Garza v. Ayala

Mother appeals from a judgment awarding custody of the parties’ minor child to father. On de novo review, we reverse.

The child was born to the parties in Klamath Falls, in August 1995. The parties resided in California from August 1995 to April 1998, when mother moved to Mt. Angel, Oregon. The parties have never been married, nor have they lived together, but father maintained regular contact with the child until the child was approximately one-and-one-half years old. Before this proceeding, there has never been an order establishing custody of the child. In approximately 1996, father began…