Court Opinion

ID: 9734407
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 17:34:05.70263+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:46.016221
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Justice,
concurring specially.
I am in accord with the majority that “[o]ne of the most beneficial byproducts of protecting custodial stability in custody modification proceedings is its deterrent effect on continuous litigation of custody which, left unchecked, generates cruel emotional and economic strain on all participants to the ultimate detriment of a child’s best interests.” That statement is equally applicable to the continuous litigation *612spawned as a result of a custodial parent’s continued resistance to complying with the visitation rights given the noncustodial parent. The result is that the noncustodial parent must either forgo the right to visitation or must constantly seek the assistance of the court to enforce the visitation rights, thus defeating the deterrent effect which the statement in the majority opinion espouses.
This was an unusual case in which the mother’s sisters testified against the mother and on behalf of the father in support of his motion to change custody. Despite my discomfort that we are in actuality retrying this matter rather than reviewing it under Rule 52(a), NDRCivP, I concur in the result reached by the majority opinion. I write separately, however, to elaborate on the matter of visitation or more precisely the violation of visitation provisions in a custody decree.
I agree with the majority that “frustration of visitation does not alone constitute a sufficient change in circumstances to warrant a change in custody,” and that visitation problems are “better remedied at first by resort to a more rigid visitation schedule, rather than a change of custody.” Nevertheless, as the majority also observes "Ht is apparent that the visitation problems in this case are longstanding.” In view of the “longstanding” visitation problems and our reversal of the change-of-custody order, my concern is that custodial parents and their attorneys will view our admonitions and those of the trial court that custodial parents must allow the ordered visitation to noncustodial parents as so much pretentious talk or, as Justice Sand described it “bruten fulmen (empty noise).” See McCullough v. Swanson, 245 N.W.2d 262, 265 (N.D.1976).
Incarceration for contempt of a visitation order by a continuous pattern of minor obstructions to visitation, for whatever purpose, would probably be greeted with public outrage. Thus, I fear that despite the protestations of the trial court and this court to the contrary, the prevailing wisdom is that frustration and violation of the visitation provisions will not result in a loss of custody, but, at the most, a tongue lashing from the trial court. Opinions such as the majority opinion foster that perception. In turn that perception is, I fear, largely responsible for an equally damaging perception that in matters of visitation the noncustodial parent (usually the father) does not receive evenhanded treatment in the courts.
Because, as the majority notes, “[vjisitation between a child and her noncustodial parent is presumed to be in the best interests of the child,” we have indicated that continued frustration of the noncustodial parent’s rights to visitation forms a part of the basis for a change of custody. Muraskin v. Muraskin, 283 N.W.2d 140 (N.D.1979). Notwithstanding the “ ‘aversion’ to changing the custody of a happy child who has been living with one parent for substantial time,” I believe that a continued pattern of circumvention of visitation provisions may, in the appropriate case, “weigh against the child’s best interests” such as to justify a change in custody. Miller v. Miller, 305 N.W.2d 666, 672 (N.D.1981). Nevertheless, I agree that until a rigid visitation schedule is implemented, with warning that any violations may result in a change of custody, the drastic remedy of a change of custody is not warranted. If that rigid visitation schedule is implemented and fails, either through egregious violations or a pattern of less significant but continued violations, such as to evidence an intransigent and contentious attitude toward the rights of the noncustodial parent, I would affirm an order changing custody as a result of those violations.
JOHNSON, J., concurs.