QUINN-BRINTNALL, J.
Thomas Benner appeals the final parenting plan issued in the dissolution of his marriage to Ashley Benner. The parenting plan denies Thomas
Mary Benner and Thomas married in 1992 or 1993, making Thomas a stepfather to Mary's three minor children from a previous marriage: Ashley, Theresa Benner, and Michael Benner. During the marriage, Thomas and Mary had one child, Child One (born in 1994). Mary died in a car accident in August of 1996. Three years later, Thomas married Ashley, his 19-year-old stepdaughter, on October 6, 1999. During their marriage, Thomas and Ashley had three children: "Child Two" (born in 1999), "Child Three" (born in 2003), and "Child Four" (born in 2007). Thomas and Ashley separated on June 10, 2009.
The trial court simultaneously heard three cases involving Thomas and Ashley, although the cases were not consolidated: the dissolution action filed by Thomas (the case sub judice on appeal), Ashley's petition for nonparental custody of Child One, and Ashley's petition for a domestic violence protection order.
Report of Proceedings (RP) (Sept. 24, 2009) at 13. Ashley, Theresa, and Michael testified about the allegations of abuse detailed in their declarations. Thomas testified and he called two witnesses on his behalf: Ken and Nathaniel Miller. After testimony was completed, the trial court spoke with Child One privately in chambers. After speaking with Child One, the court stated,
RP (Sept. 24, 2009) at 128. The trial court decided not to issue a ruling from the bench because it believed that the case required "more careful consideration." RP (Sept. 24, 2009) at 136.
On November 9,
On December 17, 2009, the trial court held a hearing to enter temporary orders based on the memorandum decision it had issued on November 9. The trial court entered findings of fact and conclusions of law for a temporary parenting plan, which reflected the findings made in the memorandum decision. The trial court also signed an order finding adequate cause to proceed with the nonparental custody case and granted Ashley temporary custody of Child One.
Trial was held on February 22, 2010. Ashley had all her witnesses at court and prepared to testify. But at the beginning of the trial, the court made the following oral ruling:
RP (Feb. 22, 2010) at 9-10. Ashley agreed that the trial court's decision was appropriate because Thomas had the opportunity to fully cross-examine the witnesses at the TO hearing. Ashley also argued that Thomas "had a very good motivation to fully litigate those issues as he was facing being denied contact with his children" and that Thomas was in a better position at the TO hearing because he had been represented by an attorney during the TO hearing but not at trial. RP (Feb. 22, 2010) at 11. Thomas argued that he did not think his prior attorney did a good job but he could not get a new attorney because he had no money. After argument, the court maintained its ruling refusing to reopen testimony. However, the trial court did tell Thomas that if he had new evidence to present, the trial court would allow it. Thomas replied, "If you won't allow the children to be examined, I can't give you any new evidence, your Honor."
Both Ashley and Thomas testified at trial. The children's guardian ad litem (GAL), Scott Jacot, recommended that Thomas have no contact with any of the children, including Child One. He related that Child One "does not want contact with his father unless his father gets help, as he puts it." RP (Feb. 22, 2010) at 132. Child One testified in open court and stated that he did not want to have any visitation with his father. In its oral ruling, the trial court found that Thomas had engaged in sexual abuse of a child requiring restrictions on parental access pursuant to RCW 26.09.191(2)(a) and that he had committed acts of domestic violence as defined in RCW 26.50.010. The trial court noted that no testimony presented at trial had given it a reason to change its mind about its original findings.
On February 25, 2010, the trial court dissolved Thomas and Ashley's marriage and named Ashley the sole residential parent of Child One, Child Two, Child Three, and Child Four. The trial court also entered continuing restraining and protection orders preventing Thomas from having any contact with Ashley or the children based on the trial court's findings that Thomas had engaged in physical, sexual, or a pattern of emotional abuse and domestic violence. Thus, Thomas has no residential time with any of the children, including Child One, under the final parenting plan.
The findings of fact and conclusions of law supporting the decree and final parenting plan include the following conclusion of law:
CP at 82.
Initially, the trial court was going to make Ashley Child One's sole residential parent because it considered her Child One's de facto parent. But Ashley persuaded the trial court that de facto parent status did not apply to stepparents under the decision in In re Parentage of M.F., 168 Wn.2d 528, 228 P.3d 1270 (2010). Accordingly, the trial court granted Ashley's petition for nonparental custody of Child One, finding that neither of Child One's parents were suitable custodians because Child One's mother was deceased, Thomas had violently assaulted Child One, and placement with Thomas would result in actual detriment to Child One. The nonparental custody decree incorporated the visitation provisions and the child support provisions from the final parenting plan.
Thomas timely appeals the decree of dissolution and, specifically, the final parenting plan.
Thomas appeals the decree of dissolution and the parenting plan under cause no. 09-3-00068-4. He argues that by entering the testimony and findings of fact from the TO hearing and declaring that further testimony on the same matters was collaterally estopped or barred by res judicata, the trial court improperly precluded him from refuting allegations of physical and sexual abuse at trial. Thomas also assigns error to the trial court's reliance on the temporary parenting plan in formulating the final parenting plan. In addition, Thomas assigns error to the residential restrictions in the parenting plan, the parenting plan provision requiring the GAL to review and approve any petition for modification, the continuing restraining order and the domestic violence protection order.
Thomas argues that the trial court improperly ruled that he was collaterally estopped at trial from eliciting further testimony related to the court's previous finding that he had sexually and physically abused children. To the extent that Thomas agues the trial court committed an error of law by applying the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel to its decision, he is correct. Nevertheless, because substantial evidence in the record confirms that Thomas committed physical and sexual abuse of children, the error was harmless. Accordingly, we affirm.
We review a decree of dissolution and parenting plans for an abuse of discretion. In re Marriage of Kovacs, 121 Wn.2d 795, 801, 854 P.2d 629 (1993). As this court recently explained in State v. Lamb, 163 Wn.App. 614, 625, 262 P.3d 89 (2011),
Res judicata and collateral estoppel preclude the relitigation of issues after a final judgment has been entered in a prior proceeding. A subsequent action is barred by res judicata if it is identical to the prior action in the following respects: (1) persons and parties, (2) cause of action, (3) subject matter, and (4) the quality of the persons for or against whom the claim is made. Spokane Research & Defense Fund v. City of Spokane, 155 Wn.2d 89, 99, 117 P.3d 1117 (2005). Collateral estoppel applies only if four basic requirements are met: (1) the identical issue was decided in the prior action, (2) the first action resulted in a final judgment on the merits, (3) the party against whom preclusion is asserted was a party or in privity with a party to the prior adjudication, and (4) application of the doctrine does not work an injustice. Hanson v. City of Snohomish, 121 Wn.2d 552, 562, 852 P.2d 295 (1993).
Here, the trial court stated that it would admit the testimony, declarations, and findings of fact from the TO hearing under the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel. This was an error of law because there was no final judgment in those proceedings and the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel did not apply. See Pederson v. Potter, 103 Wn.App. 62, 68-71, 11 P.3d 833 (2000) (discussing whether confession judgments were final judgments for the purposes of applying res judicata and collateral estoppel), review denied, 143 Wn.2d 1006 (2001). Nevertheless, the error does not require reversal because substantial evidence in the record, apart from the trial court's findings from the TO hearing, supports the trial court's finding at trial that Thomas committed child physical and sexual abuse.
A harmless error is one "which is trivial, formal, or merely academic and which in no way affects the outcome of the case." State v. Gonzales, 90 Wn.App. 852, 855, 954 P.2d 360, review denied, 136 Wn.2d 1024 (1998). Here, whether the trial court considered the cumulative testimony from the TO hearing in designing the final parenting plan is harmless because substantial evidence was presented at trial necessitating a finding of abuse.
First, the GAL report was admitted at trial.
CP at 15-18. Thomas had an opportunity to cross-examine the GAL at trial about the report and did so. However, he chose not to question the GAL about any of the allegations of abuse detailed in the report. In Mansour v. Mansour, 126 Wn.App. 1, 9, 106 P.3d 768 (2004), Division One of this court found that a detailed GAL report admitted at trial sufficiently corroborated a trial court's finding that abuse had occurred. Here, the trial court not only had the benefit of the GAL report but, in addition, heard further testimony—including cross-examination by Thomas—of the GAL report's author.
Second, at trial, Ashley testified about Thomas's physical and (to a lesser extent) sexual abuse of her. Thomas had an opportunity, at trial, to cross-examine Ashley about these and other allegations of abuse. We defer to the trier of fact on issues of conflicting testimony, credibility of witnesses, and the persuasiveness of the evidence. State v. Camarillo, 115 Wn.2d 60, 71, 794 P.2d 850 (1990); State v. Walton, 64 Wn.App. 410, 415-16, 824 P.2d 533, review denied, 119 Wn.2d 1011 (1992). Here, the trial court heard and considered substantial evidence—apart from the findings of fact from the TO hearing—supporting its finding that sexual and physical abuse of a child occurred. Absent a clear abuse of discretion, we will not overturn a decision resting on a finding supported by substantial evidence in the record.
Thomas argues that the trial court violated RCW 26.09.060(10)(a) because a temporary order should not "prejudice the rights of a party or any child which are to be adjudicated at subsequent hearings." Thomas also argues that the trial court abused its discretion by failing to consider the criteria listed in RCW 26.09.187 when formulating the final parenting plan.
Thomas's reliance on both RCW 26.09.060(10)(a) and RCW 26.09.187 is misplaced. While it is true that a temporary parenting plan should not prejudice the rights of a party when the trial court formulates a final parenting plan, and that a trial court normally must consider the criteria for establishing a permanent parenting plan found in RCW 26.09.187, a trial court has very limited discretion in awarding a parent custody or visitation once it has made a finding of abuse. Mansour, 126 Wn. App. at 10 ("RCW 26.09.191 is unequivocal. Once the court finds that a parent engaged in physical abuse, it must not require mutual decision-making and it must limit the abusive parent's residential time with the child.").
RCW 26.09.191(2)(a) provides, in relevant part, that
(Emphasis added.) The statute also requires that
RCW 26.09.191(2)(m)(i).
RCW 26.09.187(3)(a) states that the court should consider the following seven factors when determining residential placement:
But the statute also explicitly states that these factors need only be considered when the limitations of RCW 26.09.191 are not dispositive of the child's residential schedule. RCW 26.09.187(3)(a).
Here, the trial court made all the required findings for limiting residential time under RCW 26.09.191, including that Thomas had sexually assaulted a child, that Thomas had engaged in domestic violence, and that limitations on contact would not adequately protect the children. Ample evidence in the record supports these findings. Therefore, RCW 26.09.191 was dispositive in determining the residential placement of the children. Accordingly, the trial court did not abuse its discretion by failing to use the seven factors in RCW 26.09.187 in determining residential placement.
Thomas asserts that "[i]f the court concludes that the hearing on September 24, 2009 was legitimately a hearing on final order, this court should consider the notice provided for that hearing." Br. of Appellant at 13. Review of the record reveals that the notice Thomas received of the TO hearing was sufficient. Thomas's argument appears to be that, should we determine the temporary hearing from September 24 was a final hearing, the notice he received was insufficient. As we decline to treat the TO hearing as a final hearing, and because evidence independent of that presented at the TO hearing required that the trial court limit Thomas's contact with the children, this argument is immaterial. In addition, Thomas makes no clear argument as to why we should consider the September 24 hearing a final hearing and he does not offer any authority supporting his assertion that the notice provided was insufficient. We cannot consider issues unsupported by argument or citation to authority and the record. RAP 10.3(a)(6); Am. Legion Post No. 32 v. City of Walla Walla, 116 Wn.2d 1, 7, 802 P.2d 784 (1991); Holland v. City of Tacoma, 90 Wn.App. 533, 537-38, 954 P.2d 290, review denied, 136 Wn.2d 1015 (1998). Accordingly, we decline to consider further Thomas's argument that he received improper notice for a final hearing.
Thomas also assigns error to the trial court including a provision in the final parenting plan stating that it would only revisit the issue of visitation upon initiative of the GAL,
Thomas argues that based on our Supreme Court's recent holding in M.F., the trial court erred by finding that Ashley was Child One's de facto parent. Ashley responds that this issue is moot because of the trial court's primary resolution of a nonparental custody decree under RCW 26.10.030, which Thomas does not challenge on appeal. Because the relief Thomas requests does not affect the validity of the nonparental custody decree, any opinion on the validity of the trial court's de facto parent finding would be purely advisory. We do not issue advisory opinions. Commonwealth Ins. Co. of Am. v. Grays Harbor County, 120 Wn.App. 232, 245, 84 P.3d 304 (2004) (citing Wash. Beauty Coll., Inc. v. Huse, 195 Wn. 160, 164, 80 P.2d 403 (1938)). Accordingly, we decline to review the trial court's finding that Ashley was Child One's de facto parent. Commonwealth Ins. Co. of Am., 120 Wn. App. at 245.
Ashley requests attorney fees under RCW 26.09.140. RCW 26.09.140 provides that
We grant Ashley's request for reasonable attorney fees pursuant to RCW 26.09.140 in an amount to be determined by a commissioner of this court and affirm the final parenting plan.
A majority of the panel having determined that this opinion will not be printed in the Washington Appellate Reports, but will be filed for public record in accordance with RCW 2.06.040, it is so ordered.
HUNT, J. and PENOYAR, C.J., concurs.