Knutsen v. Cegalis

Mother Karen Cegalis appealed a family court's order that awarded primary custody of her five-year-old son to Father Raymond Knutsen. On appeal, Mother argued the family court made numerous errors in its decision, that the evidence could have only lead to the conclusion that she should have been awarded primary custody. Even if this was a close case, and even if inclined to reach a different result on the same facts, "[the Supreme Court] repeatedly stated . . . that [its] review of custody matters is limited, and that [the Court] must defer to the judgment of the trial court applying its own common sense and experience." Accordingly, the Court found that the evidence presented to the family court was sufficient to support the court's judgment awarding custody to the Father.