Court Opinion

ID: 9619695
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:31:41.612833+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:04:43.477404
License: Public Domain

Judge Clark
dissenting.
On 9 October 1978 defendant filed a verified motion for dismissal of the appeal alleging that plaintiff had on 1 September 1978 taken the child for a weekend visitation and had not returned the child as provided by the court order, and that plaintiff had informed defendant that she had taken and would not return the child. Plaintiff’s counsel responded that the allegations in the motion were unsubstantiated hearsay. The motion was denied on 30 October 1978. If the allegations are true plaintiff has violated G.S. 14-320.1, a felony. I vote to stay appellate proceedings and remove to the trial court .for findings of fact and for determination of custodial matters in light of the facts found. See Jones v. Cotten, 108 N.C. 457, 13 S.E. 161 (1891).
Further, I do not agree with the majority opinion because it is based on assumptions relative to the provisions of the divorce and custody decree though the decree was not in the record on appeal, and because it ignores the established law of this State relative to modification of a custody decree, and to the standards for findings of fact and conclusions of law which should support an adjudication of custody. See G.S. 50-13.7(a); Blackley v. Blackley, 285 N.C. 358, 204 S.E. 2d 678 (1974); Shepherd v. Shepherd, 273 N.C. 71, 159 S.E. 2d 357 (1968); Steele v. Steele, 36 *428N.C. App. 601, 244 S.E. 2d 466 (1978); Owen v. Owen, 31 N.C. App. 230, 229 S.E. 2d 49 (1976); Paschall v. Paschall, 21 N.C. App. 120, 203 S.E. 2d 337 (1974); Register v. Register, 18 N.C. App. 333, 196 S.E. 2d 550 (1973).