Court Opinion

ID: 9965853
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-05-03 16:09:31.332+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:25:47.121659
License: Public Domain

Supreme Court

                                                      No. 2023-239-Appeal.
                                                      (WC 19-1004)

             Kristina Ransom             :

                    v.                   :

             Patrick Greichen.           :

                                     ORDER

        This case came before the Supreme Court on April 9, 2024, pursuant to an

order directing the parties to appear and show cause why the issues raised in this

appeal should not be summarily decided. After considering the parties’ written and

oral submissions and reviewing the record, we are satisfied that cause has not been

shown and that the appeal may be decided at this time without further briefing or

argument. The defendant, Patrick Greichen, appeals from a June 4, 2023 order of

the Family Court directing Mr. Greichen to continue with weekly, supervised

visitation through the Family Court visitation program unless he and the plaintiff,

Kristina Ransom, could mutually agree upon an alternative method of supervision.1

Mr. Greichen argued that the hearing justice erred in ordering six months of

1
    The June 4, 2023 order was entered following a hearing on May 22, 2023.

                                        -1-
supervised visitation without looking at the reports for the first six months of

supervised visits.2

      Only final orders of the Family Court are reviewable by this Court on appeal.

General Laws 1956 § 14-1-52(a). Interlocutory orders, and orders relating to the

modification of alimony or child support, are solely reviewable by way of writ of

certiorari. Dale v. Dale, 37 A.3d 124, 124 (R.I. 2012) (mem.); § 14-1-52(b). The

Family Court has the authority to modify the visitation rights of a parent. Seravo v.

Seravo, 525 A.2d 922, 924 (R.I. 1987). After final judgment in a divorce action,

modification may be sought by serving a summons, complaint, and all other required

documents upon the party against whom relief is sought. R. Dom. Rel. P. 64A(a).

However, Mr. Greichen did not appeal from the Family Court’s denial of his post-

final-judgment motion to modify visitation. Instead, he appealed from the order that

maintained the weekly supervised visitation that was already in place and continued

the matter for control to November 2023. Therefore, the order was provisional,

merely deciding an intermediate matter, rather than disposing of the whole matter.

2
  Mr. Greichen also makes a number of arguments relative to the Family Court’s
suspension of his visitation schedule back in June 2022, as well as a related domestic
abuse complaint that Ms. Ransom had filed against him. None of these issues are
properly before the Court. Mr. Greichen did not appeal the domestic abuse
complaint or the Family Court’s order suspending his visitation schedule. See Sentas
v. Sentas, 911 A.2d 266, 269 n.3 (R.I. 2006) (“We will not consider ‘an issue on
appeal for which a notice of appeal never was filed.’”) (quoting State v. Hallenbeck,
878 A.2d 992, 1020 (R.I. 2005)).

                                        -2-
See Simpson v. Vose, 702 A.2d 1176, 1177 (R.I. 1997) (mem.). Thus, to seek review

of the June 4, 2023 order, the appropriate avenue was to file a petition for writ of

certiorari. Dale, 37 A.3d at 124. The appeal is denied and dismissed, and the papers

may be returned to the Family Court.

      Entered as an Order of this Court this           day of May, 2024

                                               By Order,

                                               Clerk

                                       -3-
                                          STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
                                     SUPREME COURT – CLERK’S OFFICE
                                           Licht Judicial Complex
                                             250 Benefit Street
                                           Providence, RI 02903

                               ORDER COVER SHEET

Title of Case                        Kristina Ransom v. Patrick Greichen.

                                     No. 2023-239-Appeal.
Case Number
                                     (WC 19-1004)

Date Order Filed                     May 3, 2024

                                     Suttell, C.J., Goldberg, Robinson, Lynch Prata, and
Justices
                                     Long, JJ.

Source of Appeal                     Washington County Family Court

Judicial Officer from Lower Court    Associate Justice Laureen A. D’Ambra

                                     For Plaintiff:

                                     Kristina Ransom, pro se
Attorney(s) on Appeal
                                     For Defendant:

                                     Patrick Greichen, pro se

SU-CMS-02B (revised November 2022)