T.C.T.B.M. v. B.T.

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REL: 9/24/10 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS SPECIAL TERM, 2010 2090370 T.C.T.B.M. v. B.T. Appeal from Mobile J u v e n i l e Court (JU-09-114.91) PER CURIAM. T.C.T.B.M. Mobile ("the m o t h e r " ) 1 appeals J u v e n i l e Court that modified from a judgment o f t h e custody of the parties' The m o t h e r ' s name a p p e a r s i n t h e r e c o r d a number o f d i f f e r e n t ways. We have c h o s e n t o u s e i n i t i a l s r e f l e c t i n g t h e v e r s i o n o f t h e m o t h e r ' s name t h a t a p p e a r s i n t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t ' s f i n a l judgment. 1 2090370 child, awarded the mother o r d e r e d t h e m o t h e r t o pay visitation with c h i l d s u p p o r t . We the child, reverse and and remand with instructions. L.T. ("the c h i l d " ) was 2005 t o t h e m o t h e r and B.T. f a t h e r never married. As born ("the out of wedlock in January f a t h e r " ) ; t h e m o t h e r and a r e s u l t o f a p a t e r n i t y and s u p p o r t a c t i o n f i l e d by t h e m o t h e r , t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t a j u d g m e n t on November 1 7 , 2 0 0 5 , i n c a s e no. adjudicated the f a t h e r t o be the the however, father the "standard" father was childentered CS-05-5392, t h a t f a t h e r of the c h i l d , s e t f a t h e r ' s m o n t h l y c h i l d - s u p p o r t o b l i g a t i o n a t $199 awarded visitation required to the the a m o n t h , and with exercise the child; overnight v i s i t a t i o n w i t h t h e c h i l d a t t h e p a t e r n a l g r a n d p a r e n t s ' home. On December 5, 2008, in case no. JU-08-114.91, the father f i l e d a p e t i t i o n to modify the v i s i t a t i o n p r o v i s i o n s s e t f o r t h in the November 2005 judgment. On February 11, 2009, the i n case no. custody of the f a t h e r amended h i s p e t i t i o n t o m o d i f y v i s i t a t i o n J U - 0 9 - 1 1 4 . 9 1 , and he s o u g h t an o r d e r m o d i f y i n g child. 2 We c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t p r o p e r l y e x e r c i s e d j u r i s d i c t i o n t o m o d i f y i t s November 2005 j u d g m e n t . B e f o r e t h e enactment of the c u r r e n t Alabama J u v e n i l e J u s t i c e A c t ("the 2 2 2090370 A f t e r conducting entered an o r e t e n u s h e a r i n g , t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t an o r d e r on O c t o b e r 21, 2009, t h a t s t a t e d t h a t i t h a d f o u n d t h a t t h e r e h a d b e e n a m a t e r i a l change i n since the e n t r y o f t h e November 2005 j u d g m e n t ; h o w e v e r , the did i t juvenile court requested t h a t the c h i l d ' s guardian not p e d i a t r i c and c o u n s e l i n g juvenile custody entry of court of the circumstances awarded child i t s final records a final ad l i t e m make t h e joint mother judgment. judgment, and child's a v a i l a b l e to the c o u r t . temporary to the juvenile court entered h a d met h i s b u r d e n enter On and legal the November and physical father 30, The pending 2009, the a judgment t h a t f o u n d t h a t the f a t h e r s e t f o r t h i n Ex p a r t e McLendon, 455 So. 2d A J J A " ) , § 1 2 - 1 5 - 1 0 1 e t s e q . , A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 , w h i c h became effective on J a n u a r y 1, 2009, the j u v e n i l e court had c o n t i n u i n g j u r i s d i c t i o n t o m o d i f y a c u s t o d y j u d g m e n t made i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h a p a t e r n i t y a c t i o n p u r s u a n t t o former § 12¬ 1 5 - 3 2 , A l a . Code 1975, and f o r m e r § 2 6 - 1 7 - 1 0 ( e ) A l a . Code 1975. See W.B.G.M. v. P.S.T., 999 So. 2d 971, 974-75 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 0 8 ) . B o t h f o r m e r § 12-15-32 and f o r m e r § 2 6 - 1 7 10(e) were r e p e a l e d when t h e A J J A became e f f e c t i v e . See A c t No. 2 0 0 8 - 2 7 7 9 ( a ) , A l a . A c t s 2008; and A c t No. 2008-376, A l a . A c t s 2008, § 1. P u r s u a n t t o § 1 2 - 1 5 - 1 1 7 ( a ) , A l a . Code 1975, a provision i n the AJJA, t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t now retains c o n t i n u i n g j u r i s d i c t i o n o n l y o v e r c a s e s i n w h i c h "a c h i l d has been adjudicated dependent, delinquent, or i n need of supervision " B e c a u s e t h e f a t h e r f i l e d an a c t i o n t o m o d i f y t h e November 2005 j u d g m e n t i n December 2008, b e f o r e the e n a c t m e n t o f t h e A J J A , we c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t r e t a i n e d j u r i s d i c t i o n t o m o d i f y i t s November 2005 j u d g m e n t . 3 2090370 863 ( A l a . 1984), transferred to and the physical father. custody The of judgment mother s t a n d a r d v i s i t a t i o n w i t h the c h i l d the also child was awarded the and s e t h e r child- s u p p o r t o b l i g a t i o n a t $344 a month. The m o t h e r f i l e d a m o t i o n t o a l t e r , amend, o r v a c a t e j u v e n i l e c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t , p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 59, A l a . R. P. I n h e r m o t i o n , h i s burden of proof pursuant Ex p a r t e McLendon, t h e a w a r d o f s t a n d a r d v i s i t a t i o n , t h e c a l c u l a t i o n o f h e r c h i l d - s u p p o r t o b l i g a t i o n . The postjudgment motion timely appealed. 3 Civ. the mother c h a l l e n g e d the j u v e n i l e c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g t h a t t h e f a t h e r h a d met to the was d e n i e d by o p e r a t i o n of law, See R u l e 1 ( b ) , A l a . R. Juv. and mother's and she P. The m o t h e r p r e s e n t s t h r e e i s s u e s f o r t h i s c o u r t t o r e v i e w on a p p e a l : (1) w h e t h e r t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t e r r e d i n d e t e r m i n i n g that the father met h i s burden of proof pursuant to the c u s t o d y - m o d i f i c a t i o n s t a n d a r d s e t f o r t h i n Ex p a r t e McLendon; T h r o u g h o u t t h e p r o c e e d i n g s b e l o w , t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t and t h e p a r t i e s u s e d b o t h c a s e numbers, JU-09-114.91 and CS-055392, t o r e f e r t o t h e a c t i o n i n i t i a t e d by t h e f a t h e r on December 5, 2008, and a s s i g n e d c a s e no. J U - 0 9 - 1 1 4 . 9 1 . The m o t h e r ' s a p p e a l was d o c k e t e d by t h e c l e r k o f t h i s c o u r t as an a p p e a l f r o m JU-09-114.91 and CS-05-5392. A l t h o u g h some o f t h e p l e a d i n g s and t h e j u d g m e n t l i s t b o t h c a s e numbers, t h e j u d g m e n t i n c a s e no. JU-09-114.91 i s what i s a c t u a l l y b e i n g a p p e a l e d by t h e m o t h e r . 3 4 2090370 (2) w h e t h e r t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t only standard erred i n a w a r d i n g t h e mother v i s i t a t i o n with the c h i l d ; a n d (3) w h e t h e r t h e j u v e n i l e court erred i n i t s computation of her c h i l d - s u p p o r t obligation. The following pertinent facts were presented to the j u v e n i l e c o u r t . The m o t h e r , who was 29 y e a r s o l d a t t h e t i m e of t h e f i n a l h e a r i n g , t e s t i f i e d r e g a r d i n g a v i s i t a t i o n between h e r and t h e f a t h e r . According dispute t o t h e mother, during t h e summer o f 2008, she a n d t h e f a t h e r a g r e e d t h a t t h e f a t h e r could exercise overnight father's home, despite November 2005 j u d g m e n t . visitation with the r e s t r i c t i o n However, the c h i l d set forth on November at the i n the 2 1 , 2008, t h e m o t h e r f i l e d a p e t i t i o n f o r p r o t e c t i o n f r o m abuse a g a i n s t t h e father a f t e r the c h i l d complained a f t e r v i s i t a t i o n with the f a t h e r t h a t t h e f a t h e r h a d h i t h i m i n t h e s t o m a c h a n d h a d made h i s " f o o d come u p . " A c c o r d i n g t o the testimony a hearing on t h e m o t h e r ' s p e t i t i o n was on December held dismissed 17, 2008, of the p a r t i e s , f o r p r o t e c t i o n f r o m abuse and t h e mother voluntarily h e r p e t i t i o n on t h e c o n d i t i o n t h a t t h e f a t h e r a b i d e b y t h e November 2005 j u d g m e n t , w h i c h r e s t r i c t e d h i s o v e r n i g h t visitation with the c h i l d t o be 5 spent at the paternal 2090370 g r a n d p a r e n t s ' home. The m o t h e r d i d n o t d i s p u t e t h a t t h e father m i s s e d two of her p e t i t i o n f o r p r o t e c t i o n f r o m a b u s e . The m o t h e r s t a t e d t h a t the father weekend v i s i t s had not with m i s s e d any the visits child with as the a result child since that time. At the time of the in school mother, in the a pre-kindergarten child's learning French, s c h o o l . The different and grades the school, one however, familiar with the father -- i . e . , b e f o r e her what were that the was child's school that 26, their admitted that he mother r e g u l a r l y was not level. changed t h e e n t r y o f t h e November 2005 j u d g m e n t -- but think - educational an e d u c a t i o n a l the that c h i l d t o go t o a for on at her said, is from a l o c a l 2005 was i n a relationship with never d i s c u s s e d they the child the to doing "fabulous" known father enrolled According wonderful, c h i l d was testified b e c a u s e , he article c h i l d was program. r e l i g i o u s a f f i l i a t i o n s w h i l e he was t h a t he the f a t h e r s t a t e d t h a t he w a n t e d t h e facilities; The f i n a l hearing, November the mother's r e l i g i o u s " [ i ] t [ i s ] up the truth." t o an The magazine, t h a t 8, 2005 issue 6 beliefs with i n d i v i d u a l to seek father submitted appeared i n the of the an October magazine, that 2090370 featured her the mother. religious In the a r t i c l e , 4 affiliations, but the mother t h e mother discussed a l l e g e d at the f i n a l h e a r i n g t h a t t h e l o c a l m a g a z i n e h a d m i s q u o t e d h e r . The f a t h e r s t a t e d t h a t he d i d n o t a t t e n d a The m o t h e r a g a i n c h a n g e d r e l i g i o u s 2007. A t t h e t i m e of the f i n a l church. affiliations i n June h e a r i n g , t h e mother had been m a r r i e d f o r a l m o s t two y e a r s and she and h e r h u s b a n d h a d a 13month-old around child. July The 2007, mother and they met her husband married husband b e f o r e they married. a Web site 2008. i n January mother s t a t e d t h a t the c h i l d had spent her on The 5 o n l y two d a y s a r o u n d However, according t o the m o t h e r , h e r h u s b a n d and t h e c h i l d h a d a g o o d r e l a t i o n s h i p and the about her children got father husband. had The along very never mother expressed also any stated that complaints h e r two well. We n o t e t h a t t h i s a r t i c l e was p u b l i s h e d b e f o r e t h e e n t r y o f t h e November 2005 j u d g m e n t , and n o t h i n g i n t h e r e c o r d i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e f a t h e r became aware o f t h i s a r t i c l e o n l y a f t e r t h e e n t r y o f t h e November 2005 j u d g m e n t . 4 A c c o r d i n g t o t h e m o t h e r , she was m a r r i e d once b e f o r e she married her current husband. That marriage lasted approximately s i x months. According t o the mother, she d i v o r c e d h e r f i r s t h u s b a n d b e c a u s e he was c a r e l e s s w i t h firearms around the c h i l d . 5 7 2090370 The mother testified communicating w i t h her on the messages. she had difficulty t h e f a t h e r b e c a u s e he w o u l d n o t s p e a k t o telephone The that and father would stated only that communicate v i a text he w o u l d n o t t a l k to the m o t h e r on t h e t e l e p h o n e b e c a u s e she h a d a r e p u t a t i o n f o r b e i n g u n t r u t h f u l and b e c a u s e he w a n t e d e v e r y t h i n g be in writing. However, telephone contact he stated t h a t she s a i d t o that he would promote b e t w e e n t h e c h i l d and t h e m o t h e r i f he was awarded c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d . The mother neuropathy with stated that she had congenital optic a n y s t a g m u s , w h i c h b a s i c a l l y means t h a t has p o o r d e p t h p e r c e p t i o n ; she f o r t h a t r e a s o n , she i s u n a b l e t o o b t a i n a d r i v e r ' s l i c e n s e . However, t h e m o t h e r s t a t e d t h a t h e r condition was not degenerative and that, other than her i n a b i l i t y to d r i v e , her c o n d i t i o n d i d not a f f e c t her everyday life. for She s t a t e d t h a t she r e l i e d on h e r h u s b a n d and h e r m o t h e r transportation. mother worked therapeutic f r o m 1:00 p.m. the time approximately massage $1,500 a month. At parlor, 20 and of the f i n a l hours she each earned hearing, week the at a approximately The m o t h e r s t a t e d t h a t she w o r k e d on Mondays t o 6:00 p.m., on T h u r s d a y s f r o m 10:00 a.m. 8 to 2090370 5:00 p.m., on F r i d a y s from 9:00 a.m. t o 3:00 p.m., a n d on "some" S a t u r d a y s o r S u n d a y s . The mother began taking the c h i l d to a counselor in December 2008 a f t e r t h e c h i l d t o l d h e r t h a t t h e f a t h e r h a d h i t him i n t h e stomach a n d h a d made h i s "food come up." The mother s t a t e d t h a t t h e c h i l d had had nightmares and h o r r i b l e s c r e a m i n g f i t s on Sunday n i g h t s a f t e r he r e t u r n e d visitation the with the father. c h i l d ' s counselor f r o m weekend The m o t h e r s t a t e d t h a t $100 f o r e a c h v i s i t n o t a f f o r d t o t a k e h i m t w i c e a month. she p a i d a n d t h a t she c o u l d However, e v e n i n c l u d i n g t h e c h i l d ' s s c h o o l t u i t i o n , w h i c h was $270 a month, t h e m o t h e r a g r e e d t h a t h e r m o n t h l y income e x c e e d e d h e r m o n t h l y e x p e n s e s . The of e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e c h i l d was n o t u n d e r any c o u r s e treatment with saw the c h i l d The that h i s counselor t o check h i s and t h a t the counselor progress. m o t h e r s t a t e d t h a t she d i d n o t u s e i l l e g a l she d i d n o t d r i n k only a l c o h o l . The m o t h e r stated drugs and that the f a t h e r h a d n e v e r e x p r e s s e d any c o n c e r n s a b o u t t h e way t h a t she raised the c h i l d . The f a t h e r i n d i c a t e d t h a t he t h o u g h t 9 that 2090370 the mother might t r y t o take apparently the c h i l d out of the country, 6 because t h e mother had sought h i s h e l p i n o b t a i n i n g a p a s s p o r t f o r t h e c h i l d . The m o t h e r s t a t e d t h a t s h e h a d a s k e d the f a t h e r a b o u t g e t t i n g a p a s s p o r t f o r t h e c h i l d so t h a t s h e and the c h i l d The could v i s i t t h e m o t h e r ' s f r i e n d i n Canada. mother s t a t e d t h a t she and h e r mother, t h e m a t e r n a l grandmother, were the subject o f an i n v e s t i g a t i o n b y t h e A l a b a m a D e p a r t m e n t o f Human R e s o u r c e s after found the child, who was t h r e e "wandering" down the ("DHR") i n J a n u a r y 2008 years street o l d a t the time, from the g r a n d m o t h e r ' s home. However, t h e m o t h e r s t a t e d t h a t was maternal s h e was n o t a t h e r m o t h e r ' s home a t t h a t t i m e a n d t h a t no one f r o m DHR ever interviewed follow-up h e r about t h e i n c i d e n t o r o t h e r w i s e d i d any t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n . The c h i l d ' s c o u n s e l i n g i n d i c a t e d that the c h i l d ' s counselor had f i l e d records a report with DHR i n December 2008 c o n c e r n i n g t h e a l l e g a t i o n s o f abuse made by the c h i l d that c h i l d ' s records, implicated the father. DHR h a d a s s i g n e d the f a t h e r , b u t n o t h i n g to the a caseworker t o i n v e s t i g a t e i n t h e r e c o r d on a p p e a l i n d i c a t e s t h a t T h e m o t h e r ' s h u s b a n d i s n o t an A m e r i c a n c i t i z e n , b u t , a t t i m e o f t h e f i n a l h e a r i n g , he h a d a " g r e e n c a r d . " 6 the According 10 2090370 the f a t h e r was f o u n d t o h a v e a b u s e d t h e c h i l d . The father testified that, since the entry of the November 2005 j u d g m e n t , he h a d g r a d u a t e d f r o m c o l l e g e w i t h degree in engineering approximately and had $26 an h o u r . found According employment f r o m 8:00 a.m. bought a February father t o 5:00 p.m., three-bedroom, one anesthesiologist was fulfilled two-and-one-half-bathroom roommate, a a manager an had and t h a t he had support that he paid t o t h e mother January 2008. with the c h i l d , t h e amount from $199 hospital. of t h a t he increased local was the t e s t i f i e d t h a t he h a d n e v e r h i t o r i n j u r e d t h e c h i l d , relationship a who hearing, father unilaterally at man of the f i n a l home i n The a great group he Monday t h r o u g h F r i d a y . The f a t h e r 2008, a n d , a t t h e t i m e had earning to the father r e q u i r e d t o w o r k 40 h o u r s a week, w h i c h he t y p i c a l l y a of c h i l d a month t o $325 7 The f a t h e r s t a t e d t h a t he h a d an e x t e n s i v e in the Mobile a month i n area that could assist c h i l d . The m o t h e r ' s f a m i l y - s u p p o r t f a m i l y network him i n c a r i n g system apparently f o r the consisted T h e f a t h e r ' s c h i l d s u p p o r t o b l i g a t i o n was s u b s e q u e n t l y i n c r e a s e d , a p p a r e n t l y b y a c o u r t o r d e r , t o $450 a month. 7 11 2090370 of her husband, her a u n t . He mother, her and her the mother's mother, alcohol, seen and the she marijuana. father he grandfather, spent time used p r e s c r i p t i o n However, he stated since his he sought with medication, that he had not relationship with the 2005. stated felt had family mother ended i n A p r i l because her s t a t e d t h a t t h e l a s t t i m e he mother's The stepfather, that like he could custody provide a of the more child stable e n v i r o n m e n t f o r t h e c h i l d and b e c a u s e he w a n t e d t o s p e n d more time w i t h changed stated the child. since that b e c a u s e he the his lived a h o s p i t a l . He The father was of entry s t a t e d t h a t he November judgment. environment the would be 2005 better what for the He child i n a good n e i g h b o r h o o d c l o s e t o s c h o o l s s t a t e d t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s l i f e w o u l d be had and improved b e c a u s e t h e c h i l d w o u l d have a s e t s c h e d u l e , b e c a u s e he would be a v a i l a b l e f o r t h e c h i l d on t h e weekends, and b e c a u s e he had a driver's license. We his f i n d the mother's f i r s t b u r d e n p u r s u a n t t o Ex p a r t e appeal. modifying This court's i s s u e , whether the father met McLendon, d i s p o s i t i v e o f her standard custody i s w e l l settled: 12 of reviewing a judgment 2090370 "When e v i d e n c e i n a c h i l d c u s t o d y c a s e h a s b e e n presented ore tenus t o the t r i a l court, t h a t court's f i n d i n g s o f f a c t b a s e d on t h a t e v i d e n c e a r e p r e s u m e d to be c o r r e c t . The t r i a l court i s i n the best p o s i t i o n t o make a c u s t o d y d e t e r m i n a t i o n -- i t h e a r s the e v i d e n c e and observes t h e w i t n e s s e s . A p p e l l a t e c o u r t s do n o t s i t i n j u d g m e n t o f d i s p u t e d e v i d e n c e t h a t was p r e s e n t e d o r e t e n u s b e f o r e t h e t r i a l c o u r t in a custody hearing." Ex p a r t e B r y o w s k y , 676 So. 2d 1322, 1324 ( A l a . 1 9 9 6 ) . In forth i t s final any specific determination Ex parte juvenile judgment, the j u v e n i l e court findings of fact to d i d notset support i t s t h a t t h e f a t h e r h a d met h i s b u r d e n p u r s u a n t t o McLendon. Thus, this court c o u r t made f i n d i n g s o f f a c t must assume that the t h a t would support its j u d g m e n t , u n l e s s t h o s e f i n d i n g s w o u l d be c l e a r l y e r r o n e o u s . Ex p a r t e B r y o w s k y , 676 So. 2d a t 1324. P u r s u a n t t o Ex p a r t e McLendon, t h e f a t h e r , as t h e p a r t y petitioning prove t o modify custody (1) t h a t he was a f i t c u s t o d i a n , change i n c i r c u m s t a n c e s occurred (3) of the c h i l d , was r e q u i r e d t o (2) t h a t a material a f f e c t i n g t h e w e l f a r e of the c h i l d had since the entry o f t h e November 2005 j u d g m e n t , a n d t h a t t h e change i n c u s t o d y would m a t e r i a l l y promote t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t and w e l f a r e o f t h e c h i l d so t h a t t h e i n h e r e n t l y d i s r u p t i v e e f f e c t o f t h e p r o p o s e d change i n c u s t o d y 13 w o u l d be 2090370 o u t w e i g h e d by t h e p o s i t i v e g o o d r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h e c h a n g e . 455 So. 2d a t 865-66. Regarding the "material-promotion" McLendon standard, p r o n g o f t h e Ex o u r supreme c o u r t has parte explained: "'[This] i s a r u l e of repose, a l l o w i n g the c h i l d , whose w e l f a r e i s paramount, the v a l u a b l e b e n e f i t o f s t a b i l i t y and t h e r i g h t t o p u t down i n t o i t s e n v i r o n m e n t t h o s e roots necessary f o r the c h i l d ' s healthy g r o w t h i n t o a d o l e s c e n c e and a d u l t h o o d . The d o c t r i n e requires that the party seeking modification prove to the court's satisfaction that material changes a f f e c t i n g the c h i l d ' s welfare since the most r e c e n t d e c r e e d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t c u s t o d y s h o u l d be d i s t u r b e d t o p r o m o t e t h e c h i l d ' s b e s t i n t e r e s t s . The p o s i t i v e good b r o u g h t a b o u t b y t h e m o d i f i c a t i o n must more t h a n o f f s e t the i n h e r e n t l y d i s r u p t i v e e f f e c t caused by u p r o o t i n g t h e c h i l d . Frequent d i s r u p t i o n s a r e t o be condemned.' "Wood v. Wood, 333 So. 2d 826, 828 1976). ( A l a . C i v . App. " I t i s n o t enough t h a t t h e p a r e n t show t h a t [he] has ... r e f o r m e d h [ i s ] l i f e s t y l e , and i m p r o v e d h [ i s ] f i n a n c i a l p o s i t i o n . C a r t e r v. H a r b i n , 279 A l a . 237, 184 So. 2d 145 ( 1 9 6 6 ) ; A b e l v. H a d d e r , 404 So. 2d 64 (Ala. C i v . App. 1981) . The p a r e n t s e e k i n g the c u s t o d y change must show n o t o n l y t h a t [he] i s f i t , b u t a l s o t h a t t h e change o f c u s t o d y ' m a t e r i a l l y p r o m o t e s ' t h e c h i l d ' s b e s t i n t e r e s t and w e l f a r e . " 455 So. 2d 865-66. After a c a r e f u l review of the record, 14 we conclude that 2090370 the father evidence failed t o meet t h i s indicating that he environment f o r the c h i l d . b u r d e n . The f a t h e r could provide a presented stable home However, t h e f a t h e r p r e s e n t e d no e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e c h i l d was l i v i n g i n an unstable e n v i r o n m e n t i n t h e m o t h e r ' s home, o r t h a t t h e m o t h e r d i d n o t provide that the c h i l d w i t h a schedule. Although the f a t h e r argued h i s work s c h e d u l e child allowed h i m t o be a v a i l a b l e f o r t h e on t h e w e e k e n d s , we c a n n o t c o n c l u d e t h a t the p o s i t i v e good b r o u g h t a b o u t b y t h e f a t h e r ' s a b i l i t y t o s p e n d t h e e n t i r e weekend with inherently the child was sufficient disruptive e f f e c t that to overcome a change i n c u s t o d y the would have on a f o u r - y e a r - o l d c h i l d who h a d l i v e d p r i m a r i l y w i t h t h e mother s i n c e h i s b i r t h . The father also presented evidence i n d i c a t i n g that the c h i l d would b e n e f i t by l i v i n g w i t h him because t h e f a t h e r had a d r i v e r ' s l i c e n s e and t h e mother d i d not. no However, t h e r e was evidence i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e mother's i n a b i l i t y a driver's license affected the c h i l d to obtain i n a n y way. The m o t h e r p r e s e n t e d u n d i s p u t e d e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t h e r husband and her mother indication met h e r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n that they could needs, and t h e r e n o t do s o i n t h e e v e n t 15 was no o f an 2090370 emergency. F u r t h e r m o r e , a l t h o u g h the f a t h e r t e s t i f i e d t h a t w a n t e d t o e n r o l l t h e c h i l d i n a s c h o o l t h a t was its educational facilities, the w e l l known f o r father presented no i n d i c a t i n g t h a t the s c h o o l t h a t the c h i l d attended of the final education; hearing in fact, d i d not the provide the child admitted father that evidence at the time with good was he a not f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e c h i l d ' s s c h o o l on an e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l . father did ability to not present raise the husband, or even her any complaints child, he about the The mother's her parenting techniques, her oft-changing religious affiliations. "We r e a d i l y a c k n o w l e d g e t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t was i n the best p o s i t i o n to e v a l u a t e the c r e d i b i l i t y of the w i t n e s s e s . See F e l l v. F e l l , 869 So. 2d 486, 494 (Ala. C i v . App. 2003) ( n o t i n g t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t i s i n the unique p o s i t i o n to d i r e c t l y observe the witnesses and to assess their demeanor and c r e d i b i l i t y ) . A l t h o u g h i t was c e r t a i n l y w i t h i n t h e province of the trial court to determine the credibility of the witnesses and t o shape i t s judgment accordingly, that judgment must be s u p p o r t e d by t h e e v i d e n c e . See J u d a h v. G i l m o r e , [ 8 0 4 So. 2d 1092 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2000)]." B i s h o p v. K n i g h t , There hearing, best was and, 949 much So. 2d 160, disputed 167 testimony as s t a t e d a b o v e , t h e p o s i t i o n to remains t h a t the resolve record those ( A l a . C i v . App. at the However, l a c k s evidence to support 16 ore j u v e n i l e c o u r t was disputes. 2006). tenus i n the the a fact finding 2090370 t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s b e s t i n t e r e s t s w o u l d be m a t e r i a l l y p r o m o t e d by t h e change juvenile court's i n custody. Because we conclude judgment m o d i f y i n g c u s t o d y that the of the c h i l d i s u n s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e , we must r e v e r s e t h e j u d g m e n t t h a t awarded c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d t o t h e f a t h e r . In l i g h t of the 8 f o r e g o i n g , we a l s o remand t h e c a s e w i t h i n s t r u c t i o n s t o v a c a t e the p o r t i o n s child o f t h e judgment t h a t t r a n s f e r r e d c u s t o d y o f t h e to the father, awarded o r d e r e d t h e mother t o pay c h i l d t h e mother visitation, and support. REVERSED AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS. All the judges concur. Because the c u s t o d y - m o d i f i c a t i o n i s s u e i s d i s p o s i t i v e o f t h e m o t h e r ' s a p p e a l , we p r e t e r m i t d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e r e m a i n i n g i s s u e s p r e s e n t e d b y t h e m o t h e r on a p p e a l . 8 17

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