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NO. 81-472 I N THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF M N A A OTN 1982 I N THE MATTER OF M.M. , Youth i n Need o f Care. Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court o f t h e Fourth J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , I n and f o r t h e County o f M i s s o u l a , The H o n o r a b l e J o h n S. Henson, J u d g e p r e s i d i n g . C o u n s e l o f Record: For Appellant: Ann C. German, U o f M S c h o o l o f Law, M i s s o u l a , Montana For Petitioner/Kespondent, State: R o b e r t L. Deschamps, 111, County A t t o r n e y , M i s s o u l a , Montana R u s s e l l E. C a t e r , Dept. o f S.R.S, H e l e n a , Montana T e r r y A. W a l l a c e , M i s s o u l a , )lantana ( F o r R . M . ) F o r G u a r d i a n Ad L i t e m : J o h n R i d d i o u g h , M i s s o u l a , Montana / L Submitted on B r i e f s : Decided: Filed: A p r i l 8 , 1982 S e p t e m b e r 9 , 1982 Mr. Chief Juscice Prank I. Haswell delivered the Opinion of the Court. Following a series of hearings in a child abuse and neglect proceeding, the District Court of Missoula County determined that M.M. was a youth in need of care and awarded her father permanent custody with specified visitation rights granted her mother. M.M. The mother appeals. We affirm. is the only child of the marriage. She was sixteen-months-old at the time of the District Court's order from which this appeal is taken. M.M. Following the birth of a stressful marital situation for the mother developed caused primarily by the couple's deteriorating financial situation and inability to communicate effectively their with one another. As a result, the mother began to take out her irritation on M.M. by yelling and screaming at her, shaking her crib and walker, and slapping her. The father did not say or do anything to ease the situation. On August 29, 1988, the mother went to the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services in Missoula to seek help in caring for the infant. M.M. was placed in foster care with the consent of her mother and father. The mother was placed in a counseling program at the Western Montana Regional Community Health Center. Missoula County attorney filed On September 8, 1980, the a petition investigative authority and protective for temporary services. The District Court granted the petition and appointed a guardian ad litem for P4.M. Shortly thereafter the parents separated and eventually divorce proceedings were filed. The mother continued the counseling program for approximately six months and periodic reports were made to the court by a social worker and two clinical psychologists. In the meantime, both the mother and father filed motions to dismiss the state's temporary investigative because a custody hearing was pending divorce proceedings. authority in the collateral On March 6, 1981, the parents, the guardian ad litem, the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services and the attorneys for all parties stipulated in writing that the motions of the parents for temporary custody of M.M. and dismissal of the petitions for temporary investigative authority were withdrawn, that M.M. was a youth in need of care, that M.M. would remain in foster care pending the dispositional hearing, and that a dispositional hearing would be held on March 31, 1981. On March 31 the hearing commenced and four witnesses testified: Linda Walrath, a social worker for SRS; Dr. Dean Biesemeyer, a clinical psychologist; Dr. H. A. Walters, a clinical psychologist; and Diane Haddon, a psychiatric social worker. Diane Haddon testified in substance that during some eighteen sessions of counseling the mother had gained significantly in her ability to respond to M.M. Is needs, had become more confident and relaxed with M.M. and in her mothering abilities, and had increased her ability to handle stress to the point where the witness no longer saw a risk of abusive behavior by the mother toward M.M. Dr. Biesemeyer stated that in his opinion the mother had made progress in handling her personal problems but had not resolved them. He testified that the mother's problems were emotional upset and turmoil that gets out of control under stress to the point where she can no longer be respon- sible to the child. Dr. Biesemeyer testified in substance that if W.M. were placed in the mother's custody, the mother would require a strong supportive home environment with her parents or stepparents, attendance at parenting monitoring by SRS, and continuing psychotherapy. classes, He stated that among other things, the mother's problems are related to a family history of abuse. Ur . Biesemeyer testified that the father 's problems involved an apparent inability to meet the emotional and aesthetic needs of M.M., a passive attitude in his relation- ship to the mother, and perhaps a low IQ. Dr. Walters' mother paralleled testimony and opinions concerning the those of Dr. Biesemeyer. He did not conduct an examination or evaluation of the father. Linda Walrath testified that the mother demonstrated appropriate behavior toward M.M. during her home visits and that both parents cared for M.M. and used appropriate disci- pline toward M.M. custody of M.M. tion rights. She recommended that the mother receive and that the father receive liberal visita- The basis of this recommendation was that the mother recognized her problem, sought help at the risk of losing the child, participated in the counseling sessions and tried to implement the recommendations in order to become a better mother, while the father failed to recognize that a problem existed and remained passive. The hearing was continued on April 15. At that time the court heard testimony from the mother, her mother, and social workers Miriam Morgan and Diane Haddon. The hearing was again continued to July 13. In the meantime the visitation schedule of each of the p a r e n t s w i t h M.M. was m o d i f i e d , i n f a v o r of M.M. s t a y i n g a l t e r n a t e l y with each p a r e n t f o r four-day under periods SRS f o s t e r c a r e was e l i m i n a t e d supervision, and the social w o r k e r a s s i g n e d t o t h e c a s e was c h a n g e d f r o m L i n d a W a l r a t h t o C a r o l LaCasse. the At testified: hearing on July t h e m o t h e r and h e r 13, the following stepfather, persons t h e f a t h e r and h i s m o t h e r , s o c i a l w o r k e r s L i n d a W a l r a t h and C a r o l L a C a s s e , and C a s s a n d r a Kay S c h m i l l , a n e i g h b o r . C a r o l LaCasse c o n d u c t e d home v i s i t s w i t h on J u n e 26, J u l y 2 and J u l y 9. and M.M. She t e s t i f i e d t h a t on t h e f i r s t v i s i t t h i n g s went q u i t e w e l l . visit, t h e mother t o w a r d M.M., exhibited a l o t of t h e mother On t h e s e c o n d physical discipline s l a p p i n g h e r h a n d s s i x t o e i g h t times, s p a n k i n g h e r , t h r e a t e n i n g h e r w i t h t h e back o f h e r h a n d , r o l l i n g up a newspaper and hitting s t r u g g l e w i t h M.M., T h i s c a u s e d M.M. her hands, getting into a power and e x e r c i s i n g i n c o n s i s t e n t d i s c i p l i n e . t o f l i n c h before the discipline. LaCasse t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e m o t h e r was t h e o n l y p a r e n t with any p o t e n t i a l for abusing M.M. e x h i b i t e d p r o p e r b e h a v i o r toward M.M., tion, guidance and appropriate and that the fatner offering her stimula- discipline. She did b e l i e v e t h e f a t h e r had any p o t e n t i a l f o r a b u s i n g M.M. not She recommended t h a t c u s t o d y be awarded t h e f a t h e r s i n c e h e was the better parent. Linda Walrath, t h e s o c i a l worker who had recommended t h a t c u s t o d y be g i v e n t o t h e m o t h e r a t t h e March 3 1 h e a r i n g , t e s t i f i e d t h a t s h e would c h a n g e h e r p r i o r recommendation i f t h e mother l o s t her a t e l y t o w a r d M.M. s u p p o r t s y s t e m o r behaved inappropri- The f a t h e r ' s n e i g h b o r f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , C a s s a n d r a Kay S c h m i l l , t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e f a t h e r had d o n e b a b y s i t t i n g f o r h e r f o r s i x y e a r s s i n c e her c h i l d r e n were i n f a n t s . observed him being affectionate and providing She had guidance, d i s c i p l i n e and s t i m u l a t i o n t o them. On J u l y 20 t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t e n t e r e d e x t e n s i v e f i n d i n g s of f a c t , c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w and a n o r d e r . p e r m a n e n t c u s t o d y of M.M. It granted t o the f a t h e r , ordered t h e f a t h e r t o e n r o l l i n a p a r e n t s k i l l s t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m and c o u n s e l i n g a s deemed n e c e s s a r y by SRS, p r o v i d e d t h a t SRS would r e t a i n i n v e s t i g a t i v e a u t h o r i t y o v e r M.M. with progress reports t o t h e c o u r t e v e r y s i x months, r e t a i n e d c o n t i n u i n g j u r i s d i c t i o n i n t h e c o u r t , p r o v i d e d t h a t any c u s t o d y o r d e r i n t h e d i v o r c e p r o c e e d i n g s would n o t be i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h i t s o r d e r i n t h i s proceeding, provided a d e t a i l e d v i s i t a t i o n schedule f o r t h e mother, and p r o v i d e d parties. f o r m o d i f i c a t i o n by a g r e e m e n t of the The m o t h e r a p p e a l s . The m o t h e r a s s i g n s t h e f o l l o w i n g i s s u e f o r r e v i e w on appeal: Did denying her 1 0 1 , MCA? the District Court c u s t o d y o f M.M. its d i s c r e t i o n abuse i n v i o l a t i o n of in s e c t i o n 41-3- She c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e f i n d i n g s o f f a c t , c o n c l u - s i o n s o f l a w and o r d e r of t h e D i s t r i c t Court a r e n o t sup- p o r t e d by s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e a n d t h a t t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f M.M. r e q u i r e c u s t o d y be awarded t o h e r . The g u a r d i a n a d l i t e m , t h e f a t h e r a n d SRS h a v e f i l e d b r i e f s supporting t h e f i n d i n g s of fact, c o n c l u s i o n s of law and o r d e r o f t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t . The statute relied upon by the mother provides pertinent part: " ( 2 ) I t is t h e p o l i c y o f t h i s s t a t e t o p r o v i d e f o r t h e p r o t e c t i o n of c h i l d r e n in whose h e a l t h a n d w e l f a r e a r e o r may b e a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t e d and f u r t h e r t h r e a t e n e d by t h e c o n d u c t o f t h o s e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e i r c a r e and p r o t e c t i o n . I t is i n t e n d e d t h a t t h e mandatory r e p o r t i n g of such c a s e s by p r o f e s s i o n a l p e o p l e and o t h e r community members t o t h e a p p r o p r i a t e a u t h o r i t y w i l l c a u s e t h e p r o t e c t i v e serv i c e s of t h e s t a t e t o s e e k t o p r e v e n t f u r t h e r a b u s e s , p r o t e c t and enhance t h e w e l f a r e of t h e s e c h i l d r e n , and p r e s e r v e f a m i l y l i f e wherever a p p r o p r i a t e . " Sect i o n 4 1 - 3 - 1 0 1 ( 2 ) , MCA. The m o t h e r (1) t h a t argues the s t a t e failed t o make ( 2 ) t h a t t h e r e was s i m p l y n o t s u f f i - o u t a prima f a c i e c a s e , c i e n t c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t t h e c u s t o d y award t o t h e c h i l d ' s f a t h e r , and ( 3 ) t h a t t h e w e i g h t of t h e e v i d e n c e supp o r t s a c u s t o d y award t o h e r . W hold t h e District Court d i d not abuse its d i s c r e e t i o n and i t s f i n d i n g s , by c o n c l u s i o n s and o r d e r a r e s u p p o r t e d s u b s t a n t i a l evidence. is w h e t h e r discretion the employment of The the test court conscientious for acted abuse of judicial a r b i t r a r i l y without judgment or exceeded the b o u n d s of reason. Marriage of B e r t h i a m e ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 3 Mont. 421, 567 P.2d 1388, 1390. The D i s t r i c t C o u r t ' s o r d e r 425, awarding c u s t o d y of c h i l d r e n is c l o t h e d w i t h t h e presumption of c o r r e c t n e s s . I n r e G o r e ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 4 Mont. P.2d 1 1 1 0 , 1 1 1 2 , c i t i n g F o s s v. 550 P.2d 1309. f i n d i n g s of or It is only 321, 325, 570 L e i f e r ( 1 9 7 6 ) , 1 7 0 Mont. 97, where the District Court's f a c t a r e n o t s u p p o r t e d by s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e a mistake of law e x i s t s t h a t w e w i l l f i n d an abuse of d i s c r e t i o n and d i s t u r b t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n . G o r e , s u p r a ; I n t h e M a t t e r o f L.F.G. 598 P.2d (1979)I 2008. 1 1 2 5 , 1 1 2 8 , 36 S t . R e p . Mont. (1979), Mont here .I 1 5 4 7 , 1 5 5 0 ; M a t t e r o f C.M.S. - 609 P.2d 2 4 0 , 2 4 3 , 36 S t . R e p . , The a p p e l l a n t , I n re t h e mother, has 2004, t h e burden of p r o v i n g an abuse of discretion. I n Re Gore, 1 7 4 Mont. at 3 2 6 , 570 P.2d a t 1 1 1 3 . The u n c o n t r a d i c t e d e v i d e n c e shows t h a t t h e p a r e n t s r e l i n q u i s h e d c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d t o SRS a t t h e o u t s e t b e c a u s e the was v e n t i n g mother screaming a t h e r , her. She her frustrations on the child by s h a k i n g h e r c r i b and w a l k e r , and s l a p p i n g feared she would further abuse the child and needed h e l p t o r e l i e v e h e r stress and preven,t f u r t h e r m i s treatment. Both s h e and was a y o u t h i n n e e d o f t h a t M.M. f u r t h e r mistreatment By the father of stipulated care. t h e c h i l d by in writing On J u l y 2 , t h e mother 1980, occurred. t h a t time t h e c h i l d had d e v e l o p e d a f l i n c h i n g r e f l e x t o the mother's discipline. d e n c e t h a t M.M. Court found This c o n s t i t u t e s substantial evi- was a y o u t h i n n e e d o f c a r e as t h e D i s t r i c t . The c a s e s c i t e d by a p p e l l a n t f o r t h e p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e m o t h e r ' s p o t e n t i a l f o r abuse of t h e c h i l d should n o t be the basis for v. Estell depriving her (1975), Estell of 167 custody a r e Mont. 247, not 537 i n point. P.2d 1082, i n v o l v e d a s i t u a t i o n w h e r e c u s t o d y was o r i g i n a l l y a w a r d e d t o the paternal provide changed, grandmother adequate care for because the neither children. parent When c u s t o d y was a w a r d e d t h e m o t h e r . could conditions Here c o n d i t i o n s d i d n o t change s u f f i c i e n t l y t o award c u s t o d y t o t h e mother. f S i n c l a i r v. v. Sinclair ( O k l a . 1 9 6 4 ) , 392 P.2d ( 1 9 6 8 ) , 251 O r e . 458, 446 P.2d i'ngeq 758, a n d F r r g e m 185, simply hold t h a t r e c o v e r y f r o m a m e n t a l i l l n e s s may e n t i t l e a p a r e n t t o regain custody and are so factually dissimilar from the p r e s e n t c a s e as t o b e i n a p p o s i t e . Substantial evidence supports the District Court's 2-A f i n d i n g o f a c o n t i n u i n g p o t e n t i a l f o r a b u s e by t h e m o t h e r . The e v i d e n c e shows c o n t i n u i n g stress i n handling p a r e n t a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , l a c k of a s u p p o r t s y s t e m a f t e r h e r m o t h e r and s t e p f a t h e r moved o u t o f t h e s t a t e , a n d a f a m i l y h i s t o r y of abuse. A f t e r SRS e f f o r t s t o h e l p h e r w i t h h e r p r o b l e m s f o r some t e n m o n t h s , s h e s t i l l e x h i b i t e d a t e n d e n c y t o a b u s e The M.M. uncontradicted evidence shows no p o t e n t i a l for a b u s e i n t h e f a t h e r and no h i s t o r y o f a b u s e i n h i s f a m i l y . I n sum, a l l t h a t a p p e l l a n t h a s d o n e i s a r g u e and q u o t e some t e s t i m o n y t h a t would s u p p o r t a n a w a r d o f M . M . ' s t o her. custody T h i s is i n s u f f i c i e n t t o e s t a b l i s h an a b u s e of d i s - c r e t i o n by t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t i n i t s f i n d i n g s . W e f u r t h e r h o l d t h a t t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t made n o e r r o r of law. The m o t h e r argues t h a t the D i s t r i c t Court should h a v e d i s m i s s e d t h i s p r o c e e d i n g and d e t e r m i n e d c u s t o d y i n t h e c o l l a t e r a l divorce proceedings. a l l e g e d l y been abused o r Not s o . neglected "Where a c h i l d h a s by h i s natural parent, t h e s t a t e h a s a c l e a r u u t y t o p r o t e c t t h e c h i l d by means o f a j u d i c i a l h e a r i n g t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e c h i l d is i n f a c t abused or Mont. I n t h e Matter neglected." 282, 285, 570 P.2d 5 7 5 , 577. of Doney ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 4 Once t h a t d e t e r m i n a t i o n h a s b e e n made, as i t h a s i n t h i s case, t h e c o u r t p r o c e e d s t o a d i s p o s i t i o n a l h e a r i n g t o d e t e r m i n e c u s t o d y of S e c t i o n 41-3-406, The the child. MCA. remaining contentions of t h e mother involve the s u f f i c i e n c y o f t h e e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t t h e award of c u s t o d y to the father rather than her. The s t a n d a r d t o b e a p p l i e d i n determining custody is t h e b e s t I n re Gore, Fish (1977), 1 7 4 Mont. 1 7 4 Mont. a t 329, 201, i n t e r e s t of 570 P.2d 206, the child. a t 1114; M a t t e r of 569 P.2d 924, 927. The District Court i n its findings recognized a potential for f u t u r e c h i l d abuse i n t h e mother, found no such p o t e n t i a l i n t h e f a t h e r , and d e t e r m i n e d t h a t i t was i n t h e c h i l d ' s b e s t i n t e r e s t t o award c u s t o d y t o t h e f a t h e r . T h i s conforms t o t h e p o l i c y of t h e s t a t e " t o p r o v i d e f o r t h e p r o t e c t i o n of c h i l d r e n whose h e a l t h and w e l f a r e a r e o r may b e a d v e r s e l y affected and further threatened by the conduct of those S e c t i o n 41-3- r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e i r c a r e and p r o t e c t i o n . " 1 0 1 ( 2 ) , MCA. The Dr. testimony of Walters previously substantial constitutes C a r o l LaCasse, summarized evidence Dr. Biesemeyer, in this supporting the and opinion findings, c o n c l u s i o n s and o r d e r a w a r d i n g c u s t o d y t o t h e f a t h e r . Given t h e a l t e r n a t i v e o f a w a r d i n g t h e c u s t o d y t o t h e m o t h e r whose b e h a v i o r had a d v e r s e l y a f f e c t e d t h e c h i l d and who p o s e d a t h r e a t of continued abuse vis-a-vis father, the court awarded custody a more s t a b l e n o n a b u s i v e to the latter. In so doing, t h e District Court did not abuse its d i s c r e t i o n . W e have examined a l l t h e n u a n c e s and v a r i a t i o n s of t h e mother's contentions including the a u t h o r i t i e s c i t e d i n her b r i e f and f i n d them t o b e w i t h o u t m e r i t . Affirmed. W concur: e v n , Justices /S c s X L ~ L , ~ ~ I'

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