Feist Lemieux-Feist v. State
2010 SD 104
| S.D. | 2010Background
- Grandparents petitioned for custody of A.L.F. after parents’ relationship deteriorated; circuit court approved a joint custody arrangement with mother retaining primary physical custody.
- Grandparents later sought custody; mother challenged SDCL 25-5-29 and 25-5-30 as unconstitutional for lacking a parental unfitness finding.
- Circuit court dismissed the petition, deeming the statutes unconstitutional in light of Troxel v. Granville.
- Court held Troxel requires special weight to fit parents’ decisions but does not mandatorily require a parental-unfitness finding.
- Court concluded the statutes can be construed to be constitutional and reversed the circuit court’s dismissal.
- Parties requested appellate attorney’s fees; court assigned each party to bear its own costs.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether SDCL 25-5-29 and 25-5-30 violate Troxel as written. | Feist/Lemieux-Feist argue statutes lack a parental-unfitness finding. | State contends statutes can be interpreted to give special weight to fit parent decisions. | Statutes can be construed constitutionally; Troxel’s special-weight principle applied. |
| Whether Troxel requires a parental-unfitness finding in third-party custody cases. | Troxel’s framework requires heightened scrutiny absent fit parent deference. | Troxel requires special weight to a fit parent’s decisions, not an explicit unfitness finding. | Troxel does not demand a formal unfitness finding; special weight applies when fit parent is involved. |
| Whether the statutes, as construed, comply with Troxel and constitutional constraints. | Without unfitness findings, statute violates liberty and due process. | With proper interpretation, statute respects parental liberty while allowing extraordinary circumstances. | Constitutional under proper construction; application must give special weight to fit parents. |
Key Cases Cited
- Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (U.S. Supreme Court, 2000) (parents’ liberty interest; special weight to fit parent decisions in custody cases)
- A.L. v. State, 2010 S.D. 33, 781 N.W.2d 482 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2010) (Troxel framework applied to grandparent visitation; special weight to parent’s decisions)
- Clough v. Nez, 2008 S.D. 125, 759 N.W.2d 297 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2008) (Troxel applied to custody/visitation; extraordinary circumstances affect presumption)
- State v. Page, 2006 S.D. 2, 709 N.W.2d 739 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2006) (construction of statutes to avoid constitutional violation; deference to legislature’s intent)
- Green v. Burlington Northern R.R. Co., 2001 S.D. 48, 624 N.W.2d 826 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2001) (strong presumption statutes constitutional; heavy burden to show violation)