R.Z. v. S.W.

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REL: 09/20/2013 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal 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 R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , 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 SPECIAL TERM, 2013 2120327 R.Z. v. S.W. Appeal from Montgomery C i r c u i t (DR-11-708) Court MOORE, J u d g e . R.Z. ("the f a t h e r " ) Montgomery C i r c u i t C o u r t that i t declined appeals from ("the c i r c u i t to consolidate this a judgment court") case of the t o the extent with a pending 2120327 juvenile case, made juvenile case, and a d e t e r m i n a t i o n regarding the awarded custody o f C.W. pending t o S.W. ("the mother"). Procedural The parties together, T.W. T.W. never and C.W. i n 2002. number were On CS-02-237.02, married and have father was awarded c u s t o d y o f The July a 8, History 2011, t h e f a t h e r petition c h i l d - s u p p o r t o b l i g a t i o n f o r T.W. a hearing before a referee a custody case children filed, i n case the mother's modify The f a t h e r a l s o o b j e c t e d t o and heard before a c i r c u i t judge. to two requested that the case be The f a t h e r f u r t h e r a l l e g e d t h a t c o n c e r n i n g C.W. was pending i n the juvenile c o u r t , c a s e number J U - 1 1 - 5 4 1 . 0 1 , and r e q u e s t e d t h a t t h e c a s e s be h e a r d together. On October 27, 2011, t h e c i r c u i t court e n t e r e d an o r d e r d e n y i n g t h e f a t h e r ' s r e q u e s t t o c o n s o l i d a t e c a s e number CS-02-237.02 January 23, "clos[ing] 2012, o u t " case the with c a s e number J U - 1 1 - 5 4 1 . 0 1 . circuit number court CS-02-237.02 entered "due an to On order lack of j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e C h i l d S u p p o r t D i v i s i o n " and c o n s o l i d a t i n g t h a t a c t i o n w i t h a n o t h e r a c t i o n , w h i c h h a d been a s s i g n e d c a s e number DR-11-708. 2 2120327 On January DR-11-708 30, and 2012, the mother filed CS-02-237.02 a to paternity, custody, determinations as regard custody with On May regard to custody court of c u s t o d y o f C.W., support with for a modification was h e l d , entered of C.W., stating awarding the p a r t i e s awarding that and, on December 12, a judgment a d j u d i c a t i n g f a t h e r t o be t h e f a t h e r o f C.W., legal and for T.W. 30, 2012, a t r i a l 2012, t h e c i r c u i t numbers counterpetition and a c o u n t e r p e t i t i o n t o C.W. i n case the mother sole the father's p e t i t i o n the joint physical i n case number JU-11-541.01 was moot, d e n y i n g t h e m o t h e r ' s p e t i t i o n t o modify custody of T.W., visitation, and o r d e r i n g On 18, January appeal to t h i s awarding the parties the f a t h e r t o pay c h i l d 2013, the father filed specific support. his notice of court. Discussion On a p p e a l , by declining the f a t h e r argues t h a t the c i r c u i t court to consolidate this case JU-11-541.01, by making a d e t e r m i n a t i o n with regarding J U - 1 1 - 5 4 1 . 0 1 , and by a w a r d i n g c u s t o d y o f C.W. 3 case erred number c a s e number t o the mother. 2120327 I. With concerning this c a s e ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o c a s e number J U - 1 1 - 5 4 1 . 0 1 , we n o t e that the regard to the father's father initially filed arguments his petition s u p p o r t i n c a s e number CS-02-237.02. t o be a j u v e n i l e m a t t e r . t o modify child T h a t c a s e was c o n s i d e r e d See, e.g., R.P.M. v. P.D.A., 112 So. 3d 49, 51 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2012) ( q u o t i n g C.W.S. v . C.M.P., 99 So. 3d 864, 866 n. 1 designated with a ( A l a . C i v . App. 2012)) "CS" case j u v e n i l e - c o u r t a c t i o n , whether or i n a circuit court.'"). number is ("'[A] considered d i d not retain a i t i s f i l e d i n a juvenile court A t t h e time t h e f a t h e r f i l e d h i s p e t i t i o n , J u l y 8, 2011, t h e s t a t e o f t h e l a w was t h a t courts case jurisdiction over a child juvenile t o modify c u s t o d y o r s u p p o r t u n l e s s t h a t c h i l d h a d p r e v i o u s l y been f o u n d dependent. ((Ala. 1 See, e . g . , Ex p a r t e T.C., 63 So. 3d 627, 630 C i v . App. 2010) ("'[A] juvenile court's retained jurisdiction [ i s l i m i t e d ] t o c a s e s i n w h i c h "a c h i l d h a s b e e n adjudicated dependent, delin[q]uent, or in need of Effective May 14, 2012, j u v e n i l e courts retain jurisdiction i n "[p]roceedings to establish, modify, or e n f o r c e s u p p o r t , v i s i t a t i o n , o r c u s t o d y when a j u v e n i l e c o u r t p r e v i o u s l y has e s t a b l i s h e d parentage." A l a . Code 1975, § 12-15-115(7). 1 4 2120327 supervision."'" ( q u o t i n g W.B.G.M. v. P.S.T., 999 So. 2d 971, 975 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2008) quoting i n t u r n A l a . Code 1975, § 1 2 - 1 5 - 1 1 7 ( a ) ) . indication that the i n i t i a l was e n t e r e d the specially), T h e r e i s no c h i l d - c u s t o d y and s u p p o r t order i n t h e c o n t e x t of a dependency p r o c e e d i n g . juvenile father's (Pittman, J . , concurring court petition transferred d i d not to acquire modify, to the c i r c u i t and jurisdiction the court. case over was Therefore, Thus, the properly case number JU-11-000541.01, a j u v e n i l e m a t t e r , w h i c h t h e f a t h e r i n d i c a t e s in his brief was consolidated with filed as a d e p e n d e n c y case, c a s e number DR-11-708. We could not be agree w i t h the f a t h e r , though, t h a t the c i r c u i t c o u r t l a c k e d j u r i s d i c t i o n t o make any o r d e r w i t h r e g a r d t o c a s e number J U - 1 1 - 5 4 1 . 0 1 . Thus, we r e v e r s e t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t i t adjudicated JU-11-541.01. (Ala. the father's See, e.g., C i v . App. 2009) judge t o enlarge T.B. filed v. T.H., 30 in So. case number 3d 429, 433 ("Although c l o a k e d w i t h the a u t h o r i t y t o a c t as a c i r c u i t - c o u r t the petition judge, t h a t a u t h o r i t y d i d not enable the j u r i s d i c t i o n of the j u v e n i l e court and r u l e on m a t t e r s o u t s i d e t h a t c o u r t ' s 5 jurisdiction."). 2120327 II. The f a t h e r next argues t h a t the awarding s o l e p h y s i c a l custody circuit o f C.W. to the court erred i n mother. "When t h e t r i a l c o u r t makes an i n i t i a l c u s t o d y determination, neither party is entitled to a p r e s u m p t i o n i n h i s o r h e r f a v o r , and t h e 'best interest of the c h i l d ' standard w i l l generally a p p l y . Nye v. Nye, 785 So. 2d 1147 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2000) ; see a l s o Ex p a r t e B y a r s , 794 So. 2d 345 ( A l a . 2001) . I n m a k i n g an i n i t i a l a w a r d o f c u s t o d y b a s e d on 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 r e n , a t r i a l c o u r t may c o n s i d e r f a c t o r s s u c h as t h e ' " c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h o s e s e e k i n g c u s t o d y , i n c l u d i n g age, c h a r a c t e r , s t a b i l i t y , m e n t a l and p h y s i c a l h e a l t h ... [and] t h e i n t e r p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between each c h i l d and e a c h p a r e n t . " ' Graham v. Graham, 640 So. 2d 963, 964 (Ala. C i v . App. 1994) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e D e v i n e , 398 So. 2d 686, 696-97 ( A l a . 1 9 8 1 ) ) . ... O t h e r f a c t o r s t h e t r i a l c o u r t may c o n s i d e r i n m a k i n g a c u s t o d y determination include 'the sex and age of the [ c h i l d r e n ] , as w e l l as e a c h p a r e n t ' s a b i l i t y t o p r o v i d e f o r the [ c h i l d r e n ' s ] e d u c a t i o n a l , emotional, m a t e r i a l , m o r a l , and s o c i a l n e e d s . ' Tims v. T i m s , 519 So. 2d 558, 559 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1987) . The o v e r a l l focus of the t r i a l c o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n i s the b e s t i n t e r e s t s and w e l f a r e o f t h e c h i l d r e n . " S t e e d v. In Steed, o l d and years preceding mother evidence So. 2d 602, 604 ( A l a . C i v . App. the present case, the evidence e i g h t years the 877 and had i n d i c a t e d t h a t C.W. l i v e d w i t h the mother f o r the the t r i a l . the 2003). father Before in the t h a t , C.W. same i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e m o t h e r had 6 had lived home. a l l o w e d C.W. There was three with was to play 2120327 o u t s i d e i n t h e mobile-home p a r k w i t h a group o f c h i l d r e n w i t h no a d u l t s p r e s e n t , had t h a t a g r o u p o f c h i l d r e n C.W. was a p a r t o f b r o k e n some o f t h e n e i g h b o r s ' v e h i c l e windows, t h a t C.W. s l e p t i n t h e bed w i t h t h e mother, and t h a t t h e mother and h e r six c h i l d r e n l i v e d i n a m o b i l e home w i t h o n l y t h r e e bedrooms. The m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d , h o w e v e r , t h a t she h a d r e n t e d t h a t m o b i l e home in a rush after the father had k i c k e d h e r and h e r c h i l d r e n o u t o f t h e home t h e y h a d been l i v i n g i n a n d t h a t s h e planned to obtain a l a r g e r home when h e r l e a s e month f o l l o w i n g t h e t r i a l . T h e r e was a l s o e v i d e n c e t h a t C.W. had gotten one d a y . The m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d of C.W.'s p l a y i n g expired the indicating suspended from r i d i n g t h e s c h o o l bus f o r t h a t t h a t h a d been t h e r e s u l t a t t h e bus s t o p with a t o y gun t h a t t h e f a t h e r had purchased f o r him. The father t e s t i f i e d that C.W. and o t h e r c h i l d r e n have come t o h i s h o u s e a n d a s k e d f o r f o o d a n d t h a t he h a d e n r o l l e d C.W. and t h e mother's o t h e r c h i l d r e n i n t h e YMCA. The f a t h e r a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t C.W. w o u l d have h i s own room a t h i s h o u s e . He t e s t i f i e d t h a t h i s s h i f t c h a n g e s a t work a n d t h a t h i s s h i f t at the time of the t r i a l r e q u i r e d him t o leave 5:15 p.m. a n d g e t home a t 5 a.m. 7 f o r work a t He t e s t i f i e d t h a t T.W. stays 2120327 w i t h a r e l a t i v e on t h e n i g h t s he i s w o r k i n g . the other around hand, 3:15 leaves p.m. f o r work The The m o t h e r , on a t 5:35 a.m. mother's and gets home son, D.W., 18-year-old t e s t i f i e d t h a t he a n d t h e m o t h e r ' s o t h e r c h i l d r e n w a l k t o t h e bus stop together. He t e s t i f i e d that h i s b u s comes before C.W.'s b u s a r r i v e s a n d t h a t C.W. w a i t s w i t h t h e o t h e r c h i l d r e n for h i s bus. mother's home children. the D.W. and t h a t that t h e mother The m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d there takes i s food good care t h a t s h e a l l o w s C.W. f a t h e r when he a s k s t o do so b u t t h a t C.W. the n i g h t t h e r e . her testified i n the of the to v i s i t r a r e l y spends She t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e f a t h e r h a s p r e v e n t e d from v i s i t i n g with T.W. Several o f t h e members o f t h e mother's c h u r c h t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e mother and h e r c h i l d r e n a r e i n v o l v e d i n church, C.W. t h a t t h e m o t h e r i s a good p a r e n t , and t h a t i s well-behaved. Based on t h e f o r e g o i n g , concluded that, although issues, the c i r c u i t court C.W. h a d h a d some i s o l a t e d i t was i n h i s b e s t i n t e r e s t t o continue t h e m o t h e r , w i t h whom he h a d l i v e d h i s e n t i r e l i f e . could have discipline living with T h e r e was more t h a n s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e m o t h e r was a g o o d p a r e n t t o C.W. Considering 8 a l l the applicable factors, 2120327 we c a n n o t c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e c i r c u i t e x c e e d e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n awarding t h e m o t h e r c u s t o d y o f C.W., the j u v e n i l e a n d we t h e r e f o r e a f f i r m c o u r t ' s judgment t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t the mother c u s t o d y o f i t awarded C.W. AFFIRMED I N PART; REVERSED I N PART; AND REMANDED. Thompson, P . J . , a n d P i t t m a n , Thomas, a n d D o n a l d s o n , J J . , concur. 9

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