Court Opinion

ID: 9514105
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 22:44:23.337753+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:06:11.855546
License: Public Domain

*619MARING, Justice,
dissenting.
[¶ 28] I respectfully dissent. The majority reverses the standard of review our Court enunciated in Lagro v. Lagro, 2005 ND 151, 703 N.W.2d 322, and Frueh v. Frueh, 2008 ND 26, 745 N.W.2d 362. Applying the new standard of review, the majority next concludes that the father has established a prima facie case for modification of custody and remands for the trial court to hold an evidentiary hearing. I disagree.
[¶ 29] Our Court stated in Guskjolen v. Guskjolen that the clearly erroneous standard of review applies to our Court’s review of a trial court’s determination of a motion to modify a custody award. 391 N.W.2d 639, 641 (N.D.1986). This is a highly deferential standard of review. Under N.D.C.C. § 14-09-06.6(4), a party seeking a custody modification must establish a prima facie ease justifying a modification before even being entitled to an evidentiary hearing on a motion to modify custody.
[¶ 30] In Lagro, our Court considered the standard of review of a trial court’s decision to deny an evidentiary hearing on a motion to modify custody and concluded the appropriate standard of review was an abuse of discretion. 2005 ND 151, 703 N.W.2d 322. The decision of our Court in Lagro, however, was participated in by only four members of the Court. Id. Two members concurred, one member concurred in the result, and one member dissented. Id. Subsequent to Lagro, our Court applied both an abuse-of-discretion standard and de novo standard for its review of the denial of an evidentiary hearing in Lausen v. Hertz, 2006 ND 101, ¶¶ 7-8, 714 N.W.2d 57, and Kourajian v. Kourajian, 2008 ND 8, ¶ 10, 744 N.W.2d 274.
[¶ 31] However, in Frueh, a clear majority of our Court held: “We review the denial of an evidentiary hearing on change of custody under an abuse-of-discretion standard. A district court abuses its discretion if it misinterprets or misapplies the law.” 2008 ND 26, ¶ 8, 745 N.W.2d 362 (citations omitted). Justice Sandstrom authored both Lagro and Frueh. See Lagro, 2005 ND 151, 703 N.W.2d 322; Frueh, 2008 ND 26, 745 N.W.2d 362. I am of the opinion that our Court’s decision in Frueh on the standard of review for a denial of an evidentiary hearing by a trial court on a motion to modify custody was precedent, within the rule of stare decisis, because it was an opinion of a majority of our Court directly on the particular question.
[¶ 32] In Frueh, there was a deliberate and unqualified agreement by a majority of the Court on the standard of review. See 2008 ND 26, ¶ 8, 745 N.W.2d 362 (citations omitted). Our Court has addressed the rule of stare decisis stating:
The rule of stare decisis is a rule of policy grounded on the theory that when a legal principle is accepted and established, rights may accrue under it and security and certainty require that the principle be recognized and followed thereafter even though it later be found to be not legally sound. To a certain extent this is true. But the rule is not sacrosanct. Whether or not a holding shall be adhered to or modified or overruled, is a question within the discretion of the court under the circumstances of the case under consideration.
Otter Tail Power Co. v. Von Bank, 8 N.W.2d 599, 607 72 N.D. 497, 513 (1942) (citing Hertz v. Woodman, 218 U.S. 205, 30 S.Ct. 621, 54 L.Ed. 1001 (1910)).
[¶ 33] We must “acknowledge the importance of the rule of stare decisis, grounded upon the theory that when a legal principle is accepted and rights may accrue under it, security and certainty require the principle be recognized and fol*620lowed thereafter.” Interest of C.R.C., 2001 ND 83, ¶ 39, 625 N.W.2d 533 (Neumann, J., concurring).
[¶ 34] The majority opinion provides no analysis of why our Court is abandoning our precedent on this issue. There is no analysis of whether there has been a change in the law of our State; there is no analysis indicating a review of other courts’ decisions or a change in the trend of the law; and there is no indication that the standard is obsolete. There are no compelling or thoughtful arguments made for our Court to ignore the rule of stare decisis. Neither of the parties argued our Court should overrule its standard of review. The only reason we have overruled our standard of review is that the justice who authored Lagro and Frueh has decided to change his mind. This decision cannot be said to further the objective of stare decisis, which is to provide uniformity, certainty, and stability in the law. If we get a new justice on the court, will the standard change again? Our Court appears to be a court of men rather than a court of law.
[¶ 35] In Lagro, Justice Sandstrom acknowledged that a majority of the Court had previously established a de novo standard of review when deciding whether a prima facie case is established requiring an evidentiary hearing. 2005 ND 151, ¶ 13, 703 N.W.2d 322 (citing Hawley v. LaRocque, 2004 ND 215, ¶ 4, 689 N.W.2d 386; Tank v. Tank, 2004 ND 15, ¶ 46, 673 N.W.2d 622 (Maring, J., dissenting)). He reasoned the standard should be changed to an abuse of discretion:
The legislature enacted N.D.C.C. § 14-09-06.6 to address the frequency of child custody disputes. 1997 N.D. Sess. Laws ch. 149, § 1. We have held:
The purpose of the legislation was to curtail repeat custody litigation. It is the product of the 1995 Joint Family Law Task Force formed by order of this Court at the request of the State Bar Association. Testifying on the legislation before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair Sherry Mills Moore explained the object of the proposed legislation:
With SB 2167 we ard'trying to put more stability in the lives of children who are the object of a custody dispute by slowing the revolving door to the courthouse....
.... The decision about custody, and the process attendant to making that decision are of their very nature painful, disruptive, and destabilizing ....
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Under SB 2167, for a period of two years following a custody determination there is something of a moratorium for the family. The custody-changing process cannot be initiated except in some specific and necessary situations.
Hearing on SB 2167 before the Senate Judiciary Committee, 55th N.D. Leg. Sess. (Jan. 21, 1997).
Quarne v. Quarne, 1999 ND 188, ¶ 9, 601 N.W.2d 256.
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North Dakota patterned its affidavit procedure to modify custody within two years of a prior consideration on Minnesota’s statute. Joint Task Force on Family Law, Summary Report (June 17, 1996). Minnesota employs an abuse-of-discretion standard in reviewing the denial of an evidentiary hearing on change of custody. In re Weber, 653 N.W.2d 804, 809 (Minn.Ct.App.2002); Valentine v. Lutz, 512 N.W.2d 868, 872 (Minn.1994); see also Smith v. Smith, 508 N.W.2d 222, 226-27 (Minn.Ct.App.1993); Nice-Petersen v. Nice-Petersen, 310 N.W.2d 471, 472 (Minn.1981).
*621Our North Dakota statute requires not only a prima facie case but also provides the opposing party may file affidavits, and it requires the court to “deny the motion unless the court finds the moving party has established a pri-ma facie case justifying a modification.” N.D.C.C. § 14-09-06.6(4) (emphasis added). The word “finds” reflects a degree of weighing of conflicting evidence, and the word “justifying” reflects “to show ... to be just or right.” The Random House Dictionary of the English Language 719, 1040 (2d ed. 1987); see also Black’s Law Dictionary 882-83 (8th ed. 2004). In view of the statutory language, and consistent with the legislative history, our review of the denial of an evidentiary hearing on change of custody will be under an abuse-of-discretion standard. Tank and Hawley are superseded to the extent they established a de novo review of a denial of an evidentiary hearing.
Lagro, at ¶¶ 11, 13-14. Our Court applied the abuse-of-discretion standard of review in Lagro. Id. at ¶ 14. We outlined our standard for establishing a prima facie case and concluded the affidavits did not provide sufficient evidence to create a pri-ma facie case that the child’s living environment with his father may endanger his physical or emotional health or impair his emotional development. Id. at ¶ 21. Our Court affirmed the trial court’s denial of an evidentiary hearing. See id. at ¶¶ 21, 24.
[¶ 36] In my dissents in Mock v. Mock and Tank, I have contended that our statute is patterned after the restrictive provisions of the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act and the Minnesota statute on affidavit procedure for modification. See Mock, 2004 ND 14, ¶¶ 27-28, 31, 673 N.W.2d 635 (citing the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act § 410, 9A U.L.A. 2 (Supp.2003); Minn. Stat. § 518.185 (2002)); Tank, 2004 ND 15, ¶¶ 44-46, 48, 673 N.W.2d 622 (citing Minn.Stat. § 518.185 (2002)). The purpose for the affidavit practice is to “discourage contests over temporary custody and prevent repeated and insubstantial motions for modifications.” Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act § 410, Comment, 9A U.L.A. 538, 539 (Supp.2003). Our legislature has rigorously limited the grounds for modification of custody within two years of the date of the custody order. See N.D.C.C. § 14-09-06.6(5). I continue to be of the opinion that, in light of how easily a good lawyer can draft an affidavit to meet the Tank prima facie standard, I believe we must require that the affidavit contain first hand knowledge; specificity and detail; facts that support a material and continuing change in the child’s circumstances; and when endangerment is alleged, facts that show a “significant degree of danger” to establish endangerment to the emotional health and development of the child. See Mock, 2004 ND 14, ¶ 34, 673 N.W.2d 635 (Maring, J., dissenting); see also Kelly v. Kelly, 2002 ND 37, ¶¶ 44-52, 640 N.W.2d 38 (Maring, J., concurring in the result). See also Robert E. Oliphant, Children in the Law Issues: Contributors Redefining a Statute Out of Existence: Minnesota’s View of When A Custody Modification Hearing Can Be Held, 26 Wm. Mitchell L.Rev. 711 (2000) (explaining that, since the prima facie burden is so low, a lawyer with minimal drafting ability will be able to persuade a court to grant a hearing, and concluding the prima facie burden is inconsistent with the purpose of the Minnesota statute and the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act). Therefore, for us to abandon the abuse-of-discretion standard of review is another step toward our failure to adhere to the legislative purpose of N.D.C.C. § 14-09-06.6. I would continue to adhere to our precedent and *622apply an abuse-of-discretion standard of review.
[¶ 37] In the present case, Britt Green and Lucy Green divorced in May 2007. Lucy Green was awarded physical custody of the parties’ minor children. In August 2008, Britt Green filed a motion to modify custody of the minor child. In his motion, Britt Green claimed that there was a material change in circumstances since the divorce because the child’s “present environment is endangering her emotional health and places her at risk for impaired emotional development” and the child “is a mature child who has expressed a preference to reside with her father.” The minor child was twelve years old at the time of the hearing on the motion. The parties’ minor child signed an affidavit in which she stated that she would like to live with her father, Britt Green; she likes living in Scranton, North Dakota; she likes the school in Scranton because she has more friends and classmates in Scranton and there are classes offered that are not offered in Oxford; she has a horse named Scooter in Scranton and does not have a horse in Oxford; it is easier to talk to her dad; her mom goes to the bar every day; sometimes her mom just stops to buy beer to bring home; other times she stays at the bar and drinks; her mom drinks a lot; when her mom is drinking, her mom calls her filthy names which make her feel sad and uncomfortable; her mom has a boyfriend; approximately five times her mom has stayed overnight at his house leaving her at home alone with her fifteen-year-old sister; she is scared when her mom does not come home; she is scared and worried because her mom is drinking and driving and afraid her mom will be in an accident; her uncle and aunt used to live within a mile and she used to spend a lot of time there, but they have moved to the country; her sister is definitely her mom’s favorite child; she and her sister fight a lot; when she tells her mom that her sister slaps her and calls her names, her sister denies it, and her mom believes her sister; her mom hates her dad and so does her sister, so her sister gets what she wants; in January 2008, she woke up in the middle of the night and saw a stranger sitting in their living room so she woke up her mom, who did not know the man, but who let the man sleep there until morning; her mom does not lock their house doors and she does not feel safe in Oxford; her dad locks the doors in Scranton and is home at night.
[¶ 38] The trial court concluded that these facts were not sufficient to infer the child’s emotional health or development were endangered by the present environment. The trial court decided, based on the affidavits, there was not sufficient evidence from which it could infer the mom’s home endangered the child’s emotional health or impaired the child’s emotional development. The issue is whether the child’s statements that she does not like her mother drinking, that she is scared and worried about her mother when she is not home, that she is scared and does not feel safe because her mom does not lock the doors, and that she feels sad and uncomfortable when her mom calls her filthy names rise to the level of evidence that would support on appeal to our Court an affirmance of a modification based on an environment that endangers the child’s emotional health. Would our Court affirm a trial court’s modification of custody based on a court’s finding that these facts establish the child’s emotional health is endangered? The trial court concluded that this evidence does not justify such an affirmative conclusion:
“[The father] has presented no allegation of child abuse or physical harm and the allegations regarding possible harm to the child’s emotional health or development do not rise to a level sufficient *623for an exception to the law prohibiting a motion to modify custody when less than two years have passed.”
[¶ 39] The trial court prepared a thorough and accurate order citing our court’s case law on the purpose of the provision requiring a court to determine whether a hearing should be even held within two years following a custody determination and on the movant’s heightened burden of proof. The majority conclusion really is based on its own disapproval of the mother’s choice of life style and its own personal values. That is not the standard the legislature has promulgated.
[¶ 40] The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying a hearing on the motion to modify custody. Applying an abuse-of-discretion standard, I would affirm.
[V 41] MARY MUEHLEN MARING