Doe v. Doe

372 P.3d 366, 160 Idaho 311, 2016 Ida. LEXIS 160
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedMay 27, 2016
DocketDocket No. 43651-2015
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 372 P.3d 366 (Doe v. Doe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doe v. Doe, 372 P.3d 366, 160 Idaho 311, 2016 Ida. LEXIS 160 (Idaho 2016).

Opinion

EISMANN, Justice.

This is an appeal out of Bonneville County from a judgment appointing two sets of part-time co-guardians for an unmarried minor in order to set forth a visitation schedule for one of the sets of co-guardians. Because the Idaho guardianship statutes do not permit the appointment of part-time co-guardians, we vacate the judgment and remand this case for entry of a new judgment that is consistent with this opinion.

I.

Factual Background.

Jane Doe I is the paternal grandmother of a minor child whose natural parents were unable to provide a stable home environment. Jane Doe I and John Doe I (“Does I”) have been married since 1993, and John Doe I is the paternal step-grandfather of the child. On January 9, 2014, they filed a petition seeking to be appointed as co-guardians and co-conservators for the minor child, and on the following day the court granted their petition.

Jane Doe II and John Doe II (“Does II”) are the maternal great-aunt and great-uncle of the minor child. On January 17, 2014, they filed a petition seeking to be appointed as co-guardians of the minor child.

The issues raised by the competing petitions were tried to the magistrate, and he found that it was in the best interests of the child to grant both petitions in part. He entered a judgment ordering that Does I would be the primary co-guardians and that Does II would be co-guardians having “weekend guardianship time” every other weekend, “Wednesday guardianship time” during alternating weeks, and guardianship time on alternating holidays. The judgment also provided that each set of co-guardians would have the full powers of a guardian and were required to act jointly.

Does I filed a motion asking this Court to grant permission for an expedited appeal directly to this Court. This Court granted the motion, and Does I timely filed their notice of appeal to this Court.

II.

Did the Magistrate Court Err in Granting Part-Time Co-Guardianships?

The issue regarding the magistrate court’s action in granting part-time co-guardianships is solely one of law. Did the court have the authority to do so? Therefore, it is unnecessary to set forth the facts regarding the child’s parents and the history of the child’s relationship and attachment to Does I and Does II. Suffice it to say that both sides love the child and want what is best for him.

The magistrate court’s judgment stated, “Each party [couple] shall have the full powers and duties of a guardian as stated in Idaho Code § 15-6-209 and are required to act jointly for the best interest of the minor child.” It set forth the specific periods during which each side would have “guardianship time” (physical custody) of the child, and it also provided:

The parties shall keep each other informed of all activities of the minor child, including but not limited to school, par-enVteacher conferences, extracurricular [313]*313activities, counselling and medical appointments, etc. in a timely fashion. As co-guardians all such persons have access to all medical, counselling and educational records of the minor child without the approval of any of the others. PROVIDED, all guardians shall be included in all such appointments for the minor child, to the extent they want or are able to be included, without the necessity of a release from any of the other parties.

The magistrate court’s judgment granting part-time co-guardianships to each couple is indistinguishable from a joint custody award in a divorce action pursuant to Idaho Code section 32-717B and the rights of parents in a divorce action under section 32-717A. In essence, the magistrate court treated the competing guardianship petitions as a custody proceeding between two parents and granted both sides a part-time co-guardianship so that Does I would have the primary physical custody of the child, Does II would have specified periods of physical custody, and both sides would have joint legal custody. By doing so, the magistrate court erred.

“The appointment of guardians for unmarried minor children in Idaho is governed by statute.” In re Doe, 148 Idaho 432, 438, 224 P.3d 499, 505 (2009). “[T]he power of the court is fixed and determined by the statute.” In re Guardianship of Copenhaver, 124 Idaho 888, 892, 865 P.2d 979, 983 (1993). The Idaho guardianship statutes do not authorize the appointment of part-time co-guardians.

Idaho Code section 15-5-209 states:

A guardian of a minor has the powers and responsibilities of a parent who has not been deprived of custody of his minor and unemancipated child, except that a guardian is not legally obligated to-provide from his own funds for the ward and is not liable to third persons by reason of the parental relationship for acts of the ward.

The statute states that a guardian of a minor has “the powers and responsibilities of a parent who has not been deprived of custody of his minor,” not the powers and responsibilities of a divorced parent who must share custody of the minor. Two persons each seeking to be appointed as the guardian of a minor child are not in the same position as two parents seeking custody of their child, because those seeking to be appointed as the child’s guardian do not have the rights and responsibilities of a parent. In re Doe, 148 Idaho at 439, 224 P.3d at 506. “Parents who have legal custody of any minor child or children have the fundamental right to make decisions concerning their care, custody and control.” I.C. § 32-1011. Therefore, a guardian has that right upon being appointed. A guardian in his or her discretion has the authority to have the custody of the ward and to determine with whom and under what conditions the ward can visit with others, A guardian of a minor does not simply have the right to part-time custody of the child any more than a sole parent only has the right to part-time custody of his or her minor child.

“A guardianship proceeding is not meant to adjudicate custody of minors....” Copenhaver, 124 Idaho at 891, 865 P.2d at 982. With respect to a court’s authority to issue orders regarding custody and visitation, there is a significant difference between the court’s authority in ah action involving child custody and the court’s authority in a guardianship proceeding. “Courts of equity possess a continuing jurisdiction over the custody of children and an inherent power to amend, modify, or annul orders of custody, which, in their nature, are but temporary, as the welfare of such children under changing conditions may demand.” Stewart v. Stewart, 32 Idaho 180, 185, 180 P. 165, 166 (1919). Conversely, “[t]he usual powers exercised by courts of equity are not given to the court in making an appointment of a guardian under the laws of this state.” Copenhaver, 124 Idaho at 892, 865 P.2d at 983. In a divorce action, the court may “give such direction for the custody, care and education of the children of the marriage as may seem necessary or proper in the best interests of the children.” I.C. § 32-717(1). There is no similar provision in the guardianship statutes. In a guardianship proceeding, the best interests of the child are taken into consideration when deciding whether to appoint a guardian and whom to appoint.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
372 P.3d 366, 160 Idaho 311, 2016 Ida. LEXIS 160, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doe-v-doe-idaho-2016.