Court Opinion

ID: 9884444
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 02:57:32.826865+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:38.572167
License: Public Domain

CRIPPEN, Judge,
concurring specially.
The appellate decision here upholds public policy well settled in Minnesota since 1978. When a change of custody is proposed, primary attention must be given to the harm involved in separating a child from a custodial parent, and modification can only occur when that harm is offset by evidence the child’s present circumstances are endangered. Minn.Stat. § 518.18 (1986), amended by 1978 Minn.Laws ch. 772, § 44. Following enactment of this statutory law, the Minnesota Supreme Court has consistently upheld the central importance of continuity of care for children, especially those who are very young. See Auge v. Auge, 334 N.W.2d 393, 399 (Minn.1983).
I join in the opinion of the panel to reverse a child custody modification which is not permitted by Minnesota law. While the appellate courts rarely disturb trial court custody decisions, such a result can and does occur to correct impermissible changes of custody.
Appellate error-correcting under section 518.18 falls short of faithfully upholding the mandate for continuity of care which has been given by the legislature and the supreme court. Here, late in December, an opinion issues to return custody of a four-year old child who was separated from his custodial parent late in March 1988. Especially for the child, this intrusion into the stability of his circumstances is immensely important. In fact, regardless of other circumstances in the life of the child, a judicial intrusion of this kind might itself be counted a significant danger to the child’s emotional health and development.
*149While various attempts have been made to expedite review of child custody decisions, more scrutiny is required on the issue of delay following decisions for change of custody.
The delay in this case could have been somewhat shortened. The case was pending before the trial court on post-trial motions for 40 days, and six months elapsed between the beginning of the appellate process and the issuance of a decision. Respondent’s insistence on oral arguments avoided shortening the appellate process by about six weeks time, and appellant unnecessarily delayed initiation of the appeal for 60 days after the trial court’s last order was issued. Still, under almost ideal circumstances, post-trial motions and appellate process will take six or seven months after the trial court’s modification decision.
Avoidance of the peril of delay rests mostly with the trial courts. In all custody cases, the trial court is left with undivided discretion to determine whether its custody order will be stayed during the period of appellate review. See Petersen v. Petersen, 296 Minn. 147, 149, 206 N.W.2d 658, 659-60 (1973). When the custodial placement of the child is changed, it is essential that the trial courts liberally allow stay of proceedings during the time post-trial motions and appeal proceedings are pending.