Kb v. Sb

415 N.E.2d 749
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 29, 1981
Docket1-1279A369
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 415 N.E.2d 749 (Kb v. Sb) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kb v. Sb, 415 N.E.2d 749 (Ind. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinion

415 N.E.2d 749 (1981)

In re the Marriage of K.B., Petitioner-Appellant,
v.
S.B., Respondent-Appellee.

No. 1-1279A369.

Court of Appeals of Indiana, First District.

January 29, 1981.

*751 James E. Davis, Davis & Davis, Greenfield, for petitioner-appellant.

Michael J. Tosick, James L. Brand, Free, Brand, Tosick, VanWinkle & Allen, Greenfield, for respondent-appellee.

RATLIFF, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

K.B. (wife) appeals the order of the Hancock Superior Court granting S.B. (husband) visitation rights with their daughter, M.L.B. We affirm.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

K.B. and S.B. were married on June 6, 1964; they adopted M.L.B. on May 30, 1973, when she was three days old. K.B. and S.B. separated, and K.B. filed a petition for dissolution of marriage on February 2, 1978. A hearing was held on this petition before Judge Payne in the Hancock Superior Court, and K.B.'s petition for dissolution was granted. During the hearing, conflicting evidence was admitted to the effect that S.B. had not shown much interest in M.L.B. until September 1977; that S.B. had sexually fondled M.L.B.; and that on occasion S.B. had shaken M.L.B. or had begun to slap her. Custody of M.L.B. was granted to K.B., and S.B. was denied visitation rights.[1] He filed a petition to modify the dissolution decree on January 30, 1979, so that he could have visitation rights. On the same date, S.B. filed a motion for change of judge. This motion was granted, and Special Judge Schrenker presided at the hearing on the petition to modify. The evidence revealed that S.B. had remarried and moved to Carmel where he lives with his wife and eleven (11) year old stepson in a two bedroom townhouse; that S.B. was less depressed; that he had not seen M.L.B. since February, 1978; that M.L.B. continued to live with her mother; that M.L.B. was happy and doing well in school. Pursuant to K.B.'s request for special findings of fact and conclusions of law, the court granted the modification on December 10, 1979, and found as follows:

"1. The Court finds that a dissolution of marriage was granted in the case by this Court on July 10, 1978, and the custody of said minor child, [M.L.B.], age 5, was granted to the petitioner, and the Court denied visiting privileges with said minor child, to the respondent.
*752 "2. The Court further finds that the respondent herein, on the 30th day of January, 1979, filed his verified petition to modify the decree in this cause alleging a substantial and continuing change in circumstance in the relationship of the parties since the original decree was made in this cause, and prays the right to visit said child at all reasonable times, and further, that it would be to the best interest of said minor child that she visit with the respondent.
"3. The Court further finds that said child is alert, well adjusted [sic] and emotionally stable.
"4. The Court further finds that the respondent is married, emotionally stable, and maintains a suitable home and surroundings for visitation with said child.
"5. The Court further finds that the evidence submitted in this cause, discloses a substantial change of circumstances in the relationship of the parties hereto since the original decree, and that the order heretobefore [sic] entered denying respondent visiting privileges should be modified.
"6. The Court further finds from the record submitted, and evidence presented, that visitation by the respondent will not endanger the childs [sic] physical health or significantly impair her emotional development, but that it is in the best interest of said child, that the respondent be granted visiting rights with said child.
"The Court further determines that the law is with the respondent, and that as a matter of law the order denying visiting privileges made in this cause should be modified as hereinafter set out... ."

K.B. received a temporary stay of the trial court's order by this court on December 21, 1979. On January 4, 1980, the temporary stay was continued until the determination of K.B.'s appeal or further order of this court.

ISSUES

K.B. raises the following issues for our consideration:

1. Did the trial court's judgment contain findings of fact on all the ultimate facts necessary to support the judgment?

2. Did the trial court err in allowing testimony on issues which were previously litigated and which did not tend to show a change in circumstances?

3. Does the evidence support the trial court's findings and judgment?

4. Did the trial court err when it granted S.B.'s motion for change of judge?

DECISION

Issue One

K.B. alleges that the trial court failed to find all ultimate facts which are necessary for the modification of the dissolution decree. She contends that the standard to be applied by the trial court in determining whether a modification is necessary is whether there has been a change of conditions of such a decisive nature as to make it necessary for the welfare and happiness of the child that modification be granted; therefore, she states, a specific finding of fact that there has been such a change in conditions is necessary. On the other hand, S.B. contends the standard to be applied by the trial court in considering visitation rights is the best interests of the child as set out in Ind. Code 31-1-11.5-24(b).[2]

Whether a change of conditions must be shown in order to obtain a modification of visitation rights has not been decided by this court since the Dissolution of Marriage Act of 1973.[3] However, it has been well settled that prior to the new act a change of conditions was necessary for a modification of visitation rights, DuFour v. DuFour, (1971) 149 Ind. App. 404, 273 N.E.2d 102; *753 Renard v. Renard, (1956) 126 Ind. App. 245, 132 N.E.2d 278, as it was necessary for a modification of custody. Huston v. Huston, (1971) 256 Ind. 110, 267 N.E.2d 170. S.B. contends that the best interests of the child is the sole standard for a modification of visitation rights and cites as support therefore IC 31-1-11.5-24(b) and Chance v. Chance, (1980) Ind. App., 400 N.E.2d 1207. Chance involved the modification of the visitation provision of a dissolution agreement. The appellant argued on appeal that the appellee's Petition for Instructions was improper because it did not allege any change of circumstances which affected the best interests of the children. In addressing this issue, Judge Shields stated:

"The Dissolution of Marriage Act does not specifically require a change of conditions before a trial court can modify custody, let alone specify and detail visitation. Franklin v. Franklin, (1976) 169 Ind. App. 537, 349 N.E.2d 210. Were we to assume the trial court modified a visitation order, rather than specifying and detailing visitation, the directive of the applicable statute is that the modification serve the best interests of the child. IC 31-1-11.5-24 (Burns Supp. 1979)." (Footnotes omitted.)

Id. at 1210-11.

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