Janda v. Janda

32 Neb. Ct. App. 953
CourtNebraska Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 4, 2024
DocketA-23-549
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 32 Neb. Ct. App. 953 (Janda v. Janda) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Janda v. Janda, 32 Neb. Ct. App. 953 (Neb. Ct. App. 2024).

Opinion

Nebraska Supreme Court Online Library www.nebraska.gov/apps-courts-epub/ 07/10/2024 06:09 PM CDT

- 953 - Nebraska Court of Appeals Advance Sheets 32 Nebraska Appellate Reports JANDA V. JANDA Cite as 32 Neb. App. 953

Tyler J. Janda, appellee, v. Stephanie R. Janda, now known as Stephanie R. Danley, appellant. ___ N.W.3d ___

Filed June 4, 2024. No. A-23-549.

1. Child Custody: Appeal and Error. Child custody determinations are matters initially entrusted to the discretion of the trial court, and although reviewed de novo on the record, the trial court’s determination will normally be affirmed absent an abuse of discretion. 2. Modification of Decree: Child Custody: Proof. Ordinarily, custody of a minor child will not be modified unless there has been a material change in circumstances showing either that the custodial parent is unfit or that the best interests of the child require such action. 3. ____: ____: ____. The showing required to modify custody is a two- step process: First, the party seeking modification must show a material change in circumstances, occurring after the entry of the previous cus- tody order and affecting the best interests of the child. Next, the party seeking modification must prove that changing the child’s custody is in the child’s best interests. 4. ____: ____: ____. Proof of a material change in circumstances is the threshold inquiry in a proceeding on a complaint to modify, because issues determined in the prior custody order are deemed preclusive in the absence of proof of new facts and circumstances. 5. Modification of Decree: Words and Phrases. Generally, a material change in circumstances is the occurrence of something which, had it been known to the dissolution court at the time of the initial decree or prior modification, would have persuaded the court to decree differently. 6. Modification of Decree: Evidence: Appeal and Error. Where the party seeking modification advances multiple reasons for modification, an appellate court does not consider whether each individual factor standing alone constitutes a material change; the appellate court instead - 954 - Nebraska Court of Appeals Advance Sheets 32 Nebraska Appellate Reports JANDA V. JANDA Cite as 32 Neb. App. 953

considers all the facts and circumstances raised by the evidence to deter- mine whether there has been a material change. 7. Modification of Decree: Child Custody: Proof. The party seeking modification of a dissolution decree has the burden to produce sufficient proof that a material change of circumstances has occurred that warrants a modification. 8. Modification of Decree: Child Custody. Removal of a child from the state, without more, does not amount to a change of circumstances war- ranting a change of custody. Nevertheless, such a move when considered in conjunction with other evidence may result in a change of circum- stances that would warrant a modification of the decree. 9. Child Custody. In considering a motion to remove a minor child to another jurisdiction, the paramount consideration is whether the pro- posed move is in the best interests of the child. 10. ____. When determining the best interests of the child in the context of custody, a court must consider, at a minimum, (1) the relationship of the minor child to each parent prior to the commencement of the action; (2) the desires and wishes of a sufficiently mature child, if based on sound reasoning; (3) the general health, welfare, and social behavior of the child; (4) credible evidence of abuse inflicted on any family or household member; and (5) credible evidence of child abuse or neglect or domestic intimate partner abuse. 11. ____. Other relevant considerations include stability in the child’s rou- tine; minimalization of contact and conflict between the parents; the general nature and health of the individual child; the moral fitness of the child’s parents, including sexual conduct; respective environments offered by each parent; the age, sex, and health of the child and parents; the effect on the child as a result of continuing or disrupting an existing relationship; the attitude and stability of each parent’s character; and parental capacity to provide physical care and satisfy educational needs of the child. 12. ____. No single factor is determinative, and different factors may weigh more heavily in the court’s analysis, depending on the evidence pre- sented in each case. The one constant is that the child’s best interests are always the standard by which any custody or parenting time determina- tion is made. 13. Modification of Decree: Child Custody. While the district court is not necessarily obligated to provide a detailed analysis in a modification of custody case, it is the best practice for a district court to provide some detailed analysis in determining what is in the best interests of the children. - 955 - Nebraska Court of Appeals Advance Sheets 32 Nebraska Appellate Reports JANDA V. JANDA Cite as 32 Neb. App. 953

14. Evidence: Appeal and Error. When a finding is not expressly made by a trial court, an appellate court, in its de novo review, may make such a finding if the evidence supports it. 15. Evidence: Witnesses: Appeal and Error. When the district court does not provide an analysis, an appellate court can make little application of its general rule that in its de novo review, an appellate court consid- ers, and may give weight to, the fact that the trial court saw and heard the witnesses. 16. Child Custody. The decisions of where a child will reside and attend school are fundamental decisions that require mutual agreement between parents who maintain joint legal custody. 17. Child Custody: Intent. A parent’s intentional refusal to promote and facilitate the other parent’s involvement in a child’s important educa- tional, religious, and medical needs constitutes a significant factor to consider when making custody decisions. 18. Child Custody. Although not a completely determinative factor, the promotion and facilitation of a relationship by one parent with the other parent is a factor that may be considered when awarding custody.

Appeal from the District Court for Lancaster County: Lori A. Maret, Judge. Affirmed. Eddy M. Rodell for appellant. Sean M. Reagan, of Reagan Law Offices, P.C., L.L.O., for appellee. Pirtle, Chief Judge, and Riedmann and Welch, Judges. Pirtle, Chief Judge. INTRODUCTION Tyler J. Janda and Stephanie R. Janda, now known as Stephanie R. Danley, are a divorced couple with four shared children. Their initial parenting plan gave Stephanie primary custody of the children, subject to Tyler’s reasonable parent- ing time. However, after Stephanie sought a modification of the parenting plan due to their constant disagreements, Tyler requested that he be given primary custody of the children. After a trial, the district court for Lancaster County modified their custody arrangement and gave Tyler physical and legal - 956 - Nebraska Court of Appeals Advance Sheets 32 Nebraska Appellate Reports JANDA V. JANDA Cite as 32 Neb. App. 953

custody of the children, subject to Stephanie’s reasonable par- enting time. Stephanie now appeals that decision. For the rea- sons that follow, we affirm the decision of the district court. BACKGROUND Tyler and Stephanie were married on January 1, 2013. During their marriage, they had four children: B.J., S.J., R.J., and H.J. At the time of trial, B.J. was 10 years old, S.J. was 7 years old, and R.J. and H.J. were both 5 years old. On January 22, 2021, as part of their divorce proceedings, Tyler and Stephanie entered into a settlement agreement that included as an attachment the parties’ parenting plan concerning the visitation and custody of their children. Pursuant to their par- enting plan, Tyler and Stephanie maintained joint legal cus- tody of the four children and Stephanie was granted primary physical custody.

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Bluebook (online)
32 Neb. Ct. App. 953, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/janda-v-janda-nebctapp-2024.