Hamers v. Guttormson

VANDE WALLE, Chief Justice.

[¶ 1] Lloyd Hamers, the paternal grandparent of J.H. (“John,” a pseudonym), appealed from a judgment denying Hamers’ petition for custody of John and awarding custody to Diane (“Guttormson”) Sheehan, John’s natural mother. We hold the trial court’s custody award is not clearly erroneous, and we affirm.

I

[¶ 2] Diane and Richard Hamers, the natural father of John, were married in October 1993 and John was born in May 1994. In November 1995, a Montana trial court granted Richard and Diane a dissolution of marriage and awarded custody of John to Richard with visitation…