Court Opinion

ID: 9861320
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 23:53:56.82482+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:28:12.995851
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE SCHMIDT, dissenting: I respectfully dissent. This was not a court-ordered stepparent visitation but, rather, a negotiated agreement. I believe that by agreeing to give Jerri visitation, Donald waived any argument that the stepparent visitation statute is unconstitutional. It is not unconstitutional to bargain for stepparent visitation. I would hold that the best interest of the child is the determinative factor in this case. There is nothing in the record to indicate that continued visitation with Jerri would not be in the best interest of the child. Again, it was Donald who asked the court to modify the agreement and yet he offered no evidence at the hearing. Even had Jerri not testified at all, I do not see how the trial court could have done anything other than deny Donald’s petition. Furthermore, Donald has enjoyed many benefits from the agreement, not the least of which is the fact that Jerri covered the child on her healthcare insurance for the last five years. Theories of equitable estoppel should prevent Donald from now attacking the agreement, absent evidence that the best interest of the child required him to do so. I therefore respectfully dissent.