Barnae v. Barnae

1997 NMCA 077, 943 P.2d 1036, 123 N.M. 583
New Mexico Court of Appeals·Decided May 5, 1997·No. 17704·Published·Cited by 22 cases

Opinion

OPINION

PICKARD, Judge.

1. This matter comes before us on an interlocutory appeal to address whether the district court properly found that: (1) it had jurisdiction under the New Mexico Child Custody Jurisdiction Act, NMSA 1978, §§ 40-10-1 to -24 (Repl.Pamp.1994) (NMCCJA), and (2) it should exercise that jurisdiction despite an allegation of inconvenient forum. The parties lived together in California for ten years in a lesbian relationship, during which they both contributed to the upbringing of two children. Appellant is the children’s biological mother (Biological' Mother). After the relationship ended, Biological Mother came to New Mexico. Petitioner followed soon after, and filed an action, petitioning for custody. The district court held that it had jurisdiction under Sections 40-10-4(A)(2) and (4). We hold that the district court could properly find that it had jurisdiction under Section 40-10-4(A)(2) because of Biological Mother’s and the children’s significant contacts with New Mexico and because there was substantial evidence here regarding the care of the children. We also hold that the district court was not required to find that New Mexico was an inconvenient forum. We therefore affirm.

BACKGROUND

2. Shortly after the birth of her first child in 1986, Biological Mother began a lesbian relationship with Petitioner. Biological Mother, Petitioner, and the child began living together in the same house. In 1991, Biological Mother conceived a second child through artificial insemination. Petitioner never legally adopted, or sought to adopt, the children. Nevertheless, all four lived together in the same house, excluding brief separations, until August of 1995, when Petitioner permanently left Biological Mother’s household. During the time the parties lived together, Petitioner was the children’s primary caretaker.

8.In 1992, the parties took part in a “commitment ceremony” in California. They dispute, however, whether they used the occasion to enter into a binding contract concerning their rights and duties regarding the children.

4. After Petitioner moved out, the children continued to live with Biological Mother. Mediation failed to help the parties reach an agreement concerning visitation of the children, and the parties’ relationship deteriorated further. Biological Mother alleges that Petitioner began to appear at Biological Mother’s home unannounced and uninvited, and that Petitioner engaged in “stalking-like behavior” in following the children to and from school.

5. Then, in January 1996, Biological Mother and the children came to New Mexico, apparently to obtain a reprieve from Petitioner. The parties dispute whether Biological Mother intended to return to California. She moved furnishings from her California household, such as a refrigerator, washer, dryer, and her bed. She had a garage sale and sold items she was not taking to New Mexico. Biological Mother informed a mutual friend that it was her intention to continue to live in New Mexico for a lengthy period of time. Once in New Mexico, Biological Mother stayed with a friend in Rio Rancho from late January 1996 to late February 1996. She rented an apartment in Rio Rancho on a month-to-month basis and enrolled her older child in school. According to Petitioner, Biological Mother told Petitioner that New Mexico was better for the children because they could play outside, they had neighbors, and the older child liked his school. Biological Mother kept her California driver’s license and vehicle registration, as well as her California medical insurance and bank accounts.

6. On March 12, 1996, Petitioner served Biological Mother with a petition for custody and timesharing and with an ex parte restraining order (TRO). The TRO prevented Biological Mother from removing the children- or causing them to be removed from Sandoval County. Biological Mother had been physically present in New Mexico for approximately a month and a half when she was served with the petition and TRO.

7. Biological Mother returned to California in early June 1996, where she stayed, in violation of the district court’s order that allowed her to go to California for only three weeks. Biological Mother then initiated an action in a California court seeking a determination of parental relationship and child custody there.

8. After several hearings, which included a telephone discussion between the district court and the California court to determine whether New Mexico or California had jurisdiction, the district court ultimately found that New Mexico had subject matter jurisdiction. The district court considered the issue of jurisdiction on more than one occasion. In both his order of June 14, 1996, and, upon reconsideration, his order of August 16,1996, the district judge found that New Mexico had jurisdiction and was not an inconvenient forum. The district court based its finding of jurisdiction on Biological Mother’s having established residence in New Mexico and moving from California; on her enrolling her older child in school here; and on the fact that she did not leave New Mexico until Petitioner filed the petition for custody and timesharing, such that Biological Mother would still be here if not for the petition.

9. Though the district court’s order did not explicitly say how the particular facts satisfied the particular sections of the NMCCJA, it appears that the court found these facts to satisfy Section 40-10-4(A)(2)(a) and (b) (significant connection and available evidence). It also found jurisdiction under Section 40-10-4(A)(4)(a) and (b) (no other state has jurisdiction and child’s best interest) and that New Mexico was a convenient forum under Section 40-10-8(A). The court reasoned that it was not in the children’s best interest to relinquish jurisdiction, based on California not having subject matter jurisdiction to hear Petitioner’s claims, and because of the purposes of the NMCCJA.

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Barnae v. Barnae, 1997 NMCA 077, 943 P.2d 1036, 123 N.M. 583 (N.M. Ct. App. 1997).

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