FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
MICHAEL CHEERVA DEBORAH M. AGARD
MELISSA J. AVERY MAUREEN E. GADDY
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF )
TOMMY WAYNE RANDOLPH, )
)
Appellant-Petitioner, )
)
vs. ) No. 49A05-9908-CV-396
)
CINDY LUISE RANDOLPH, )
)
Appellee-Respondent. )
APPEAL FROM THE MARION SUPERIOR COURT
The Honorable Richard H. Huston, Judge
Cause No. 49D10-9903-DR-000386
January 26, 2000
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
HOFFMAN, Senior Judge
Petitioner-Appellant Tommy Wayne Randolph (Tommy) appeals the trial courts determination in a visitation
modification action filed by Respondent-Appellee Cindy Luise Randolph (Cindy).
We reverse and remand.
Tommy raises two issues for our review, which we restate as:
I. Whether the trial court erred in assuming post-emergency jurisdiction to modify the visitation
provisions of a Texas divorce decree.
II. Whether the trial court erred in determining it had continuing emergency jurisdiction.
Tommy and Cindy were divorced in Texas on April 1, 1988. Pursuant
to the Texas divorce decree, Cindy was awarded custody of their child, Joshua.
Tommy was awarded specified visitation rights.
In 1992, further proceedings were held in Texas after which Tommys visitation rights
were modified. These visitation rights provided,
inter alia, for summer visitation for
six weeks between June 1 and August 31 of each year. Tommys
child support obligation was modified in 1996 when the Texas court approved the
parties modification agreement.
For the last eleven years, Cindy and Joshua have lived in Indiana.
Tommy continues to reside in Texas. In 1992, when Cindy attempted to
address visitation issues in Indiana, the Texas court declined to relinquish its jurisdiction
over the case.
On March 18, 1999, Cindy filed an Emergency Petition to Suspend Visitation and
Petition for Modification [of Visitation] in an Indiana trial court. The trial
court granted Cindys request to suspend visitation, and Tommy filed a motion to
correct error challenging the trial courts jurisdiction. A hearing was held in
the Indiana trial court on May 25, 1999, and on August 4, 1999,
the court entered an order denying Tommys motion to correct error and asserting
its jurisdiction to decide the visitation issue. Tommy now appeals.
Tommy contends that the Indiana trial court misinterpreted the applicable law in determining
that it had post-emergency jurisdiction over the visitation issue in this matter.
Specifically, Tommy contends that the trial court misinterpreted the Indiana Uniform Child Custody
Jurisdiction Law (UCCJL), the Texas Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA), and the
Federal Parental Kidnaping Prevention Act (PKPA).
In reviewing the propriety of the trial courts assertion of jurisdiction in this
matter, we must determine whether the trial court correctly interpreted the various statutes
involved. The interpretation of a statute by a trial court is a
question of law to which this court owes no deference.
Morgan County
v. Ferguson, 712 N.E.2d 1038, 1043 (Ind. Ct. App. 1999).
Under Indianas UCCJL, when modification of an order from another state is sought
in an Indiana court, the Indiana court must first establish either that the
court of the originating state (here, Texas) does not now have jurisdiction or
that it has declined to exercise its jurisdiction.
Wilcox v. Wilcox, 635
N.E.2d 1131, 1134 (Ind. Ct. App. 1994) (interpreting Indianas UCCJL at Ind. Code
§ 31-1-11.6-14, now Ind. Code § 31-17-3-1 et. seq.). It is only
after it is determined that the court of the originating state does not
have jurisdiction or has declined to exercise jurisdiction that the Indiana court may
consider other factors, such as the home state or significant connections tests.
Id.
The PKPA mandates a similar approach. In 28 U.S.C. § 1738A(d), the
PKPA states that the jurisdiction of the court of the originating state continues
as long as the requirement of subsection (c)(1) of this section continues to
be met and such State remains the residence of the child or of
any contestant. Subsection (c)(1) of §1738A states that such court has jurisdiction
under the law of such State.
See footnote
Stated simply, the PKPA, like Indianas
UCCJL, would prohibit the exercise of jurisdiction by the Indiana trial court in
the present case if the Texas court has continuing jurisdiction and it has
not declined to exercise such jurisdiction.
See footnote
In determining whether Texas has continuing
jurisdiction over visitation issues, we look to the Texas UCCJA and the cases
interpreting it.
See footnote
The Texas Family Code provides that a Texas court acquires
continuing, exclusive jurisdiction by rendering a final order in an action involving the
parent-child relationship. TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 155.001(a); Allison v. Allison, 3
S.W.3d 211 (Tex. App. 1999). The Texas UCCJA states, however, that the
Texas court has no power to exercise its continuing jurisdiction to modify custody
if the child and the party with custody have established another home state
unless the action to modify was filed before the new home state was
acquired. TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 152.003(d).
It is upon § 152.003(d) that the Indiana trial court in this case
based its determination that the Texas court could not exercise its continuing jurisdiction.
The Indiana trial court, assuming that this is a custody dispute under
the Texas statute, also determined that it could assert jurisdiction to modify visitation
because Indiana is the new home state. The trial court, however, is
in error. The Texas courts have consistently distinguished between custody and visitation.
See e.g., Allison, id.; Coots v. Leonard, 959 S.W.2d 299, 303-03 (Tex.
App. 1997); Welborn-Hosler v. Hosler, 870 S.W.2d 323, 327 (Tex. App. 1994); Hemingway
v. Robertson, 778 S.W.2d 199, 201 (Tex. App. 1989). The courts have
looked to the Texas Family Code, which defines custody as managing conservatorship of
a child and visitation as possession or access to a child. Id.
(citing TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 152.002(2) and (11)). The courts
have noted that the exception to continuing jurisdiction in the Family Code mentions
only custody and does not include visitation. Id. The courts have
concluded that the Texas legislature distinguished the term custody from the term custody
determination, which is defined as a court decision and court orders and
instructions providing for the custody of a child, including visitation rights, but does
not include a decision relating to child support or any other monetary obligation
of any person. Id. (citing TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 152.002(3)).
Thus, the courts have held that had the legislature intended to include visitation
within the exception to Texass continuing jurisdiction, it would have either used the
term custody determination or it would have included the word visitation. Therefore,
Texas retains power to modify all aspects of its decree except for managing
conservatorship. Id. (internal citations omitted).
The Indiana trial court has misinterpreted the relevant statutes. Its misinterpretation of
the statutes led to its erroneous conclusions that (1) Texas did not have
continuing jurisdiction over the modification of the visitation issue, and (2) Indiana could
assert post-emergency jurisdiction as the home state.
Tommy contends that the trial court erred in concluding that it had the
power to suspend visitation or modify the Texas decree under its emergency jurisdiction,
and that an emergency still exists which necessitates the exercise of the courts
continuing emergency jurisdiction to suspend visitation pending a final hearing upon Cindys motion
to modify visitation. Tommy argues that the UCCJL does not provide for
emergency jurisdiction, and that the emergency, if it ever existed, has now passed.
The emergency alleged by Cindy in her petition pertained to Joshuas expressed concerns
about visiting Tommy in Texas. Assuming, without deciding, that the Indiana UCCJL
permits the exercise of emergency jurisdiction, we find that there is no emergency
which requires the exercise of the Indiana trial courts jurisdiction in this case.
See footnote
Cindy is free to file an emergency petition with the Texas trial
court, which may exercise its discretion to rule on the petition or to
decline to exercise jurisdiction pursuant to TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 152.001.
Reversed and remanded with instructions that the Indiana trial court vacate its order.
SULLIVAN, J., and BAILEY, J., concur.
Footnote:
Here, the trial court appears to have included the requirements of
subsection (c)(2) in its consideration under 28 U.S.C. § 1738A(d). In doing
so, the trial court erred as the language of the PKPA clearly states
that (c)(1) is the relevant subsection.
Footnote:
The parties do not dispute that Tommy is a contestant and
that he resides in Texas. Accordingly, the second requirement of the PKPA
has been met.
Footnote:
We note that Texas has recently adopted the Uniform Child Custody
Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. This act applies only to an original action
affecting the parent-child relationship and an action for modification filed on or after
September 1, 1999. Accordingly, it is not applicable in the present case.
Footnote:
We note that the PKPA does authorize a trial court to
exercise jurisdiction when a child is physically in the State and it is
necessary in an emergency to protect the child because he has been subjected
to or threatened with mistreatment or abuse. 28 U.S.C. § 1738A(c)(2)(C).