Karen Gale Engel v. Jerry Burton Young, Sr.

This appeal arose after a paternity and custody proceeding was resolved by the trial court in which custody of the child was granted to Mother and visitation was granted in part to Father and in part to the child's half-siblings, Father's adult daughters. Mother appeals, arguing that the third party visitation order violates her constitutional rights as a parent and that she should have been awarded the tax deduction for the child. Because the trial court was incorrect in ordering the third party visitation, we reverse that portion of the trial court's decision which awarded visitation to the child's half-siblings. Because the trial court did not abuse its discretion in awarding the tax deduction to Father, we affirm that portion of the trial court's decision. We also decline to award Mother attorney's fees on appeal