FI FTH DI VI SI ON
PHI PPS, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and PETERSON, 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

October 14, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A1 31 2 . W ILSON v . W ILSON.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u dg e.

In th i s cas e, a m o t her ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er m o d ify i n g cu s t o d y o f

h er m i no r d au g h t er, A. W

. , i n fav o r o f t he ap p el l ee fat h er. Th e m o t h er co n t en d s t h at

t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s di scret i o n i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e b es t i nt eres t o f t h e ch i l d an d

rel i ed t o o h eav i l y o n t h e o p in i o n o f t h e g uard i an ad l i t em , w h o fo cu s ed p ri m ari l y o n

t h e m o t h er’ s co n d u ct i n h i n d ran ce o f A

. W .’ s co m m u n icat i o n wi t h th e fat h er. Fo r t h e

fo l l o w i n g reas on s , we affi rm

.

Th e reco rd s ho ws t h at t h e p art i es m arri ed i n Sep t em b er 2 00 3 an d d iv o rced in

J u n e 2 0 1 2

. Du ri ng t h e m arri ag e, t h e fat h er s erv ed in t h e m i l i t ary

. W hi l e d ep l oy ed

, t h e

fat h er d i d n o t h av e m

uch co n tact wi t h A. W

. At t h e t i m e o f t h e d i v o rce, t h e fat h er h adfi ni s h ed act i v e m i l it ary d u t y a n d was l i v i n g i n New Mex ico wh ere h e wo rk ed as a

p o l i ce o ffi cer.

In t h e p art i es ’ di v o rce d ecr e e , t h e m o t h er was award ed pri m ary p h y s i cal

cu s t o d y o f A. W

. , t h en ei g ht y ears o ld

, an d t h e fat her was award ed v i s i t at i o n,

i n cl u d i n g d u ri ng m o s t o f t he su m m er break fro m s ch o ol

. In 2 0 1 3

, th e fat h er o b t ai n ed

a co u rt o rd er t o en fo rce s um m e r v i s i t a t i o n

. Aro u n d t h e s am e t i m e, t h e m o t h er fi l ed

a p et i t io n t o m o d i fy

t he cu s t o d y

an d v i s i t at i o n arran g em en t

.

In her p et i t io n, t h e m ot her al l eg ed t hat t h e fat h er h ad n o t p ro v i d ed h er wi t h h i s

cu r r e n t a d d res s , h ad n o t m ai n t ai n ed h eal t h i n s u ran ce co v erag e fo r A. W

., h ad

en d an g ered A. W

., an d h ad p erfo rm ed l ewd act s in fro n t o f h er. In ad d i t i o n , t h e fat h er

was “ al w ay s s u rro un d ed b y p o rn o g rap h y ,” an d A

. W. was b ei ng “ p sy ch o l o g i cal

ab u s e d.” Ho wev er, th e m o t h er d i d n o t p ro du ce ev id en ce t o s u p p o rt an y o f t h es e

al l eg at i o n s

.

In Au g u s t 2 0 1 3

, t h e t ri al co u rt ap p oi n t ed a g u ard i an ad l i t em

. Th e g u ard i an ad

l i tem co nd u ct ed an i nv es t ig at i o n , s u b m i t t ed a rep o rt

, an d t es t i fi ed at t h e fi n al

m o di fi cat i o n h eari n g i n Oct o ber 2 0 1 4

. Th e g u ard i an ad l i t em reco m m en d ed t h at t h e

fat h er hav e p ri m ary p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f A. W

., n o t i ng t h at t h e m o t h er h ad i n t erfered

wi t h t h e fat h er’ s t el ep h o n e v i s i t at i o n wi t h A. W

. , refu s ed t o co o p erat e i n faci l i t at i n g

2A. W .’ s v i s it s t o New M ex i co , an d d i s co u rag ed A. W

. fro m hav i n g a rel at i o n s h i p wi th

t h e fat her. Fo r ex am

p le, t h e g uard i an ad li t em t es t i fi ed t h at sh e o verh eard t h e m o t h er

t el l A. W

. i n a reco rd ed t el ep h o n e co n vers at i on : “ Y o u r fat h er i s t ry i n g t o t ak e y o u

away fro m

m e.”

In No vem b er 2 0 1 3

, t h e t ri al co u rt ord ered a fo ren s ic ev al uat i o n

. At t h e h eari n g,

t h e t ri al co urt m ad e t h e fo ren s i c p sy ch i at ri s t’ s wri t t en rep ort p art o f t h e reco rd . Th e

p s y ch i at ri s t u l t i m at el y reco m m en d ed th at A. W

. s t ay wi t h h e r m o t h er, g i v en t h e

ch i l d ’ s s t ro n g er em o t i on al b o n d wi t h h er m o t h er, t he i m po rt an ce o f co nt i n ui t y , an d

t h e li k el y d i s ru p ti o n i f cu st o dy was ch an g ed

. He n ot ed

, h o w ev er, t h at t h e fat h er was

“ b et t er eq u i p ped t o p ro v i d e an em o t i o n al l y s ecu re

. . . h o m e” fo r A. W

. an d wo u l d b e

m o re l i k el y

t o faci l i t at e A. W .’ s rel at io n sh i p wi t h t h e o th er p aren t

. Th e p s y ch i at ri s t

fo u n d “ s t ro n g ev i d en ce” t hat t h e m o t h er h ad n o t been fo s t eri ng A. W .’ s rel at i o n s h ip

wi t h t h e fat h er an d “ s u b s t an t ial ev i d en ce” t h at s h e h ad “ d i s p lay ed b eh av i o rs wh i ch

d i s ru p t a h eal t h y

at t ach m en t b et ween fat h er an d d au g h t er.”

Acco rd i ng t o t h e rep ort :

Th es e [b eh av i ors ] i n cl u d e arg u i n g wi t h [t h e fat h er] d u ri n g h i s at t em p ted

p h o n e co n v ers at i o n s wi t h [A. W .] an d t el l i n g [A. W .] t h at h er fat h er h as

n o t w an t ed a rel at i o n s h i p wi t h h er.

. . . Ev i d en ce [t h at t h e m o t h e r h as

u s ed s ch o ol

, p s y ch iat ri c, an d o t h er ex cu s es t o s t o p v is i t at i on ] i n cl u d es :

31 ) [Th e m o t h er] cal l i n g 9 1 1 i n M ay 2 0 1 2, ci t i n g th at [t h e fat h er] w as

h aras s i n g h er wh en h e was i n fact o n a co urt -o rd ered v i s i t at i o n

. 2 ) [Th e m o t h er] accu s i n g [t h e fat h er] of n o t fo ll o wi n g co u rt o r d e r e d

p h o n e v is i tat io n an d rep ri m an d i n g h i m fo r cal li n g o t h er ph o n es i n th e

h o u s eh o l d , d u ri n g h i s at t em pt ed co n v ers at io n s wi t h [A. W

. ]

. 3 ) [Th e m ot h er] refu s i n g v i s i tat i o n aft er ci t i n g an em erg en cy p s y ch i at ri c

ap p o i n t m en t i n Decem

b er 2 01 2

, d es p it e [t h e p s y ch i at ri s t ’ s ] reco rd s

s u g g es t i n g t h i s w a s a ro u t i n e v i s i t an d d ocu m en t i ng t h at h er p res en t at i o n

was act u al l y i m

p ro v ed

. 4 ) [Th e m o t h er] refu s in g s u m m er v i s i t at i o n i n J u n e 2 0 1 3

, ci t i n g an

ed u cat i on al s ch o l ars h i p

. 5 ) [Th e m o th er] m ak i n g al l eg at i o ns to Ch i l d Pro t ect i v e Serv ices i n J u ne

2 0 1 3 , an d ag ai n i n Sep t em b er 2 0 1 3, t hat were b ot h u ns u b s t an t iat ed

. 6 ) [Th e m o t h er] as ki n g t o res ch ed u le s um m er v i s i t at io n i n J u n e 2 0 1 4

, ci t i n g req u ired s um m er s ch o o l

.

At t h e h eari n g , t h e fat h er t es t i fi ed t h at t h e m o t h e r g e n e ral l y d i d n ot

co m m u n icat e di rect l y wi t h h i m an d t h at i t was d i ffi cu l t t o co m m u n i cat e w i t h h er. He

b el i ev ed t h at th e m o t her had creat ed a co nt en t i o u s en v iro n m en t

, cas t i n g hi m as a

“ v i ll ai n ” o r “ en em

y o r t h at [h e was ] l o o k i n g t o t ak e [A. W .] away fro m h er m o t h er.”

Th e fat h er co m

p lai n ed t hat he h ad b een u n ab l e t o hav e s ch ed ul ed t el ep ho n e v i s i t at i o n

wi t h A. W . o n at l eas t t wo o ccas i o n s b ecau s e s h e was g et t i ng read y t o m ed i t at e.

4Th e m o t h er t es t i fi ed t h at s h e an d t h e fat h er d i d n o t co m m u n i c a t e wi t h each

o t h er. Sh e den i ed m ak in g an y n eg at i v e o r cri ti cal rem ark s ab o u t t h e fat h er t o A. W

.

Th e co u rt fo u n d t h at t he m o t h er h ad d em on s trat ed a p at t ern o f p a r en t al

al i en at i o n ag ai n s t t h e fat h er an d h ad en g ag ed i n a p at t ern of ob s tru ct i o n ag ai n s t h i m

.

Th e co urt c o n c l u d e d th at a ch an g e o f cu s t o d y w as ap pro p ri at e, p l aci n g p ri m ary

p h y s i cal cu s to dy

o f A. W . wi t h t h e fat h er.

“ A t ri al co u rt faced w i t h a p et i t i o n fo r m o d ifi cat i o n o f ch i l d cu s t o d y is ch arg ed

wi t h ex erci s in g i t s d i s cret i o n t o d et erm i n e wh at i s i n t h e ch i l d ’ s b es t i nt eres t .” 1

W h ere

. . . t h e t ri al co u rt h as ex erci sed i t s di s cret io n an d a w a r d ed

cu s t od y o f ch i l d ren t o on e fi t p aren t o v er t h e ot h er fi t paren t

, t h is [c] o u rt

wi l l n o t in t erfere wi t h th at d eci s i on u n l es s t he ev i d en ce s h o w s t h e t ri al

co u rt cl earl y a b u s ed i t s d i s cret i o n

. W h ere t h ere i s an y ev i d en ce t o

s u p p o rt t he d eci s i on o f t h e t ri al co u rt

, t h i s [c] o u rt can n ot s ay th ere w as

an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

. 2

1 Ca r r -Ma cAr t h u r v. Ca r r , 2 9 6 Ga. 3 0

, 3 1 (1 ) (7 64 SE2 d 8 4 0 ) (2 0 1 4) (ci t at i on s

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

2 Ro b er t s v. Ki n s ey , 30 8 G a. Ap p. 67 5

, 6 7 8 (6 ) (7 08 SE2 d 6 00 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i tt ed ). See al s o S mi t h v. Pea r ce , 3 3 4 Ga. Ap p. 8 4

, 92 (3 ) (7 7 8 SE2 d 2 4 8 ) (2 0 1 5) (“ W e are m i n d fu l t h at t h e So l o m o n i c t as k of m ak i n g cu s t o d y d eci s i o n s li es

s q u arel y u p o n t h e s h o u l ders o f t h e ju d g e wh o can s ee an d h ear t h e p art i es an d t h ei r wi t n es s es , ob s erv e t h ei r dem ean o r an d at t i t u d es , an d as s es s t h ei r cred i b il i ty

. W e wi l l

n o t d i s t u rb t h e s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s ex erci s e o f d i scret i o n i f t h e r e i s an y ev i d en ce to

s u p p ort i t s d eci s i o n .”) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at io n o m it t ed ).

5Un d er OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 (a) (2 ), t h e b es t i n t eres t s o f t h e ch i l d are co n t ro l l i n g as

t o cu s t o d y ch an ges

. 3 In co ns i d eri n g t h e c h i l d ’s b es t i nt eres t s, th e t ri al co u rt “ ma y

co n si d er a n

y r el eva n t f

a ct o r i n cl u d i n g

, b u t no t l i mi t ed t o a l i s t o f s ev en t een fact o rs ,

i n cl u d i n g s u b sect i o n (a) (3 ) (N)

– t h e wi l l i n g n es s a n d ab i l i t y o f each o f t h e p aren t s

t o faci l i t at e an d en co u rag e a cl o s e an d co n t i n u i n g paren t -ch i l d rel at i o ns h ip b et ween

t h e ch i l d an d t h e o t h er p aren t

, co n s i s t en t wi t h t h e b es t i n t eres t o f t he ch i ld .” 4 Th e t ri al

co u rt i s n o t req u i red t o s et fo rt h ev ery rel ev an t fact o r u p o n wh i ch i t rel i ed

, ab s en t a

p art y ’ s t i m el y

req u es t t h at i t d o s o

. 5

Th e t ri al co u rt ap p ro p ri at el y co n si d ered ev i d en ce reg ard in g t h e m o t h er’ s

u n wi l l i n g n es s o r i nab i l i t y t o faci l i t at e A. W .’ s rel at io n s hi p wi t h her fat h er. 6 A l t h o u g h

t h e m o t h er arg u e s th at o t h er fact o rs , s u ch as co n t in u i t y i n A. W .’ s li v i n g s i t u at i o n,

3 Nea l v. Hi b ba r d , 2 9 6 Ga. 8 8 2 , 8 8 4 (1 ) (7 7 0 SE2 d 6 0 0 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

4 B a nks to n v. W

a r b i n gt on , 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 9, 3 3 (1 ) (7 71 SE2 d 7 2 6 ) ( 2 0 1 5 ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as is i n o ri g i n al ).

5 Cu rt i ce v. Ha r wel l

, 3 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. 26 3

, 2 6 4 (1 ) (7 2 1 SE2 d 2 0 0 ) ( 2 0 1 1 )

. See
al s o S m i t h

, s u p ra at 9 2 (4 ) (“ By t h e pl ai n l an g u ag e o f th e s tat u t e, th e l i s t i s s u g g es t i v e

o n l y , an d t h e s u p eri or co u rt n eed n o t m ech an i cal l y an al y ze ev ery en u m erat ed fact o r,
reg ard l es s o f i t s rel ev an ce.”) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

6 See Ba n ks t on , s u p ra at 3 3 (1 ).

6wei g h ed i n h er fav o r, t here i s s o m e ev i d en ce t o s u p p ort t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g t h at

a ch an g e i n cu s t od y was i n A. W .’ s b es t i n t eres t

. 7 W e t h u s fi n d n o ab u s e of d i s cret i o n.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Di l l ar d

a n d Pet er s o n , JJ., co ncu r

.

7 See id

. at 3 0 -3 1

, 3 3 -3 4 (1 ) ( f i n d i n g n o ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n in cu s t o dy

m o di fi cat i o n wh ere, i n t er al ia, t h e m o t her h ad fai l ed t o g i v e th e fat her su ffi ci en t

n o t i ce o f h er rel o cat io n s , d i s co u rag ed t h e ch i l d fro m m ak i n g f r i e n d s i n h er

n ei g h b o rh o o d

, d ep ri v ed t h e fat h er o f m ean i n g fu l t el ep h o n e co n t act

, an d d i s co u rag ed

t h e ch i l d fro m ack n owl ed g i n g h er fat h er i n t h erap y s es s i o ns ).

7