considered the history of violence between the parents, finding that the injuries which Diane claimed she suffered were not inflicted intentionally. Most importantly, counsel for Diane asked the trial court to make findings “about any potential risks to the child for violence by Mr. Lowdermilk.” The court, in response to this request, found that the child was not at risk from Mr. Lowdermilk. Thus, it seems plainly wrong to say that the court did not consider evidence of domestic violence.
B.
Diane argues that the trial court’s finding that she had undermined the relationship between Christopher and Samuel is clearly erroneous. The court’s finding in this respect states: “The court finds that Diane Lowdermilk has undermined the child/father relationship by her conduct and the court has no confidence that this is likely to change in the future.” This finding relates to one of the statutory factors which the court should consider in determining custody, that is, “the desiré and ability of each parent to allow an open and loving, frequent relationship between the child and the other parent.” AS 25.24.-150(c)(6).
There is ample evidence of conduct on the part of Diane which would tend to undermine the child/father relationship. For example, according to Samuel, Diane, without notice, moved to Georgia with Christopher in July of 1988. Thereafter, Samuel was in the southeastern United States twice and both times requested visitation. He testified that both times visitation was denied. When, after Diane left for Georgia, Samuel attempted to contact Christopher by telephone, an effort he would evidently make every Sunday, he would normally only be able to talk to an answering machine. He testified that these calls were never returned.
Although Samuel testified that he had an “outstanding” visit or series of visits with Christopher just prior to and during the trial, the visits were not a demonstration of Diane’s desire to reunite father and son. As one example, when Samuel was visiting Christopher, and Diane’s other son, Jamie, at a daycare center, Diane terminated the visit by calling the police. Similarly, after another visit either immediately before or during the trial, Diane perceived that Christopher had been physically abused and called the police. The trial court found that there had been no physical abuse.
Custody Investigator Yeotis testified as an expert in child custody decision making. After extensive contact with both parties, including a two and a half day visit to Diane and Christopher in Georgia and two home visits in Alaska, she recommended strongly that Samuel be given custody of Christopher. Among her reasons for this recommendation were her “concerns regarding Mrs. Lowdermilk’s ability to allow Mr. Lowdermilk to have an open and loving relationship with his son_” These concerns were based in part on indications that Diane had denied or restricted access to her older son, Jamie, to Jamie’s father. They *882are also based in part on Diane’s request that Samuel’s visitation be closely supervised; Diane wanted it to take place only at Samuel’s father’s home in West Virginia, and only if Samuel posted a bond.
In summary, my review of the record has convinced me that the trial court’s findings concerning custody are legally and factually sufficient. Therefore, I would affirm the trial court’s custody decision.

. This may be a transcription error, the court seems likely to have said "I expect the child allows for that.”