SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, A NDREWS and BROWN, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

Jul y 30, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A1 00 2 . HUFF v . VALLEJ O.

B R O W N , J u d g e.

Lat rel l e Hu ff ( “ t h e m o th er”) ap peal s fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n tem p t o rd er

wh i ch al s o m o d ifi ed Ig n aci o V al l ejo ’ s (“ t h e fat h er”) v i si t at io n wi t h t hei r t h ree-y earo l d t wi n s fro m s up erv i s ed t o u n s u p erv is ed . Sh e co n t en d s t hat it was “ a gro s s ab u s e

o f d i scret i o n ” fo r t h e t ri al co u rt t o ch an ge t h e v i s i t at i o n t o u ns u p erv i s ed b as ed u p o n

a p en d i n g m i s dem ean or cas e ag ai n s t t h e fat h e r a n d h is “ cu rren t s tat u s as an i l l eg al

al i en wi t h an act i v e Im

m i g rat i o n an d Cu s t om s En fo rcem en t cas e.” 1 Fo r t h e reas on s

ex p lai n ed b el o w , we d i s ag ree an d affi rm

.

W i t h reg ard t o v i s i tat i o n d eci s i o ns

,

1 Th e m ot her d oes n ot d is p u t e t h e tri al co u rt ’ s au t h o ri t y t o m o d i fy a t em p o rary

v i s i t at i o n o rd er i n a co n t em p t pro ce e d i n g

. S e e W

eeks v. W eeks

, 3 2 4 Ga. Ap p

. 7 8 5,

7 8 7 (2 ) (7 5 1 SE2 d 5 75 ) (2 0 1 3 ).t h e t ri al co urt h as v er y b ro ad d i scret i o n, lo ok i ng al way s t o t he b es t

i n t eres t o f t h e ch i l d . W h en t h e t ri al co u rt h as ex erci s ed t h at d i s cret i o n

,

t h i s co u rt wi l l n o t i n terfere u n l es s t h e ev id en ce s h o w s a cl ear ab u s e o f

d i s cret i o n

, an d wh ere t h ere i s an y ev i d en ce t o s u p po rt t h e t ri al co u r t ’ s

fi nd in g , t hi s co u rt wi l l n o t fi n d t h ere was an ab u se o f d is cret i o n

.

(Ci t at i o n an d pu nct u at io n o m i t t ed

. ) W i ll i a ms v. W

il l ia ms

, 30 1 Ga. 2 1 8

, 2 20 (1 ) (8 0 0

SE2 d 28 2 ) (2 0 1 7 ). Th e reco r d s h o ws t h at wh en t h e t wi n s w ere b orn i n 2 0 1 4

, t h e

f a t h e r ’s n am e was p l aced o n th e b i rt h cert i fi cat es

. In Ap ri l 2 0 15

, t h e fat h er fi l e d a

co m p l ai n t fo r l eg i t im at i o n an d s o u g h t cu s t o d i al an d v i s i t a t i o n ri gh t s fo r t h e t wi n s

.

Fo l l o wi ng a h eari n g i n wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt h eard t es t i m o n y an d co ns i d ered ev i d en ce

fro m th e p art i es

, i t i s s u ed a tem po rary o rd er d ecl ari n g t h e fat h er “ to b e t h e l eg i t i m at ed

fat h er of t h e m i n o r ch i l d ren .” It al s o fo u n d t h at it was i n t h e b es t i n t eres t o f t h e m i n o r

ch i l d ren t o co m m en ce vi s i t at i o n wi t h t h e fat h er “ b as ed up o n t h e t o t al i t y o f t h e

ev i d en c e p r e s e n t ed

, in cl u d i n g ev i d en ce recei v ed in t h e fo rm of t es t i m o n y an d

affi d av i ts fro m m em

b ers o f t he M o th er’ s im

m ed i at e fam il y

s u p p ort i n g t h e Fat h er’ s

p o s i t i on .” It g ran t ed t em

p orary jo i n t l eg al cu s to d y t o bo t h p aren t s

, pri m ary p h y s i cal

cu s t o d y wi th t h e m o t h er, an d s u p erv i s ed vi s i t at i o n ev ery o t h er week en d t o t h e fat h er.

Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot ex pl ai n t h e reas o ni n g b eh i n d i t s deci s i o n t o req u i re s up erv i s ed

v i s i t at i o n . In t h e fact -fi n d in g p o rt i on o f i t s o rd er, t h e t ri al co u rt s t at ed :

2T h e Co u rt fu rt h er fi nd s t h at

, d es p i t e al l eg at io n s m ad e b y t h e [m o t h er]

ag ai ns t t h e [ f

a t h e r]

, i ncl u d i n g an al l eg at i o n o f rap e, no co m p et en t

ev i d en ce was p res en t ed su ppor tin g su ch al l eg at i o n

. M o reo v er, t h e Co u rt

n o t es t hat a g ran d ju ry s i t t i n g in Ch at h am Co u n t y ret u rn ed a “ n o b i l l” o n

t h e m at t er.

. . . Th e Co urt fu rt h er fi n d s t h at m i s dem ean o r al l eg at i o ns are

cu rren t l y p en d i n g ag ai n s t t h e Defen d an t, b ut t h at s ai d m at t er is n o t s et

fo r arrai g n m en t i n St at e Co u rt u nt i l Au g us t 2 6 , 2 01 6

.

O n M arch 16

, 2 0 17

, t h e fat her fi led a m ot i o n fo r co n tem p t aft er t h e m o t h er

refu sed t o al l o w th e s u p erv i sed v i s i t at i o n ord ered b y t h e t ri al co u rt

. Fo l l o w i n g a J u n e

6

, 2 0 1 7 h eari ng i n wh i ch th e p art i es t es t i fi ed an d p res en t ed ev i d en ce, th e t ri al co u rt

fo u n d t hat t h e m i s d em ean o r al l eg at i o n s were sch ed u l ed fo r a pret ri al co n feren ce in

J u n e 2 01 7 . It al s o n o t ed t h at

t h e Fat h er was d et ai n ed b y Im m i g rat i o ns an d Cu s t o m s En fo r cem en t

(“ ICE”) i n earl y Feb ru ary 2 0 1 7 b ecau s e o f s o m e q u es t i o ns reg ard i n g h i s

s t at u s i n t h e Un i t ed S t a t es

. Aft er b ei n g d et ai n ed

, an d wi t h t h e act iv e

as s i s t an ce o f t h e M o t h er’ s o wn fam i l y m em b ers

, i n cl u di n g h er s i s ter an d

m o t h er, t h e Fat h er ret ai n ed co u n s el

. He p os t ed an i m m i g rat io n b o n d an d

was r e l e a s ed by th e en d of Feb ru ary 2 01 7

. Th e Fat her i s cu rren t l y

p u rs ui n g Can cel l at io n o f Rem o v al

, a leg a l m ech an is m b y w h i ch he

m i g h t be ab l e to rem ai n i n t h e Un i ted St at es . . . . Th e Co u rt reco g n i zes

t h at m at t ers o f im

m i grat io n are b ey on d th e p u rv i ew o f t h e s e

p ro ceed i n g s

, b u t

, i nas m

u ch as i m

m i g r a t i o n m at t ers m i g ht i m p act th e

Fat h er’ s ab i l it y t o hav e v i s i t at i o n w i th t h e m in or ch il d ren

, t h e Co u rt

3f

i n d s t h at th e Fat h er’ s i m m i g rat i o n st at us s h o u l d n o t b ar h i m f r o m

ex erci s i n g v i s i t at io n.

Bas ed u po n th e m ot h er’ s refu s al t o al l o w th e ch il d ren t o p art i ci pat e i n v i si t at i o n aft er

t h e fat h er’ s rel eas e fro m ICE d et en t i o n

, t h e t ri al co urt co n cl ud ed “ t h at th ere h as b een

a p at t ern o f b eh av i o r ex h i bi ted b y t h e M o th er d es i g n e d t o i m p ed e, i n t erfere, an d

p rev en t t h e Fat h er fro m h av i n g m ean in g fu l v is i t at i o n wi t h t h e m i n o r ch i l d ren

. Th e

Co u rt fi n d s t h at t h e M o t h er’ s act i o n s h av e wi ll fu ll y d efi ed t h e p rev i o us o rd er o f t h i s

Co u rt .” Acco rd i ng l y

, i t fo u n d t h e m o t h er i n co n t em p t an d ord ered h er t o p ay $ 1 ,0 0 0

t o t h e fat h er fo r h i s at t o rn ey fees

. Th e t ri al co u rt al s o d eci ded

, “ b as ed u po n wh at i t

b el i ev es is i n t he m i n o r ch i l d ren ’ s b es t i n t eres t ,” t o m o d ify t h e term s o f v i s it at i o n to

al l o w t h e fat h er to h a v e un s up erv i s ed v i si t at io n wi t h t h e ch i l d ren

. It rep eat ed i t s

earl ier ad m o n it i o n p rev en t i n g ei t h er p art y fro m t rav el i n g wi t h t h e m i n or ch i l d ren

o u t s i d e o f t h e U n it ed St at es wi t h o u t t h e w ri t t en p erm i s si o n o f t h e co u rt an d ad d ed a

req u i rem en t t h at t h e ch i l d ren b e d ri v en b y a l i cen s ed d ri v er wh en t h e fat h er ex erci s es

h i s v i s i t at i o n

. Fi n al l y

, i t reject ed t h e m o t h er’ s p et i t i on fo r a t em p o rary p r o t e c t i v e

o rd er b as ed u p o n t h e fat h er’ s al l eg e d co nd u ct i n fo l l o wi n g h er i n Ap ri l 2 01 7

, an d

ri di n g as a p as s en g er i n a car t h at t ai l g at ed t h e m o th er i n May 20 1 7

. Th e tri al co u rt

4f

o u n d t h at t h e m ot h er p u t fo rward “ n o co m p et en t ev i den ce” t o s u b s t an ti a t e h e r

cl ai m s

.

On ap p eal

, t h e m o t h er co n t en d s t hat “ i t w as erro r an d a g r o s s a b u s e o f

d i s cret i o n fo r t h e t ri al co urt t o m o d i fy t h e t erm s o f t h e [fat h er] ’ s v i s i t at io n f ro m

s u p erv i s ed t o u n s u p erv is ed g i v en th e fact s an d ci r c u m s t an ces befo re t h e t ri al co u rt

at t he co n t em

p t h eari n g

. ” In h er v i ew, “ i t i s i n th e m i n o r ch i ld ren ’ s b es t in t eres t s t h at

v i s i t at i o n rem ai n s u p erv i sed u n t i l s u ch t i m e t h at t h e [fat h er] ’ s p en d i n g cri m i n al an d

i m m i g rat i o n cas es are fi n al i zed an d t h e p art i es al l k n ow, wi t h co n fi d en ce, wh ere t h ey

s t an d .”

“ Ap p el l an t s h av e t h e b u rd en o f s h owi n g erro r affi rm at i v el y b y t h e reco rd .”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) In t he In ter es t o f H. B.

, Ga. Ap p

. (1 ) (Cas e No

.

A1 8 A0 25 7

, deci d ed Ju n e 8

, 2 0 1 8 ). Th e reco rd b efo re u s fai l s t o in cl ud e a tran s cri pt

o f t he co n tem

pt h e ari n g h el d o n J u n e 6

, 2 0 1 7

, d u ri ng wh ich t h e t ri al co u rt h eard

t es t i m o ny fro m b ot h p art i es an d recei v ed ev i d en ce. In t h e ab s en ce o f a tran s cri p t o f

t h e h eari n g , we are req u i red t o “ as s u m e t h e co urt was au t h ori zed t o fi n d t h at i t i s t o

t h e bes t i n teres t o f [t h e ] m i n o r c h i l d [ren t o h av e un s up erv i s ed v is i tat i o n wi t h t h ei r

fat h er] .” (Ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n om i t t ed .) Gr i f f i n v. Gr if f in

, 2 3 9 Ga. 7 13 (1 ) (2 3 8

SE2 d 3 8 0 ) (1 9 77 ). See al s o Devl i n v. Devl i n , 3 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. 5 20 , 5 26 (2 ) (7 9 1 SE2 d

58 4 0 ) (2 0 1 6 ). Th i s ru l e s t em s fro m o u r o b l i g at i o n t o affi rm a t ri al co u rt ’ s v i s i t at i o n

d eci s i o n i f t h ere is “ a n

y ev i d en ce to suppo rt ” i t. (Em p h as i s su p p l i ed .) W

i l l i ams

, s u p ra,

3 0 1 Ga. at 2 2 0 (1 ).

M o r e o v er, we can n o t s ay

, as a m at t er o f l aw, t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s

d i s cret i o n b y

al l o wi n g u n s u p erv i s ed v i s i t at i o n t o a p aren t b as ed u p o n t h e m ere fact

o f p en d i n g i m

m i g r a t i o n p ro ceed i n g s an d cri m i n al ch arg es s t an d in g al o n e. W e can

en v is i o n fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces fro m wh i ch a tri al co u rt co u l d co n cl u d e t h at

s u p erv i s ed v i s i t at i o n i s n o t n eces s ary b ecau s e a p art icu l ar p aren t i s n o t a fl i g h t ri s k

an d v ice v ers a. W i t h o u t m o re, t h e m o th er s im p l y h as n o t m et h er b u rd en o f p ro v i n g

a cl ear ab u s e o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d is cret i o n t o award u n s up erv i s ed v i s i t at i o n

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

An d r ews

, J., co n cu r

.

6