Stevens v. Brown

Summary

The Supreme Court affirmed the Family Court’s default custody and visitation order granting Mother sole custody and Father visitation. It held that the prior protection-from-abuse order did not preclude a later custody petition because the Family Court had expressly declined to enter a permanent custody provision, and it found no abuse of discretion in entering default after Father failed to participate despite notice. The Court also denied Father’s motion for a stay pending appeal because the Family Court properly applied the governing four-part test.