Lloyd v. Butts

Tom Glaze, Justice.

The court of appeals certified this chancery court custody case because it involves a significant issue requiring clarification of the law pertaining to the natural-parent-preference rule. Ark. R. Sup. Ct. l-2(b)(5). To understand and to reach this issue requires us to review the relevant proceedings that led to this appeal.

On May 1, 1992, appellee Michael Butts filed a divorce complaint against Kimberly Butts (now Kimberly Lloyd), and in that lawsuit, Michael sought custody of their children, Lanai and Tyler. In December 1992, Derek Lloyd was allowed to intervene, whereby…