D.T.M. v. K.B. v. J.O.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedSeptember 16, 2019
Docket282 MDA 2019
StatusUnpublished

This text of D.T.M. v. K.B. v. J.O. (D.T.M. v. K.B. v. J.O.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
D.T.M. v. K.B. v. J.O., (Pa. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

J-S33030-19

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

D.T.M. : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : v. : : : K.B. N/K/A K.O. : : Appellant : No. 282 MDA 2019 : : v. : : : J.O. :

Appeal from the Order Entered January 14, 2019 In the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill County Domestic Relations at No(s): S-183-2012

BEFORE: LAZARUS, J., OTT, J., and FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.

MEMORANDUM BY OTT, J.: FILED: SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

K.B. n/k/a K.O. (“Mother”) appeals from the January 14, 2019 order

denying, in part, her petition for modification of a custody order with respect

to her daughter, A.M. (“Child”), born in August of 2011.1 After careful review,

we vacate and remand.

____________________________________________

1 The trial court granted J.O., Child’s maternal grandmother, intervenor status in the underlying custody action in 2014. J.O. is not participating in the instant appeal. J-S33030-19

D.T.M. (“Father”) commenced the underlying child custody action

against Mother in 2012, concurrently with a divorce action, when Child was

approximately five months old.2 Protracted litigation ensued, which we

summarize in relevant part. Father has had primary physical custody3

throughout the history of this case. Mother initially had partial physical

custody,4 which the trial court decreased to supervised physical custody5 in

January of 2014, due to her alcoholism and convictions on two charges of

driving under the influence.

In March of 2016, Mother filed a petition for modification wherein she

requested shared physical custody.6 The trial court held an evidentiary

hearing in November of 2016. The evidence revealed that Mother was making

progress in her recovery from alcoholism.

2This custody matter is governed by the Child Custody Act, 23 Pa.C.S. §§ 5321-5340 (“the Act”), which became effective on January 24, 2011.

3The Act defines “primary physical custody” as “The right to assume physical custody of the child for the majority of time.” 23 Pa.C.S. § 5322.

4The Act defines “partial physical custody” as “The right to assume physical custody of the child for less than a majority of the time.” Id.

5 The Act defines “supervised physical custody” as “Custodial time during which an agency or an adult designated by the court or agreed upon by the parties monitors the interaction between the child and the individual with those rights.” Id.

6 The Act defines “shared physical custody” as “The right of more than one individual to assume physical custody of the child, each having significant periods of physical custodial time with the child.” Id.

-2- J-S33030-19

By order dated January 4, 2017 (“existing custody order”), the trial

court granted the parties shared legal custody, Father primary physical

custody, and Mother partial physical custody during the school year on

alternating weekends from Friday at 4:00 p.m. to Sunday at 6:00 p.m. In

addition, during the school year, the court granted Mother custody every

Wednesday overnight beginning after school, or at 4:00 p.m., until the

beginning of school, or at 8:00 a.m., on Thursday mornings. During the

summer, the trial court granted Mother shared physical custody on an

alternating weekly basis.

In July of 2017, Mother filed a petition for modification seeking shared

physical custody during the school year. On October 5, 2017, following an

evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied Mother’s petition and directed that

the existing custody order remain in effect.

Mother filed pro se the subject modification petition on August 2, 2018,

wherein she once again requested shared physical custody during the school

year on an alternating weekly basis, inter alia. Following a custody conciliation

conference, an evidentiary hearing occurred before a custody hearing officer

on October 17, 2018, during which Mother was represented by counsel, and

Father appeared pro se. Mother testified on her own behalf, and she

presented the testimony of her fiancé, C.C. Father testified on his own behalf.

The testimony revealed, in part, that Mother and Father reside a distance

apart of approximately three miles. N.T., 10/17/18, at 5.

-3- J-S33030-19

On October 22, 2018, the hearing officer filed a report in the trial court

in which he summarized the testimonial evidence. The hearing officer stated,

in part, “the consensus is that Mother has remained sober for the last few

years.” Report, 10/22/18, at 2 (unpaginated). The hearing officer concluded,

[C]hild is thriving under the current custody arrangement. As such, in the opinion of this officer, the schedule should remain in place subject, however, to slight modifications. Specifically, [C]hild on Mother’s weekend should be permitted to stay with Mother until Monday morning when [C]hild would be returned to school. If that Monday is a holiday, then [C]hild would be returned to Father. In addition, Mother’s request for the alternating Christmas and Easter holidays is reasonable and is being recommended to be approved.[7] Further, Mother should be permitted to pick-up [C]hild at school on the Friday of her custodial weekend. As such, that will also be recommended. However, as stated above, other than these minor modifications, the court is hesitant to disrupt the custodial arrangement that appears to be serving [C]hild’s best interest.

Report, 10/22/18, at 8.

On November 9, 2018, Mother timely filed pro se written exceptions to

the report pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1915.4-2(b)(4)(5)

and Schuylkill County Rule of Civil Procedure 1915.4-2(g). Mother alleged

7 Specifically, the hearing officer recommended, pursuant to Mother’s request, “the parties should alternate the Christmas and Easter holidays such that each parent will enjoy the eve of the holiday into the holiday in alternating years.” Report, 10/22/18, at 8.

-4- J-S33030-19

that the hearing officer’s recommendation failed to address each of the

custody factors set forth in 23 Pa.C.S. § 5328(a), inter alia.8

By order dated and entered on January 14, 2019, the trial court granted

the parties shared legal custody, Father primary physical custody, and Mother

partial physical custody during the school year on alternating weekends from

Friday at 4:00 p.m. until Monday morning when Child is returned to school.

In addition, the court maintained Mother’s custody schedule every Wednesday

overnight. During the summer, the court maintained shared physical custody

on an alternating weekly basis between the parties. In addition, the court set

forth a Christmas and Easter holiday schedule as recommended by the hearing

officer. Finally, the court provided, “The Exceptions filed by [Mother] and filed

by [Father] are DENIED and DISMISSED.” Order, 1/14/19, at ¶ 12.

On February 8, 2019, Mother timely filed a notice of appeal and a concise

statement of errors complained of on appeal. The trial court filed its opinion

pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) on March 12, 2019.

Mother presents the following issues for our review:

1. Whether the [trial] court erred in not assuring that the Hearing Officer set forth an assessment of each [c]ustody [f]actor[] set forth in 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 5328(a) in relation to the evidence of record, and erred in not setting forth its own assessment of each [c]ustody [f]actor in relation to the evidence of record?

8 On December 24, 2018, Father filed exceptions to the hearing officer’s report.

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