Court Opinion

ID: 9630079
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 09:59:23.825672+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:07:30.521200
License: Public Domain

HENRIOD, Justice.
I concur. 'In doing so, however I reserve my opinion on all matters touched upon in the main opinion not directly related to the legal aspects of the case. For example, I cannot say, as the main opinion seems to imply, that polygamy is morally wrong. It is neither morally nor legally wrong in Turkey and elsewhere. It is questionable whether it was morally or legally wrong in Utah Territory in the 19th Century, and I like to think, at least, that my great-grandfather was not only a law-abiding citizen, but was not immoral according to the mores of his time. What is moral, or legal, depends in most part upon time, place and circumstance. - Today, in Utah, the circumstances which go to make up adultery and polygamy, legislatively are considered and treated as felonies, — both of which offenses have been committed by the father in this case. Our decision, therefore, can be resolved by answering a most simple question: Do the statutes of our state constitutionally permit the Juvenile Court to deprive parents of the custody of their children, if such parents practice and teach their children to practice a felony, — any felony? This question must be answered in the affirmative, and there' would be little difficulty in answering it if the felony being taught to 'the children were murder, rape, armed robbery, burglary and the like. Where children and parents and religion are involved, the answer to the question tends to stick in our throats, but we are duty bound to utter it when confronted with it.
Because of the nature of this case and conceding without determining the fact that these particular litigants may be erstwhile honest, God-fearing souls, so devout in their belief in a religion, one of whose tenets offends against our existing laws, I' would be inclined to eliminate any reference to *354names or specific details, being content to answer the simple question posed above, and approve the power and procedure of the Juvenile Court. I would be content to give the plural wife principle involved in this case a decent, Christian burial, by simply stating the law involved, and while interring it, remember the admonition of Christ that “He who is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.” To go further may invite martydom, which more than once has solved no problem.