# FILED June 4, 1997 Cecil Crowson, Jr. App ellate C ou rt Clerk I N TH E C O U R T O FA PPEA LSO FTEN N ESSEE EA STER N SEC TI O N

TERRI G

. BO W ERS , ) C / A N O . 03A 01- 9701- C

V

- 00008 ) Pl a i ntif f

- A

pp e lla nt , ) KNOX LAW

) v. ) HON. BI LLSW ANN, ) J UDGE FR EDER I CK ALLAN BOW

ER S , )

) AFFI R

M ED ASM

ODI FI ED D e f e nda nt - A

pp e l l ee. ) AND R EM ANDED

L. C AESAR STAI R , I I I , BER

NSTEI N, STAI R

& M c ADAM S , a nd ELI ZABETH K. B. M

EADOW S , SC HM I D, J ONES&

M EADOW S , PLLC, K no xville , for Pl a i ntif f

- A pp e lla nt . R OBER TR. SI M

PSON a ndJ AM

ESH. VAR

NER , J R. , ESHBAUGH, SI M PSON A N D V A R N ER , K noxvi l l e , f or D

e f e nda nt - A

ppe l l e e .

O PI N I O N Fr a nks . J . I n t hi s c us t ody di s put e , t he Tr i a l J udge gr a nt e d c us t ody of t he pa r t i e s ’ c hi l d t o t he f a t he r , a nd t he m ot he r h a s app eal e d .

Te r r i Bo w

e r s andFr e de r i c kBo w e r s w e r e di v or cedi n K e nt uc ky i n 1992. The y a gr e e d t o j oi nt c us t ody of t he i r t he n t hr e e ye a r ol d da ught e r , C he l s e a , w

i t h pr i m

a r y r e s i de nc e w

i t h t he m ot he r . The f a t he r , w ho ha d m

ove d t o O

kl a hom a C i t y, ha d vi s i t a t i on one out of e ve r y f i ve w e e ks , w

i t h a ddi t i ona l t i m e on hol i da ys a nd dur i ng s um m e r . M ot he r , t he n m

ove d t o K

noxvi l l e , a nd s he ha s t e s t i f i e d t ha t t he c hi l d e xpe r i e nc e d be ha vi or a l c ha nge s , s uc h2

a s b e c om

i ngli s t l e s s , c l i ngi ngtohe r m ot he r , w

e t t i ng , a nd pa r r ot i ng w

hom e ve r s he w

a s s pe a ki ng w

i t h, f ol l ow

i ng t he f a t he r ’ s vi s i t a t i on pe r i ods . The m ot he r dom

e s t i c a t e d t he K e nt uc ky di vor c e de c r e e a nd f i l e d a pe t i t i on i n J uve ni l e C our t t o ha ve c us t ody c ha nge d t o he r a nd vi s i t a t i on w i t h t he f a t he r s us pe nde d. The J uve ni l e C our t a w

a r de d t e m

por a r y c us t ody t o t he m ot he r a ndlim

ite dthe f a t he r ’ s vi s ita tiontoa n uns pe c i f i e d a m

ount of t i m

e i n K noxvi l l e a s ?

a gr eedt o?

by t he Te nne s s ee D

e p a r t m e nt o f H

um a nSe r vi ces , t he f a t he r , t he m ot he r , a ndthe c hild ’ s the r a pi s t. Tho s e vi s its th a t w e r e a l l ow e d w e r e t o be s upe r vi s e d by t he Te nne s s e e D e pa r t m e nt of H um a nSe r vi ces .

U ltim a t e l y , th e f a t he r a pp e a l e dthe J uv e nile C our t ’ s a c tiontothe C

i r c uit C

our t, w

he r e the C

i r c uit C

our t gr a nt e d s ol e c us t ody of t he c hi l d t o t he f a t he r . The ba s i s of t he Tr i a l J udge ’ s de c i s i on w a s hi s f i ndi ng t ha t t he f a t he r ha d be e n a nd w

oul d c ont i nue t o e nc our a ge t he c hi l d t o m a i nt a i n a l ovi ng r e l a t i ons hi p w i t h bot h s i de s of t he f a m i l y, w hi l e t he m ot he r s e e m

e d i nt e nt on e xc l udi ng f a t he r a nd hi s f a m i l y f r om t he c hild ’ s lif e . The C our t a w

a r de ds ub s t a ntia l vi s ita tionto t he m ot he r , i nc l udi ng t he f i r s t a nd t hi r d w e e ke nd of e ve r y m ont h, e a c h s pr i ng br e a k, Tha nks gi vi ng a nd C hr i s t m a s , a nd s i xt y c ons e c ut i ve da ys i n t he s um m e r . The m ot he r i ns i s t s t he C our t e r r e d i n gr a nt i ng c us t ody t o t he f a t he r . W he r e i t i s de m

ons t r a t e d t ha t a n e xi s t i ng j oi nt c us t odi a l a r r a nge m e nt i s not i n t he be s t i nt e r e s t o f the c hild , it is a ppr opr i a t e f or the C our t to a l t e r t he c us t ody a r r a nge m e nt e s t a bl i s he d i n t he or i gi na l decr ee. D

a ltonv . D

a lton , 858 S . W

. 2d 324, 326 ( Te nn. A pp.1 Th e t r i a l cour t cr e d i t e d t e s t i m ony t h a t m

o t h e r ’ s s i s t e r and a t t o r n e y , Li nda W

e l c h , had s t a t e d t h a t s h e w oul d ? b r e a k hi m

? i n j uve n i l e cour t . A ppe l l a n t ar gue s t h a t t h e t r i a l cour t er r e d i n r e f u s i ng t o al l o w M s . W e l c h t o t e s t i f y a n d refu t e t h i s st a t e m e n t . It i s fi rst n o t e d t h a t M s . W e l c h was gi v e n a ch a n ce t o t est i f y an d d eci d e d n o t t o , t h e n cam e b ack l a t e r and a s k e d t o t a k e t h e s t a nd. Ev e n i f t h e Tr i a l Cour t s houl d have l e t h e r t est i f y at t h i s po i n t , i t w o u l d b e h a r m

l ess er r o r . Th e al l e g e d s t a t e m e n t i s not det e r m i n a t i v e t o t h e f i ndi ng t h a t m o t h e r t r i e d t o e x c l u d e t h e f a t h e r an d h i s f a m i l y f r o m

h e r ch i l d ’ s l i f e . Th e act i o n s of t h e m o t h e r i n at t e m

p t i n g t o h a v e t h e f a t h e r c h a r a c t e r i z e d as ‘ n e g l e c t f u l ’ ar e m u c h m o r e s i gni f i c a n t i n t h i s r e g a r d , a l t h o u g h w

e n o t e t h a t w

e d o n o t ag r ee w i t h A p p e l l a n t ’ s add i t i o n a l a r g u m e n t t h a t she i s bei n g p u n i shed f o r p u r sui n g such ch a r g es. W h i l e a r e v i e w of t h e s t a t u t o r y def i n i t i ons of ? a bus e ? and ? d e p e nde n t and n e g l e c t e d chi l d , ? i n T. C. A. § 3 7

- 1

- 1 0 2 ( b ) ( 1 ) an d ( 1 2 ) d e m o n s t r a t es t h a t t h e y ar e m

e a n t t o appl y t o ca s e s w h e r e s ubs t a n t i a l l y m o r e s i gni f i c a n t h a r m i s bei n g i n f l i c t e d b y a p a r e n t , t h e t r i a l co u r t d o es no t ap p ear t o h a v e m

a d e t h i s i s s u e det e r m i n a t i v e i n t h e cus t ody dec i s i on. W e not e t h a t t h e r e w

e r e num

e r ous i t e m

s w e i ghe d and c ons i d e r e d i n hi s opi n i on and t h i n k i t i s f a i r e r t o ch a r act e r i ze t h e j u v e n i l e co u r t p r o ceed i n g s m e r e l y a s evi d e n c e of t h e cons i d e r a b l e ani m o s i t y f e l t by t h e m o t h e r t o wa r d s t h e f a t h e r . 3 1993) . The de c i s i on of t he Tr i a l J udge r e ga r di ng c us t ody i s a c c om pa ni e d by a pr e s um pt i on of c or r e c t ne s s unl e s s t he r e c or d pr e ponde r a t e s ot he r w i s e . N

i c h o l s v . N

i c h o l s , 792 S . W

. 2d 713 ( Te nn. 1990) .

The f a t he r a nd hi s m ot he r t e s t i f i e d t ha t t he m ot he r w a s c ont i nua l l y a t t e m pt i ng t o s hut t he m out of t he c hi l d’ s lif e . The m

ot he r ’ s te s tim

onys ho w

s th a t s he m

a de little e f f or t t o put t he c hi l d a t e a s e r e ga r di ng he r pa r e nt s ’ r e l a t i ons hi p. The m ot he r ne ve r i ni t i a t e d di s c us s i ons r e ga r di ng t he f a t he r a nd ne ve r s ugge s t e d t ha t t he c hi l d c a l l he r f a t he r . Thi s s i l e nc e c onf us e d t he c hi l d, w ho w a s uns ur e w he t he r t o s how

a f f e c t i on a nd t o w hom w he n bot h pa r e nt s w e r e i n t he s a m

e r oom . The s e m

a t t e r s w

oul d be s i gni f i c a nt e ve n w i t hout t he c a m

pa i gn w

a ge d by m

ot he r , t o c ha r a c t e r i z e t he f a t he r as ?

a bus i ve . ?

1I n c ont r a s t , t he e vi de nc e s uppor t s t he c our t ’ s f i ndi ng t ha t t he f a t he r ha s e nc our a ge d t he c hi l d t o s how a f f e c t i on t o he r m ot he r a nd ha s a t t e m pt e d t o m

a i nt a i n a w or ki ng r e l a t i ons hi p w i t h t he m

ot he r ’ s f a m

i l y.4 Ta ki ng i nt o a c c ount t hi s de t e r m i na t i on, a l ong w

i t h t he t e s t i m

ony of num

e r ous ps yc hol ogi s t s a nd ne i ghbor s r e ga r di ng t he c l os e r e l a t i ons hi p of t he c hi l d w i t h bot h pa r e nt s , t he e vi de nc e doe s not pr e ponde r a t e a ga i ns t t he c us t ody de c i s i on m a de by t he Tr i a l C our t . T. R. A

. P. R ul e 13( d) . The m

ot he r a l s o a r gue s t ha t t he Tr i a l C our t e r r e d i n he a r i ng t he m

a t t e r w

he n t he j uve ni l e c our t or de r w a s not f i na l , r e qui r i ng t he pa r t i e s t o pr e s e nt t he i r c a s e on a ? w itne s s byw

itne s s ? ba s i s , a nd or de r i ng t he t r i a l t o go f or w a r d on a n e xpe di t e d ba s i s . The or de r i n J uve ni l e C our t w a s f i na l e xc e pt f or t he de t e r m i na t i on of gua r di a n a d l i t e m f e e s , pur s ua nt t o T. R. C. P. R ul e 54. 02 a nd T. R. A . P. R ul e 3. See g e n e r a l l y F ox v. F

ox , 657 S . W . 2d 747 ( Te nn. 1983) . The s e t t i ng of f e e s c a nnot be s a i d t o a f f e c t t he m

e r i t s of t he c a s e a nd f or t he pur pos e s of a ppe a l i n t he C

i r c ui t C

our t , t he j uve ni l e c our t or de r w a s f i na l. Se e Saunde r s v . M e t r opol i t an G

ov ’ t of N

as hv i l l e , 214 Te nn. 703, 383 S . W . 2d 28 ( Te nn. 1964) . The m a t t e r of e s t a bl i s hi ng t he or de r of pr oof i s w i t hi n t he Tr i a l C our t ’ s s ound di s c r e t i on a nd w i l l be r e ve r s e d onl y w he n t he t r i a l j udge ha s a bus e d t ha t di s c r e t i on a nd w he r e i t cande m

on s t r a t e dt h a t t he er r or h a s af f ect e dt he s ubs t a nt i a l r i ght s of one or bot h pa r t i e s . C as t e lli v . Li e n , 910 S . W

. 2d 420 ( Te nn. A

pp. 1995) . The m ot he r w

a s a l l ow

e d t o pr e s e nt a l l of he r non- c um ul a t i ve w

i t ne s s e s . See C

o r de l l v. W ar d Sc hool Bus M

f g. , I nc . , 597 S . W . 2d 323 ( Te nn. A

pp. 1980) ; K i r k s ey v. O

ver t onPu b, I n c . , 804 S . W . 2d 68 ( Te nn. A

pp. 1990) . Tw odup lic a tive w

itne s s e s h a dthe i r te s tim onys tipul a t e dto2 I n i t s or d e r d e t e r m i n i n g cu s t o d y , t h e Tr i a l Co u r t o r d e r e d t h a t al l t r a n spo r t a t i o n ar r a n g e m e n t s and co s t s be b o r n e b y t h e m o t h e r . 5 a nd w e do not f i nd a n a bus e of di s c r e t i on e f f e c t i ng t he m ot he r ’ s s ubs t a nt i ve r i ght s .

R e ga r di ng t he e xpe di t e d t r i a l , t he m ot he r ’ s a t t or ne y w a s not ab l e t oat t e ndt he hear i ngw he r e t he da t e w

a s s e t . She f i l e d a m

ot i on r e que s t i ng t ha t t he C our t r e c ons i de r t he da t e , w

hi c hw a s de ni e d . She s t a t e s t h a t s he w a s t he r e f or e de pr i ve d of s uf f i c i e nt t i m e t o c om

pl e t e di s c ove r y. H ow e ve r , t he Tr i a l C

our t ’ s de c i s i on t o s e t t he da t e w a s c ons t r a i ne d by T. C. A . § 37- 1- 159, w

hi c h r e qui r e s t ha t a ppe a l s f r om a pa r e nt ’ s l os s of c us t ody be he a r d w i t hi n f or t y- f i ve da ys . I n a ddi t i on, t he m ot he r ha d not f i l e d a ny m ot i ons t o c om

pe l di s c ove r y or t a ke ot he r a c t i ons w hi c h w oul d i ndi c a t e t ha t t he e a r l y t r i a l da t e af f ect e dandpr e j u di cedt he pr e s e nt a t i ono f he r cas e . Thi s i s s ue w

e c onc l ude i s w

i t hout m

e r i t . The r e m

a i ni ng i s s ue f or c ons i de r a t i on i s w he t he r t he Tr i a l C

our t e r r e d i n a l l ow i ng t he m

ot he r t o of f s e t he r c hi l d s uppor t pa ym

e nt s w i t h t he c os t of t r a ns por t a t i on f or vi s i t a t i on. The Tr i a l C our t a dopt i ng t he de t e r m i na t i ons of a R e f e r e e , s e t t he m ot he r ’ s c hi l d s uppor t obl i ga t i on a t $894. 00 pe r m ont h, out of he r m ont hl y i nc om

e of $6, 055. 00. G i ve n t ha t vi s i t a t i on w

a s gr a nt e d f or 37 da ys a bove t he a ve r a ge num be r us e d i n t he gui de l i ne s , he r m ont hl y obl i ga t i on w a s r e duc e d t o $778. 71. Be c a us e of m ot he r ’ s t e s t i m

ony t ha t t r a ve l e xpe ns e s 2 f or vi s i t a t i on w

oul d e xc e e d he r a nnua l c hi l d s uppor t obl i ga t i on, t he t r i a l c our t or de r e d t ha t t he m ot he r c oul d de duc t he r vi s i t a t i on e xpe ns e s f r om t he c hi l d s uppor t obl i ga t i on. Thi s w oul d e f f e c t i ve l y ne ga t e a ny c hi l d s uppor t6

pa ym e nt s by t he m

ot he r . The c i r c um

s t a nc e s i n w

hi c h dow

nw a r d de vi a t i ons a r e a ppr opr i a t e f r om

t he c hi l d s uppor t gui de l i ne s , a r e l i m i t e d. See Jon e s v. Jon e s , 930 S . W . 2d 541, 545 ( Te nn. 1996) . W hi l e t he lis t s e t f or t hin Jone s is not e xc l u s i ve , it g i ve s a ? pow e r f ul i ndi c a t i on?

of t he t ype s of s i t ua t i ons i n w hi c h t he gui de l i ne s a l l ow

de vi a t i on dow

nw a r d. I d. C l e a r l y, t he r e duc t i on i n s uppor t t o a c c ount f or t he m ot he r ’ s a bove a ve r a ge vi s i t a t i on i s a l l ow e d unde r t he gui de l i ne s . Te nn. C om p. R. & R e gs . , C

h. 1240- 2- 4- . 04( 2) ( b) . The r e duc t i on t o of f s e t t r a ns por t a t i on c os t s , how e ve r , i s not a na l ogous t o t he s i t ua t i ons i n Jone s . A c c or di ngl y, w

e do not be l i e ve i t i s a ppr opr i a t e t o f ur t he r r e duc e t he c hi l d s uppor t pa ym e nt s ba s e d upon t r a ve l e xpe ns e s . H o w e ve r , t hi s cas e pr e s e nt s a l a r g e di s p a r i t yi nt he p a r t i e s ’ i nc om

e . The f a t he r , a phy s i c i a n , ear n s appr o xi m a t e l y $430, 000. 00 pe r ye a r . The m ot he r , a nur s e a ne s t he t i s t , e a r ns a ppr oxi m

a t e l y $72, 000. 00 pe r ye a r . I n t hi s c a s e , t he m ot he r m a y s pe nd ha l f of he r i nc om e i n s uppor t i ng a nd vi s i t i ng w i t h he r c hi l d. A

s s i gni ng t r a ve l e xpe ns e s f or vi s i t a t i on i s a n i s s ue onw

hi c ht he r e l a t i v e f i n a nc i a l r e s our ces o f t he p a r t i e s m a y be c ons i de r e d. D odd v . D

odd, 737 S . W

. 2d 286, 292 ( Te nn. A

pp. 1987) ; Re z n i cek v. Re z n i cek , 1991 W L156407 ( Te nn. A

pp. 1991) . I t i s i n t he c hi l d’ s be s t i nt e r e s t t ha t s he s pe nd t i m

e w i t h he r r e s pe c t i ve pa r e nt s , a nd w e c onc l ude unde r a l l of t he c i r c um s t a nc e s t ha t i t i s a ppr opr i a t e f or t he f a t he r t o de f r a y t he t r a ve l a nd l odgi ng e xpe ns e s of t he m ot he r w he n vi s i t i ng t he c hi l d i n O kl a hom a . A c c or di ngl y, t he j udgm e nt of t he Tr i a l C our t w i l l be m

odi f i e d t o r e qui r e t he7

m ot he r t o pa y t he c hi l d s uppor t of $778. 71. H ow e ve r , t he f a t he r w

i l l r e i m

bur s e on a m

ont hl y ba s i s , t he m ot he r f or he r t r a ve l a nd l odgi ng e xpe ns e s i n c onne c t i on w i t h c hi l d vi s i t a t i on, i n a c c or da nc e w i t h t he gui de l i ne s e s t a bl i s he d by t he R e f e r ee andt he Tr i a l J u dg e as t ot he r eas on a b l e ne s s o f t he c os t of t r a ve l a nd l odgi ng.

The j udgm

e nt of t he Tr i a l C our t i s a f f i r m

e d, a s m odi f i e d, a nd t he c os t of t he a ppe a l i s a s s e s s e d one

- ha l f t o eachp a r t y .

________________________ H e r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J . CONC UR:

___________________________ H ous t on M

. G odda r d, P. J .

___________________________ D on T. M

c M ur r a y, J .

# FILED June 4, 1997 Cecil Crowson, Jr. App ellate C ou rt Clerk I N TH E C O U R T O FA PPEA LSO FTEN N ESSEE EA STER N SEC TI O N

TERRI G

. BO W ERS , ) C / A N O . 03A 01- 9701- C

V

- 00008 ) Pl a i ntif f

- A

pp e lla nt , ) KNOX LAW

) v. ) ) FR EDER I CK ALLAN BOW

ER S , )

) D e f e nda nt - A

pp e l l ee. )

O R D ER

Thi s c a us e w

a s r e gul a r l y he a r d a nd c ons i de r e d by t he c our t . I TI SN

O W O R D ER ED t ha t t he j udgm

e nt of t he Tr i a l C our t i s af f i r m

e d , as m

o di f i e d , andt he cau s e r e m a nde d . The co s t s of a ppe a l a r e a dj udge d one

- ha l f t o e a c h pa r t y, f or w hi c h e xecut i onm

a yi s s ue i f necess a r y . PER CU RI U M