Court Opinion

ID: 9761243
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 01:35:41.430869+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:21.443759
License: Public Domain

BROSKY, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent. I believe that the opinion of the lower court is far too inadequate to allow a proper review of the case and, accordingly, would remand the case for entry of a comprehensive opinion.
So as to facilitate our broad scope of review, we consistently emphasize that the lower court must provide us with a complete record and a comprehensive opinion which contains a thorough analysis of the record and specific reasons for the court’s ultimate decision. Hugo v. Hugo, 288 Pa.Super. 1, 430 A.2d 1183 (1981); Garrity v. Garrity, supra [268 Pa.Super. 217, 407 A.2d 1323 (1979)]. The lower court’s opinion must address the testimony and the law; it must indicate the grounds for selecting the particular findings, and the reasoning process by which the judge reached his ultimate conclusion. Jones v. Floyd, 276 Pa.Super. 76, 419 A.2d 102 (1980); In re Custody of White, 270 Pa.Super. 165, 411 A.2d 231 (1979). The lower court’s opinion must also clearly demonstrate the necessity for placing custody with either the petitioner or respondent. Robert H.H. v. May L.H., supra [293 Pa.Super. 431, 439 A.2d 187 (1981)].
Commonwealth ex rel. Newcomer v. King, 301 Pa.Super. 239, 245, 447 A.2d 630, 633 (1982).
If the above requirements are not met, the order of the lower court must be reversed and remanded. Jones v. *359Floyd, 276 Pa.Super. 76, 419 A.2d 102 (1980).1 In the instant case, the opinion of the lower court falls far short of these requirements. The opinion is a scant three pages of which only half contains findings by the court. The court’s statements for the most part are mere conclusions; no analysis of the testimony of the witnesses is provided. The only reference to the testimony is the court’s statement that it based its determination of Kevin’s custody upon the testimony and demeanor of both parents and the recommendation of the two psychologists who testified in that proceeding.
The majority states that “[tjhere was more than sufficient evidence presented to warrant the trial judge in finding that Kenneth is fulfilling his parental role insofar as the children’s schooling, religious training, and everyday care is concerned.” While I do not disagree that there indeed may have been sufficient evidence for the trial judge to so conclude, I find the problem to be that the trial judge made no such express finding, nor even discussed the subject.
Likewise, the majority states that while appellant argues that the trial court should have accepted her testimony, the decision of what testimony to believe must be left to the trial judge. However, I find that we have been offered *360little, if any, guidance as to what testimony the trial judge did believe. For example, as the majority points out, the testimony below conflicted as to whether Kenneth would encourage or discourage the children from maintaining a relationship with their mother. There is absolutely no discussion nor findings of credibility as to this issue in the trial court’s opinion.
Therefore, I conclude that I must agree with the court in In re Custody of White, 270 Pa.Super. 165, 411 A.2d 231 (1979), which stated the following:
While we might review the record and reach a conclusion without the benefit of a proper analysis by the lower court, such a course would serve neither the best interests of the children nor the Commonwealth. We are loath to pass judgment on something as precious and intrinsically valuable as a child’s welfare without every possible piece of information bearing on the subject. It is for this reason that we demand a full record and a probing analysis thereof. Instantly, the opinion we are presented with renders it impossible to effect a just result.
Id., 270 Pa.Superior Ct. at 170, 411 A.2d at 234.
Thus, I would remand for entry of a comprehensive opinion.

. In some cases where the lower court has failed to file a proper opinion in support of its custody decision, we have not remanded the case, but instead decided the question of custody based upon our own examination of the record. See Haraschak v. Haraschak, 268 Pa.Super. 173, 407 A.2d 886 (1979); Tomlinson v. Tomlinson, 248 Pa.Super.Ct. 196, 204, 374 A.2d 1386, 1390 (1977); Sweeney v. Sweeney, 241 Pa.Super. 235, 361 A.2d 302 (1976). Such cases are rare, however, and the usual course is to remand the case to permit the lower court to receive further evidence, if that is indicated, and to file a more comprehensive opinion setting forth its reasons, including its findings as to the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be attached to the testimony. See Kimmey v. Kimmey, 269 Pa.Super. 346, 409 A.2d 1178 (1979); Garrity v. Garrity, 268 Pa.Super. 217, 407 A.2d 1323 (1979); Lewis v. Lewis, 271 Pa.Super. 519, 414 A.2d 375 (1979).
Commonwealth ex rel. Crowther v. Waida, 272 Pa.Super. 73, 75, 414 A.2d 675, 676 (1979); see McAnallen v. McAnallen, 300 Pa.Super. 406, 446 A.2d 918 (1982) (merits considered despite inadequate lower court opinion where record was comprehensive and essential facts not in dispute).