L.T. v. J.D.

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REL: 10/19/2012 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e Reporter of Decisions, Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2012-2013 2110785 L.T. v. J.D. Appeal from Henry C i r c u i t (JU-06-155.03) Court MOORE, J u d g e . L.T., who i s t h e m a t e r n a l from a judgment o f t h e Henry g r a n d m o t h e r o f M.P.D., Circuit Court appeals ("the c i r c u i t c o u r t " ) i n a dependency a c t i o n , w h i c h h a d been a p p e a l e d from t h e H e n r y J u v e n i l e C o u r t ("the j u v e n i l e c o u r t " ) , t o t h e e x t e n t 2110785 t h a t j u d g m e n t a w a r d e d c u s t o d y o f M.P.D. ("the c h i l d " ) t o the c h i l d ' s p a t e r n a l grandmother and refused visitation to award ("the p a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r " ) , L.T. w i t h the c h i l d . J.D., ("the We maternal grandmother") a f f i r m i n p a r t and r e v e r s e i n part. This circuit the case court. circuit was appealed from After a t r i a l court entered was a the juvenile court to h e l d i n the c i r c u i t judgment on April the court, 3, 2012, stating: " A f t e r h e a r i n g , the C o u r t f i n d s t h a t the mother of [ t h e c h i l d ] i s d e c e a s e d and h i s f a t h e r i s i n p r i s o n f o r twenty (20) years f o r the manslaughter d e a t h of the mother. A c c o r d i n g l y , the C o u r t f i n d s t h a t [ t h e c h i l d ] i s dependent. "The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r ... and t h e g r a n d m o t h e r ... e a c h r e q u e s t c u s t o d y . paternal " A f t e r t r i a l , c u s t o d y [ o f the c h i l d ] i s awarded t o [ t h e p a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r ] . The C o u r t e n c o u r a g e s [the p a t e r n a l grandmother] to permit reasonable v i s i t a t i o n by [ t h e m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r ] . However, the Court l a c k s a u t h o r i t y t o Order grandparent v i s i t a t i o n , D.C.S. v. L.B., [84 So. 3d 954] ( A l a . [ C i v . App.] 2 0 1 1 ) , [and] B u r n e t t v. B u r n e t t , [88 So. 3d 887] ( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 1 1 ) . "This April On Order 14, 2012." April postjudgment 17, shall 2012, motion. become e f f e c t i v e the maternal On A p r i l 2 25, a t noon grandmother 2012, on filed the j u v e n i l e a court 2110785 r e n d e r e d an o r d e r d e n y i n g t h a t m o t i o n , a n d , on May 10, 2012, the m a t e r n a l grandmother appealed t o t h i s court. This court remanded t h e c a u s e t o t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t f o r 14 d a y s f o r t h a t court t o e n t e r , i n accordance w i t h R u l e 5 8 ( c ) o f t h e Alabama R u l e s o f C i v i l P r o c e d u r e , s e e R u l e 1 ( A ) , A l a . R. J u v . P., o r d e r t h a t was r e n d e r e d on A p r i l 25, 2012. the The c i r c u i t c o u r t e n t e r e d t h e o r d e r d e n y i n g t h e p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n on September 11, 2012. Facts At the beginning of the t r i a l , that the c h i l d ' s collision mother had been and t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s the attorneys represented killed father, i n an who h a d b e e n t h e a u t o m o b i l e , was s e r v i n g a p r i s o n s e n t e n c e the mother's The lived maternal grandmother testified with her continuously since year ordered preceding that as a r e s u l t o f live the c h i l d a vehicle. had he was r e l e a s e d f r o m t h e e x c e p t f o r one o r two months i n the t r i a l the c h i l d that when with the juvenile the paternal c o u r t had grandmother b e c a u s e t h e m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r d i d n o t have s t a b l e or driving death. hospital following h i sb i r t h , the automobile housing The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t , 3 when 2110785 the child first began l i v i n g w i t h home i n H e a d l a n d , b u t she had been Henry that County, she and t h e c h i l d which was where c h i l d ' s mother d i e d . to Kinsey, where that home i n f r o n t o f h e r home. b e c a u s e someone h a d f i r e d a s h o t testified h e r , s h e was l i v i n g i n a evicted She subsequently they were lived f o r almost h a d moved t o living She t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e y they from when t h e t h e n h a d moved two y e a r s . She t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e y h a d t h e n moved t o Webb b e c a u s e o f c o n c e r n s she h a d h a d w i t h r e g a r d t o m i l d e w i n t h e home i n w h i c h s h e a n d the c h i l d had been l i v i n g . in Webb f o r almost She t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e y h a d l i v e d two y e a r s and had then moved back t o H e a d l a n d , so she c o u l d e n r o l l t h e c h i l d i n s c h o o l t h e r e . t e s t i f i e d t h a t , on t h a t o c c a s i o n , in Headland "T," f o r two y e a r s , had caused Department a she and t h e c h i l d had l i v e d during which disturbance. o f Human Resources "T" s h o u l d She She time her daughter, testified and t h e j u v e n i l e not l i v e that the court had stated that i n t h e same home w i t h t h e child. She t e s t i f i e d t h a t s h e a n d t h e c h i l d were e v i c t e d f r o m t h e home i n H e a d l a n d , t h a t t h e y moved i n w i t h h e r b r o t h e r , a n d that they obtained subsequently their moved i n w i t h h e r s i s t e r own p l a c e i n Headland. 4 before She t e s t i f i e d they that, 2110785 d u r i n g t h a t t i m e , "T" v i s i t e d h e r and t h e c h i l d , not reside with them. I t was d u r i n g t h a t m a t e r n a l grandmother had r e s i d e d with b u t she d i d period, when t h e her s i s t e r , that the p a t e r n a l grandmother had been awarded c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d f o r one o r two months. The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t she a n d t h e c h i l d had been e v i c t e d from t h e i r home i n H e a d l a n d , t h a t moved t o D o t h a n i n J a n u a r y 2012, a n d t h a t were r e s i d i n g trial. they had she and t h e c h i l d i n an a p a r t m e n t i n Dothan a t t h e t i m e She t e s t i f i e d that the c h i l d had been change s c h o o l s as a r e s u l t o f t h a t move. of the required She t e s t i f i e d to that she p l a n n e d on s t a y i n g where she was l i v i n g a t t h e t i m e o f t h e trial. The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t she h a d n o t h a d a v e h i c l e i n S e p t e m b e r 2011 b u t t h a t she d i d have one a t t h e time of the trial. She testified that her nephew had t r a n s p o r t e d t h e c h i l d when she d i d n o t have t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and that she was aware that with a police officer. h e r nephew h a d h a d a confrontation She t e s t i f i e d t h a t h e r e l e c t r i c i t y h a d b e e n d i s c o n n e c t e d once i n May 2011 b u t t h a t she h a d p a i d h e r 5 2110785 bill and i t had been t u r n e d b a c k on. electricity had n o t been o f f l o n g e r She t e s t i f i e d that her t h a n one d a y . The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t she h a d b e e n e m p l o y e d b y t h e same e m p l o y e r s i n c e June o r J u l y 2011 a n d t h a t she e a r n s $7.95 p e r h o u r p l u s She t e s t i f i e d that she w o r k s Mondays, T u e s d a y s , a n d Wednesdays, f r o m 2:40 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. works t h e c h i l d goes with She t e s t i f i e d t h a t on t h e weekdays stays with her niece her s i s t e r apartment. t h a t , a f t e r work, wakes t h e c h i l d a little t o h e r house, maternal grandmother's testified overtime. and then i s close to the The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r she g o e s up, a n d t a k e s which while when she to her s i s t e r ' s h i m home. house, She t e s t i f i e d t h e c h i l d wakes up f o r s c h o o l a t 6:20 a.m. that She t e s t i f i e d that she i s o f f work on T h u r s d a y s a n d F r i d a y s a n d w o r k s f r o m 5:30 a.m. until p.m. on 1:00 p.m. Sundays. watches the c h i l d on S a t u r d a y s a n d 7:00 a.m. She testified that one until of her 12:30 sisters on t h e weekends w h i l e she i s a t work o r t h a t he w i l l go t o work w i t h h e r on S u n d a y s . The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r the trial, honor r o l l . the c h i l d was f i v e She t e s t i f i e d testified that, a t the time of y e a r s o l d a n d was on t h e "A-B" t h a t she h a d a l w a y s t a k e n c a r e o f 6 2110785 and provided child's f o rthe c h i l d . teacher, intelligent which stated: that Please the c h i l d a note from t h e "[The c h i l d ] y o u n g man. He i s r e a d i n g what y o u a r e d o i n g . testified She i n t r o d u c e d continue i s such an f r i e n d l y ( s i c ) . Continue what y o u a r e d o i n g . " h a d been a b s e n t from school She eight t i m e s f r o m O c t o b e r t h r o u g h J a n u a r y b e c a u s e he h a d h a d a v i r u s and a cold. had made up an a l l e g a t i o n w i t h seeing, She t e s t i f i e d t h a t which had resulted regard i n an D e p a r t m e n t o f Human R e s o u r c e s interviewed t h e c h i l d ' s aunt " a n d them" t o a man t h a t " T " was investigation by t h e a n d t h e c h i l d ' s h a v i n g t o be a t the C h i l d Advocacy Center. The m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t s h e h a d n e v e r h a d a problem with with the paternal grandmother's having visitation the c h i l d . Beverley Miller, a s o c i a l - s e r v i c e caseworker with the H e n r y C o u n t y D e p a r t m e n t o f Human R e s o u r c e s ("DHR"), t e s t i f i e d that DHR was grandmother issues concerned with and t h e c h i l d and " v e r b a l "T" l i v i n g with b e c a u s e " T " h a s some temperament issues." She t e s t i f i e d r e c e n t home-study r e p o r t s t a t e d t h a t "T" s h o u l d the m a t e r n a l grandmother. the maternal that not l i v e She t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e r e 7 t h e most with h a d been 2110785 a sexual-abuse a l l e g a t i o n regarding but that Miller she d i d not testified know t h e that her the c h i l d r e p o r t e d details most o f what had recent to DHR happened. contact with the m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r had been when she d i d a h o m e - s t u d y u p d a t e in September 2011. She testified that t h a t the m a t e r n a l grandmother f i n d there had been no safety or she had s u i t a b l e h o u s i n g but supervision Miller i s s u e , but might not not thought g r a n d m o t h e r ' s h o u s i n g was up to her The teacher by a third paternal the lived with worked w i t h of t h a t she same h o u s e f o r 22 him maternal n o t been b r o u g h t grandmother t e s t i f i e d t h a t her the she party. and that and had has years. she the child She had She had been testified that months when he been b e h i n d the t e s t i f i e d that she h i r e d some t u t o r s f o r him. 8 a l i v e d i n Albany, i n A l b a n y f o r two other students i n h i s c l a s s i n Albany. had t e s t i f i e d that an i s s u e i f i t had t h e c h i l d had gone t o s c h o o l had She stability f o r a l m o s t 31 y e a r s and G e o r g i a , i n the maternal s t a b l e h o u s i n g had become an n e c e s s a r i l y w i t h DHR. have she subsequently t e s t i f i e d t h a t the grandmother's a b i l i t y to maintain that concerns n o t e d ; a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r had moved t o a n o t h e r c o u n t y . recommended She 2110785 a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e c h i l d had been on a f o o t b a l l team had e n j o y e d i t and t h a t , i f she were a w a r d e d c u s t o d y , he p l a y b a s k e t b a l l a t t h e YMCA. could t e s t i f i e d t h a t the c h i l d had s t a y e d i n e x t e n d e d day c a r e f o r an h o u r a f t e r s c h o o l u n t i l she c o u l d p i c k him up mornings. t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e c h i l d w o u l d be a b l e t o go her She insurance The and She and plan t h a t she had i f she paternal t a k e n him testified r e c e i v i n g v i s i t a t i o n w i t h t h e c h i l d and to the hospital, infection. c h i l d has cavities. The had The he had where he She that she t h a t on one been c o u g h i n g , so she was diagnosed with also testified that the occasion, took had p a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t she is i s at her the and extremely lost weight 8 regular. i s concerned house t o a n o t h e r . a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t i t b o t h e r s h e r t h a t t h e r e i s no She him a respiratory child 10 h u s k y t o an a b o u t t h e c h i l d ' s b e i n g moved f r o m one when he been a l o t of m e t a l caps t h a t , i n a 2-month p e r i o d , he gone f r o m w e a r i n g a s i z e f o r the c h i l d . had p a t e r n a l grandmother a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t o n g o i n g d e n t a l p r o b l e m s and overweight but and up, on were a w a r d e d c u s t o d y . grandmother when she p i c k e d him to s c h o o l i n the She stability t e s t i f i e d t h a t the c h i l d f o l l o w s a r o u t i n e house. 9 2110785 The paternal grandmother testified that she had had problems w i t h the m a t e r n a l grandmother's f a m i l y making t h r e a t s and t h a t "T" h a d k n o c k e d h e r d o w n . She also t e s t i f i e d that t h e m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r h a d t o l d t h e c h i l d t h a t she was a b a d person. She t e s t i f i e d that i t bothers her that maternal r e l a t i v e s are around the c h i l d . the c h i l d ' s She t e s t i f i e d t h e m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r h a d n o t made any t h r e a t s a g a i n s t and t h a t she g e t s a l o n g w i t h h e r . that her She t e s t i f i e d t h a t , i f she were a w a r d e d c u s t o d y , she w o u l d e n c o u r a g e t h e c h i l d t o have a relationship with the maternal grandmother. The paternal g r a n d m o t h e r a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t she wants t h e c h i l d ' s f a t h e r t o come l i v e w i t h h e r when he g e t s o u t o f p r i s o n . Discussion On a p p e a l , t h e m a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r f i r s t a r g u e s t h a t t h e circuit paternal court erred i n awarding custody of the c h i l d to the grandmother i n s t e a d of t o h e r . " I t i s w e l l s e t t l e d t h a t , a f t e r a c h i l d has b e e n a d j u d i c a t e d t o be d e p e n d e n t , a j u v e n i l e c o u r t may make any c u s t o d i a l d i s p o s i t i o n t h a t s e r v e s t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f t h e c h i l d . See § 1 2 - 1 5 - 3 1 4 ( a ) , A l a . Code 1975; and W.T.H. v. M.M.M., 915 So. 2d 64, 70 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2005) ( e x p l a i n i n g t h a t , u n d e r f o r m e r § 12-15-71, A l a . Code 1975, t h e p r e d e c e s s o r s t a t u t e to § 12-15-314(a), the 'best i n t e r e s t s ' s t a n d a r d applies during the d i s p o s i t i o n a l phase of a dependency p r o c e e d i n g ) . 10 2110785 " ' I n Ex p a r t e A l a b a m a D e p a r t m e n t o f Human R e s o u r c e s , 682 So. 2d 459 ( A l a . 1 9 9 6 ) , t h e A l a b a m a Supreme C o u r t s t a t e d t h e a p p l i c a b l e principles of a p p e l l a t e review i n the context of a challenge to a juvenile court's custodial disposition of a dependent c h i l d : "'"Appellate review i s l i m i t e d i n cases where the evidence i s presented to the t r i a l court ore tenus. In a c h i l d custody case, an a p p e l l a t e c o u r t p r e s u m e s t h e trial court's f i n d i n g s t o be correct and w i l l not reverse w i t h o u t p r o o f o f a c l e a r abuse o f d i s c r e t i o n or p l a i n e r r o r . Reuter v. N e e s e , 586 So. 2d 232 ( A l a . Civ. App. 1 9 9 1 ) ; J . S . v. D.S., 586 So. 2d 944 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1991). This presumption is e s p e c i a l l y a p p l i c a b l e where t h e evidence i s conflicting. Ex P a r t e P.G.B., 600 So. 2d 259, 261 (Ala. 1992) . An a p p e l l a t e c o u r t will not reverse the trial court's j u d g m e n t b a s e d on t h e t r i a l court's findings of fact u n l e s s t h e f i n d i n g s a r e so p o o r l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e as t o be p l a i n l y a n d p a l p a b l y wrong. See Ex p a r t e W a l t e r s , 580 So. 2d 1352 ( A l a . 1 9 9 1 ) . " "'682 "J.J. So. 2d a t 460.' v. J.H.W., 27 So. 3d 519, 522 ( A l a . C i v . App. onnQ\ 2008). " K.F. v. C l e b u r n e C n t y . 988-89 Dep't o f Human R e s . , 78 So. 3d 983, ( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 1 1 ) . 11 2110785 In t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , we c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e c i r c u i t court c o u l d have p r o p e r l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s b e s t i n t e r e s t s would be served by awarding custody of the c h i l d to the p a t e r n a l g r a n d m o t h e r i n l i g h t o f t h e s t a b i l i t y she c o u l d the c h i l d and t h e h i s t o r y o f l a c k o f s t a b i l i t y p r e s e n t maternal grandmother's household. evinced by the maternal separate occasions, occasion, her not having i n the T h i s l a c k o f s t a b i l i t y was grandmother's being her having offer e v i c t e d on two her e l e c t r i c i t y a vehicle c u t o f f on one a t one p o i n t , and h e r a l l o w i n g "T" t o l i v e i n h e r home a n d c a u s e a d i s t u r b a n c e . circuit court could also have d e t e r m i n e d that The the paternal g r a n d m o t h e r h a s more t i m e t o d e v o t e t o c a r i n g f o r t h e c h i l d . B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , we c a n n o t r e v e r s e award o f c u s t o d y t o t h e p a t e r n a l The court maternal erred as grandmother a matter the c i r c u i t court's grandmother. also argues that of law i n holding the c i r c u i t that i t was p r o h i b i t e d from a w a r d i n g h e r v i s i t a t i o n because o f t h e Alabama Supreme Court's Visitation holding Act, unconstitutional. 634, 650 (Ala. § that 30-3-4.1, We a g r e e . 2011), the Alabama Ala. I n Ex p a r t e o u r supreme 12 court Code Grandparent 1975, was E.R.G., 73 So. 3d held t h e Alabama 2110785 Grandparent however, Visitation state visitation that pursuant dependency. Act unconstitutional. a grandparent to other laws, See, e.g., Ex p a r t e may such not be as t h o s e E.R.G., (Parker, J . , concurring s p e c i a l l y ) I t d i d not, awarded regarding 73 So. 3d a t 657 ( P o i n t i n g out t h a t a t r i a l c o u r t may a w a r d c u s t o d y o f a c h i l d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e b e s t interests of the c h i l d dependent, and s t a t i n g : when that child i s found "Where b o t h p a r e n t s t o be are u n f i t , their p a r e n t a l r i g h t s no l o n g e r p r o v i d e t h e c o u r t any g u i d a n c e , the best-interests-of-the-child standard the c l a i m s o f competing p a r t i e s . " ) ; § 12-15-314(a)(4) juvenile c o u r t may ("If a c h i l d ... interests balance s e e a l s o A l a . Code 1975, i s f o u n d t o be d e p e n d e n t , t h e [m]ake any ... o r d e r court i n i t s d i s c r e t i o n s h a l l best applies to and as t h e j u v e n i l e deem t o be f o r t h e w e l f a r e a n d of the c h i l d . " ) . In the present case, the c h i l d was d e t e r m i n e d t o be d e p e n d e n t . Thus, t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t had i t deemed i n t h e b e s t t h e a u t h o r i t y t o make interest of the c h i l d , maternal grandmother. any o r d e r i n c l u d i n g awarding v i s i t a t i o n Therefore, to the we r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t i n s o f a r as i t h e l d t h a t i t c o u l d n o t a w a r d the maternal grandmother v i s i t a t i o n 13 with the c h i l d , a n d we 2110785 remand t h i s best cause f o r t h e c i r c u i t interests of the c h i l d court t o determine i f the w o u l d be s e r v e d b y a w a r d i n g t h e m a t e r n a l grandmother v i s i t a t i o n w i t h t h e c h i l d . Conclusion Based on t h e f o r e g o i n g , we a f f i r m the c i r c u i t award o f c u s t o d y t o t h e p a t e r n a l grandmother. reverse the c i r c u i t concludes that grandmother judgment i t was p r o h i b i t e d visitation circuit court maternal grandmother child court's to a n d we determine would to We, court's however, the extent i t from awarding t h e m a t e r n a l remand whether serve this cause visitation the best f o rthe with interest a n d , i f i t w o u l d , t o award v i s i t a t i o n the of the to the maternal grandmother. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS. Thompson, P . J . , and P i t t m a n , concur. 14 Bryan, a n d Thomas, JJ.,

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