Mendoza

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

In re: B. DEL C. S. B., (minor),  No. 08-55067

IVAN NEMECIO SALMERON MENDOZA,

Petitioner-Appellee,  D.C. No.

CV-07-00290-CJC

v.

OPINION

GEREMIAS BRITO MIRANDA,

Respondent-Appellant.  Appeal from the United States District Court for the Central District of California Cormac J. Carney, District Judge, Presiding

Argued August 7, 2008 Submitted September 22, 2008 Pasadena, California

Filed March 18, 2009

Before: Stephen Reinhardt, Roger J. Miner,* and Marsha S. Berzon, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Reinhardt

*The Honorable Roger J. Miner, Senior United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit, sitting by designation.

3449 3452 MENDOZA v. MIRANDA

COUNSEL

Mark T. Cramer and Elisa L. Miller, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, for the respondent-appellant.

Lori R.E. Ploeger, Maureen P. Alger, and Christopher B. Dur- bin, Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, for the petitioner- appellee.

OPINION

REINHARDT, Circuit Judge:

It is never an easy nor a joyous task to resolve a dispute between parents that may determine the custody of their child; nor is the outcome ever fully…