Court Opinion

ID: 9771233
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:37:28.112909+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:27.246106
License: Public Domain

John B. Robbins, Judge, dissenting. I respectfully dissent from the prevailing opinion of this court because I believe that the evidence overwhelmingly proves that it is in the best interest of this minor child to be placed in her father’s custody. While I acknowledge that a chancellor’s decision in child custody matters is entitled to considerable deference, there are occasions when we may, and should, reverse the trial court’s decision. I submit that this is one of those occasions. The object of this custody action is Tamara Anderson, a three- year-old child. The proof at trial portrayed the two competing parents in very sharp contrast. The father, Richard Anderson, has stable employment and resides in Alvin, Texas, where he has lived for thirty years. His three sons, Richard, age 13, Christopher, age 5, and Sean, age 4, have always lived with him. Richard is his son from a prior marriage. Christopher and Sean were born of his marriage to appellee, Robin Prault. These children are doing well in a nearby school and attend church each weekend. Mr. Anderson’s mother is available and helps him with his sons. He spends his time with his sons when he is not at work. Tamara has a very close relationship with these brothers. Ms. Prault stipulated at trial that Mr. Anderson is “doing a good job of raising the boys.” The chancellor also found “I have absolutely no doubt that Mr. Anderson is an excellent father.” Ms. Prault’s mother, Mrs. Calva, and her sister, Kim Randall, appeared at the hearing and testified for Mr. Anderson. Both testified about Ms. Prault’s emotionally instability. Her mother testified that soon after the parties’ divorce, Ms. Prault voluntarily placed Tamara with her and agreed to Mrs. Calva’s appointment as guardian of Tamara’s person. Until Ms. Prault married William Prault in November, 1991, she only visited Tamara infrequently, and then only for a few minutes at a time. She visited more often after her remarriage but only kept Tamara overnight on two occasions. She further stated that Ms. Prault frequently changed jobs, and since June 1990 she has had at least eight different jobs. She stated that Ms. Prault often throws “fits” without regard to who is present, sometimes in the presence of Tamara. She testified that Ms. Prault drinks frequently and causes scenes when she is drunk. She and her husband have fought in front of Tamara. Mrs. Calva refused to let Ms. Prault take Tamara in her car on one occasion because she had drunk too much to be driving. Ms. Prault had a son prior to her marriage to Mr. Anderson. This son is now ten years of age. She does not visit nor maintain communication with the child and seldom has contact with her two sons who are in Mr. Anderson’s custody. Ms. Prault attempted suicide on February 4, 1992. Mr. Prault’s former wife, Dana Hathcoat, testified that she and Mr. Prault have a three-year-old daughter for whom Prault was ordered to pay support but does not. His visitation rights, though not exercised, are restricted to be supervised at his mother’s home. When Ms. Hathcoat was eight and one-half months pregnant Mr. Prault put a rope around her neck, threatened her with a bottle opener, pulled hair from her head, and forced her to the ground, for which he was convicted of third degree battery. Mr. Prault also attempted suicide on July 28, 1990. All of the foregoing proof was unrebutted because the hearing was concluded when the court granted Ms. Prault’s motion for a directed verdict at the close of Mr. Anderson’s case. While announcing his ruling from the bench, the chancellor made these observations: I have some serious, serious reservations about putting this child back with you, Ms. Prault. You’ve had three other children, and you’ve either given up custody of them or — your efforts at trying to see them is not stellar. If Ms. Prault and if Mr. Prault continue to live as they have lived in the past, then they’re not suitable parents, would not be suitable at all to raise this child. You surely should recognize that. You cannot live recklessly in multiple relationships, not being able to work, emotional outburst, that sort of thing cannot be in the best interest of a child if a child is exposed to that. Robin [Prault] has had a stormy life and a stormy past and I’m very, very reluctant to allow this child to go and be raised by her, but I’m going to grant custody to Robin, and I going to do it for several reasons. She’s got these other children that she has allowed to be taken off. Granted, one, she probably doesn’t know where they are — or is, but she’s going to find that out I’m sure. Two down in Texas that she’s not made very many efforts to go see, and one of them is only five, only two years older than that little girl. Doesn’t have a mama. And that’s not very exemplary. But that doesn’t mean that you cannot reestablish a relationship. It doesn’t mean you’re probably ever going to get custody, but it means that — it doesn’t mean that you can’t reestablish a relationship. And that little girl deserves to know her brothers and needs to know her brothers. Not just two, not just three, but four. She’s got four brothers. Two by you and Mr. Anderson, one by Mr. Anderson with this lady and one by you that lives down in Florida somewhere. So, I’m going to give you an opportunity, one last opportunity, to become a mother and to give her the nurture and the love and the upbringing that she deserves and needs and is entitled to. While the chancellor correctly articulated the issue before him, i.e., “what would be in the best interest of [the] child,” the court’s explanation of why custody was being placed with Ms. Prault would only have been applicable if Ms. Prault and a non-parent had been vying for custody. Schuh v. Roberson 302 Ark. 305, 788 S.W.2d 740 (1990). Ms. Prault’s parental right to custody, or her fitness for custody, is not the issue. As pitiable as Ms. Prault may be, the focus must be on the child, without regard to Ms. Prault’s welfare and some hope for her rehabilitation. The issue is, as stated by the chancellor, what is in the best interest of this child, i.e., as between Mr. Anderson and Ms. Prault, which of these two, with the sole consideration being the best interest of the child, should have custody. Based upon the evidence before the court, to conclude that it is in the child’s best interest to be placed with Ms. Prault, rather than Mr. Anderson, is clearly against the preponderance of the evidence. I would reverse and remand to the trial court. Jennings, C.J., and Pittman, J., join.