Court Opinion

ID: 9526786
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:23:57.286073+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:21:57.578281
License: Public Domain

DEININGER, RJ.
¶ 21. (dissenting). The majority concludes that the trial court impermissibly considered Lambert's "nonmarital relationship with a third party as a negative factor absent any showing that the relationship was harmful to the child." Majority at ¶ 17. Because I conclude that the trial court did not base its placement decision on the fact of Lambert's "nonmarital relationship with a third party," but on the relative predictability and stability of the parents' present living arrangements, as well as on several other permissible factors, I respectfully dissent. In my view, the trial court applied the correct law to the relevant facts and reasoned its way to a reasonable conclusion, one that a reasonable judge could reach on the present record. See Loy v. Bunderson, 107 Wis. 2d 400, 414-15, 320 N.W.2d 175 (1982). There is thus no cause for this court to disturb the trial court's discretionary decision and I would affirm it.
¶ 22. The majority takes the trial court to task for making what it deems unsubstantiated and impermissible inferences regarding Lambert's relationship with Mr. Weber. It does so after excerpting and isolating only a small part of the trial court's bench decision. In order to determine whether the court erroneously exercised *808its discretion, however, we must consider the remarks quoted at paragraph 11 of the majority opinion within the context of the parties' arguments and the court's entire ruling.
¶ 23. The child's guardian ad litem recommended that Helling have primary placement. In his written report to the court, the guardian ad litem commented on each of the factors set forth in Wis. Stat. § 767.24(5) (2001-02).1 He explained that his recommendation was based on concerns that Lambert "may not be fostering a significant relationship with Neven and his father" and that she "has a history of some emotional/mental difficulties." The guardian ad litem had "almost no concerns" regarding Helling and his ability to care for his son. He renewed his recommendation in favor of Hell-ing at the conclusion of the custody hearing, citing in addition a concern over Lambert's "present living situation" where she had no "enforceable right" to remain in her boyfriend's residence "if something went bad" in the relationship.
¶ 24. Helling's counsel agreed with the guardian ad litem's report and analysis, and he emphasized the stability of his client's "home situation" and Helling's proximity to extended family who had strong bonds with the child and assisted with child care. Counsel contrasted that to Lambert's circumstances:
Now she finds herself with all due respect in another situation like she was earlier.... She has another child on the way now. She is in the same spot, and it's not very long down the road where they will have to work out problems they created for that child. I think that shows a lack of maturity and stability on *809her part, you know. They are living in a situation she has no ownership. I mean, she is basically a tenant, you know, at will of a "boyfriend".... I think it shows a lack of maturity, lack of judgment and lack of forethought.
Lambert's counsel emphasized the advantages of the placement plan Lambert favored, asserted that she had been the child's primary caregiver, and responded to the "living situation" issue by noting that Lambert had maintained stable, long-term employment and thus had "income appropriate to make adjustments in case there were other things that might change."
¶ 25. Given the guardian ad litem's recommendation and counsel's arguments, it is not surprising that the trial court commented in its ruling on Lambert's present living situation. The majority agrees that the trial court could "reasonably consider the stability of each parent's living situation." Majority at ¶ 15. That is precisely what the court did in the excerpt quoted at paragraph 11 of the majority opinion.
¶ 26. The court deemed Lambert's living situation to be less predictable and stable than Helling's, but that was not the court's only consideration in awarding Helling primary placement. The court began its ruling by noting that it was making an initial placement decision, not considering whether to modify an existing placement arrangement. It then made routine findings of fact regarding the parties and the child, followed by an extensive discussion of the placement issue:
Under all of the testimony of the parties both parties are fit and proper persons to have the care, custody and control of the minor child of the parties. Both parties are good people. Both parties are good parents. The child is doing well. The child is in good health mentally and physically. The child is well adjusted at present to his situation and both homes. The *810child interacts well with both parents. Both parents have spent quality time with the child in the past. Both parents are capable of providing the child's needs and caring for the child on a daily basis.
So I'm asked to make a judgment about which would be the best parenting situation for the child. Now in doing that, first of all, I have a guardian ad litem appointed. He is appointed by the Court. The guardian ad litem makes a recommendation to the Court. The guardian ad litem represents the child ... in the child's interests and doesn't represent either parent's interests.
We have independent contract guardian ad litems in our county. The reason is we hope they develop some expertise, and also they're beholden to no one. They are beholden only to the Court. I expect when I appoint a guardian ad litem from contract guardian ad litems, that I will get a conscientious, diligent and fair, unbiased opinion about what the guardian ad litem thinks is in the best interests of the child. And when I do so, I think it's incumbent on the Court to listen to what the guardian ad litem says.
[The guardian ad litem] has recommended based on his investigation, his discussion with the parties, based on him sitting through the testimony here that Mr. Helling be primary care provider and have primary placement of the child. That is a factor in the Court's decision. It's not the only factor.
Now, there are a lot of superficial reasons that are indicated here, and some of the reasons are well, Mr. Helling is a bad parent because he is taking his youngster around on the lawn mower, or Mr. Helling is a bad parent because he is giving his youngster a ride on the sidewalk on a motorcycle. You know, these are side issues. The real fundamental issue here is I have always said stability and predictability. And some of you have *811practiced before me more than others, but fundamentally, I think it's the Court's obligation to figure out what the best parenting situation is that will give the youngster a place he can call home and to have that place be predictable and stable.
And what I try to sort out above all when I am making a decision in these cases is where that's going to occur. Now, the factor that I am talking about here, I think I have already addressed most of the factors under the custody proposal or custody criterion under 767.24(5). The factor that I practically harp on is the need for regularly occurring and meaningful periods of physical placement to provide predictability and stability for the child.
... One of the main factors here that concerns the Court probably the most and that is this, Ms. Lambert, you are not in a predictable and stable situation. That concerns me. You are not in a predictable and stable situation because, you know, you recently established a relationship with Mr. Weber.
[Material quoted at ¶ 11 of majority opinion.]
Now, Ms. Lambert, you are a good mom. There is no question about it, and it makes my decision a lot harder because while you have got that factor against you, you certainly are a good mom, and you have done a heck of a job raising this youngster, and that makes this decision harder.
On the other hand, Mr. Helling, you have done a pretty good job too, sir, and I think you have been a good father to this youngster. I think you have developed a good relationship with him, and I think you've demonstrated that if your cooking isn't all that great, at least it's improving. You are willing to learn, and that's the important thing, and the good things of life aside, the most important thing in any child's life is love and *812affection for the child, parenting the child, creating a strong family ethic in the child, and I think that Mr. Helling, that benefit has to go to you.
You have a solid family background. I'm impressed by the care services that you are offering. I'm not denigrating Ms. Helling’s care services, but the family loves — there is just no doubt in my mind the family loves that child, and the care provider, boy, they will do a heck of a job. But they are getting paid, and that’s why they are there. And there is a lot of difference, and when I was watching [Helling’s] sister up here, I was touched by the emotion that she showed when she was talking about how much she cared about that youngster and what she was prepared to do for that youngster.
I think the childcare situation definitely goes to Mr. Helling. Now, in short, when I look at the factors, and the rest of the factors really don't cut either way, there isn't any drug or alcohol problem. There isn't any abuse problem. They both are good people. I don't have any appropriate reports of professionals. There won't be any. There is no reason to. You folks are both well-adjusted people, and you are doing a good job with this child. He is doing well.
Now, [Lambert's counsel], the matter of inertia is a powerful argument in child custody matters. There is no question about that, and that is what the child is, well adjusted. It's Newton's first law of physics. Things that are at rest tend to remain at rest and things in motion tend to remain in motion. These things are at rest. Maybe Court should leave them at rest, but I think that the law of inertia, which is really what you are talking about, is not as big a factor as it normally would be in court decisions. Because while it's true mom has been the primary caretaker, we are talking about a child that's two and a half years old.
*813We are also talking about a child that's well adjusted to home changes. As you indicated, he had his home changed two or three times. He has had child care changes. He keeps right on going. He does well, and if this child were, you know, 13 or 14 and a hell raiser and gets along well with dad or mom and not the other side and that had been the arrangement, that's a different matter for the issue of inertia or continuation of an existing relationship.
But that's not so here. This child will do well. He can make adjustments, and so if you had to capsulize my basis for my decision, I would say it's this. We got two good parents. We got two good situations as far as relationships with the youngster. The child is doing well, but I am concerned about predictability and stability in Ms. Lambert's relationship with Mr. Weber, and I don't think that's a predictable or stable situation. Tm also concerned about the type of care that Mr. Helling can give [through] his family and his family support system, which I think is a big factor in my decision.
And last, it's very hard for Court given the finding 1 have made to go against the recommendation of the guardian ad litem in this case who has done a very able and conscientious job in this matter. I commend him for it. My judgment is going to be I will conclude that it's in the best interests of this child that the primary placement be with the petitioner David Helling.
(Emphasis added.)
¶ 27. Thus, when the remarks the majority finds objectionable are placed in the context of the court's entire ruling, it becomes apparent that the court's decision was not based "primarily... upon the trial court's negative view of [Lambert's] unmarried status." Majority at ¶ 17. Taken as a whole, the court's bench decision shows that it awarded Helling primary placement because of three factors: the greater "predict*814ability and stability" of his living situation, the proximity and availability to Helling of intra-family childcare providers, and the guardian ad litem's recommendation in favor of primary placement with Helling. I cannot conclude that any of these factors are inappropriate or that the trial court's reliance on them constituted an erroneous exercise of discretion.
¶ 28. Finally, I note that the majority believes that our decision in Schwantes v. Schwantes, 121 Wis. 2d 607, 360 N.W.2d 69 (Ct. App. 1984), compels a reversal here. It does not. The trial court in Schwantes conditioned its award of custody to the mother on her terminating a relationship with a third party, and when she failed to terminate the relationship, transferred custody of the children to the father. Id. at 619-21. Our holding was explicit and limited:
We conclude that sec. 767.24(2), Stats., cannot be construed to confer upon the trial court the power to condition an award of custody on the termination of the custodial parent's relationship with another in the absence of a showing that the relationship has a significant adverse affect upon the children.
Id. at 625-26.
¶ 29. The trial court in this case did not condition Lambert's opportunity for physical placement of the child on her terminating her relationship with Mr. Weber. In fact, in addition to awarding the parties joint legal custody, the court gave Lambert placement of the child every week from 4:00 p.m. Thursday through 5:00 p.m. Friday, and on alternate weekends extending through Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m., plus two uninterrupted weeks in the summer and holidays as agreed upon by the parties. Nowhere does the court require or even suggest that Lambert could have these placement *815periods only if she terminated her relationship with Weber or moved out of his residence. Neither did the court require that Weber not be present during Lambert's periods of placement.
¶ 30. In short, the trial court made no negative comments whatsoever about Lambert's relationship with Weber per se. It concluded only that Lambert's present living situation was not as predictable and stable as Helling's. Nothing in Schwantes prohibits the court from reaching this conclusion or from considering it as a factor in awarding primary placement.

 All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2001-02 version unless otherwise noted.