Marriage of S.M.J. T.I.J.

September 11 2012
DA 11-0698
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
2012 MT 202N
IN RE THE MARRIAGE OF:
S.M.J.,
Petitioner and Appellee,
and
T.I.J.,
Respondent and Appellee,
and
J.W.,
Intervener and Appellant.
APPEAL FROM: District Court of the Eighth Judicial District,
In and For the County of Cascade, Cause No. ADR-09-284
Honorable Thomas M. McKittrick, Presiding Judge
COUNSEL OF RECORD:
For Appellant:
Jeffrey S. Ferguson, Attorney at Law, Great Falls, Montana
For Appellee:
Barbara E. Bell, Marra, Sexe, Evenson & Bell, P.C., Great Falls, Montana
Submitted on Briefs: July 25, 2012
Decided: September 11, 2012
Filed:
__________________________________________
Clerk
Justice Patricia O. Cotter delivered the Opinion of the Court.
¶1 Pursuant to Section I, Paragraph 3(d), Montana Supreme Court Internal Operating
Rules, this case is decided by memorandum opinion and shall not be cited and does not
serve as precedent. Its case title, cause number, and disposition shall be included in this
Court’s quarterly list of noncitable cases published in the Pacific Reporter and Montana
Reports.
¶2 This is the second appeal by these parties to this Court. For a full factual
recitation, procedural background and legal analysis, see In re Marriage of Johnson,
2011 MT 255, 362 Mont. 236, 262 P.3d 1105 (Johnson I).
¶3 In summary, in 2005, S.M.J., having dated both T.I.J. and J.W. during the same
time frame, became pregnant. She informed both men that either of them could be the
father. Shortly thereafter, J.W. ended the relationship, and T.I.J. married S.M.J. C.I.J.
was born in December 2005 and T.I.J. immediately took on the responsibilities of
fatherhood. In June 2009, S.M.J. and T.I.J. experienced marital difficulties and S.M.J.
filed for dissolution. She took the children to Pennsylvania to spend time with her
family. While there, she contacted J.W. and she and the child began spending time with
him. Subsequently, S.M.J. and T.I.J. reunited and the family returned to Montana.
¶4 J.W. followed S.M.J. and C.I.J. to Montana and intervened in S.M.J.’s dissolution
proceeding seeking paternity testing to identify C.I.J.’s biological father. The DNA tests
showed J.W. was the child’s biological father. J.W. moved for a parenting plan granting
him visitation rights. The District Court initially entered a full order denying J.W.’s
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motion for an interim parenting plan. However, the court subsequently reversed its
decision and granted J.W.’s motion. S.M.J and T.I.J. appealed.
¶5 On appeal, we reversed the District Court and remanded the matter with
instructions that the court reinstate its original Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and
Order regarding Parent/Child Relationship, wherein it denied J.W.’s motion for parental
rights and visitation privileges. Johnson I, ¶ 25. On remand, the District Court vacated
its amended order granting J.W. rights and reinstated its original order denying such
rights. J.W. appeals.
¶6 There is nothing in the present record to indicate that our analysis set forth in
Johnson I was incorrect or inappropriate. We concluded in our earlier Opinion that there
was sufficient evidence in the record to support the District Court’s original order
denying J.W.’s request for parenting rights and visitation. Nothing has changed in C.I.J.
or J.W.’s lives to cause us to reconsider this conclusion. S.M.J. and T.I.J., whose
dissolution proceeding was dismissed in 2010, continue to provide a stable and loving
home for their three children.
¶7 We have determined to decide this case pursuant to Section I, Paragraph 3(d) of
our Internal Operating Rules, which provides for noncitable memorandum opinions. As
there was ample evidence to support the District Court’s reinstatement of its earlier
decision, it was not an abuse of the court’s discretion to do so.
CONCLUSION
¶8 For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgment of the District Court.
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/S/ PATRICIA COTTER
We concur:
/S/ JAMES C. NELSON
/S/ MICHAEL E WHEAT
/S/ BETH BAKER
/S/ BRIAN MORRIS
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