Court Opinion

ID: 9895840
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-08 20:07:57.45791+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:12:21.639327
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA
          COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT
MALCOLM STEWART                              NO.   2023 CW 1119

VERSUS
LAKESHIA STEWART                            NOVEMBER 8, 2023

In Re:     LaKeshia Stewart,  applying for supervisory writs,
           Family Court in and for the Parish of East Baton
           Rouge, No. 172190.

BEFORE:    GUIDRY, CHUTZ, AND LANIER, JJ.

     STAY DENIED; WRIT GRANTED. The trial court's October 25,
2023 order, granting the oral motion to modify physical custody
urged on behalf of the plaintiff, Malcolm Stewart, and modifying
the Interim Stipulated Judgment, is reversed. Mr. Stewart, as
the parent seeking modification of a consensual custody decree,
failed to meet his burden of establishing the occurrence of a
change in circumstances materially affecting the welfare of his
child and that his proposed modification of the existing custody
arrangement would be in the best interest of his child. See
Cedotal v. Cedotal, 2005-1524 (La. App. 1st Cir. 11/4/05), 927
So.2d 433, 436. The trial court's failure to determine whether a
change in circumstances materially affecting this child had
occurred constitutes legal error. Id. Accordingly, Mr. Stewart's
oral motion to modify physical custody is denied.

                                 JMG
                                 WRC
                                 WIL

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

    DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
        FOR THE COURT