FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, 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

June 11, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 32 4 . BROOKS v . LOPEZ. DO-0 1 3

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

In t h i s in t erl o cu to ry ap p eal

, Sh an e Bro o k s ap p eal s fro m a su p eri o r co u rt o rd er

g ran t i n g a m o t io n fo r gen et i c t es t i n g fi l ed by h i s ex -wi fe, Cry s t al Lo p ez, as p art o f h er

p et i t i o n t o m o d i fy cu s t o d y an d ch i l d s u p p o rt

. Bro o k s co n t en d s t h at t h e s u p eri o r co u rt

erred b ecau s e (1 ) rel i t i gat i o n of t h e is s u e o f h i s p a t ern i ty is b arred b y co l l at eral

es t o p p el d u e t o t h e fi n al o rd er in t h e p art ies ’ p ri o r d i v o rce p ro ceed i n g

, (2 ) t here i s n o

ev i d en ce t h at g e n et i c t es t i n g i s i n t h e b es t i n t eres t o f th e ch i l d, (3 ) an d t h e s u p eri o r

co u rt g ran t ed t h e m o t i o n fo r g en et i c t es t i n g w i t h o u t a l l owi n g Bro ok s 3 0 d ay s to

res p o n d

. Fo r t h e reas o ns t h at fo l l o w, we rev ers e.

Th e u n di sp u ted p o rt i o n o f t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at i n 2 0 08

, L o p ez, wh o was

d a t i n g B ro o k s

, gav e b irt h t o a ch i l d

. Al t h ou g h t he co up l e w as n o t m arri ed

, Bro o k ss i gn ed th e ch i l d ’ s b i rt h cert i fi cat e, an d t he ch il d was g iv en Bro ok s ’ s l as t n am e ; t h e

co u pl e l at er m arri ed i n 2 0 1 0. In 2 0 1 1, t h e co up l e d i v o rced

, an d p u rs u an t t o t h ei r

s et t l em en t ag reem en t

, t h ey s h ared jo i n t l eg al an d p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f t h e ch i l d

, wi th

Bro ok s h av i n g p ri m ary

p h y s i cal cu s to d y

d ue t o Lo p ez’ s s ch o o l s ch ed u l e.

In J u l y 2 0 1 7, Lo p ez, act in g p ro s e, fi led a p et i ti o n fo r m o d i fi cat i o n o f cu s t o dy

an d ch i l d s u pp ort

, s eek i n g a ch an g e i n cu s t o d y b ecau s e s h e al l eg ed t h at Bro o k s was

m o vi n g fro m Bu t t s Co u n t y to Co b b Co un t y

, wh i ch wo u l d h in d er h e r v is i t at io n

. 1

Bro ok s an s wered an d d en i ed t h e al l eg at i o n s i n Lo p ez’ s p et i t i o n. In Sep tem b er 2 0 1 7,

Lo p ez t h en a m e n d e d t h e p et i t io n

, al l eg i ng t h at t h e co u p l e h ad al way s kn o wn t h at

an o th er m an

, Ch ad Greg o ri ou s

, was t h e ch i l d ’ s b i o l o g i cal fat h er. L o p ez al s o al l eg ed

t h at s h e ag reed t o t h e d i v orce set t l em en t s tat i ng t h at “ t h ere i s o ne m i no r ch i l d b o rn

as a res u lt o f t h i s m arri ag e” b ecau s e s h e l ack ed co u ns el at t h e t i m e of th e d iv o rce. In

Decem b er 2 01 7

, Bro o k s m o v e d f o r a co n t i n u an ce so t h at h e co u l d ob t ai n l o cal

co u ns el i n Co b b C o u n t y

, p oi n t i n g o u t t h at t h ei r d i vo rce d ecree an d set t l em en t

ag reem e n t c h aract eri zed Bro o k s an d Lo p ez as t h e ch il d’ s p aren t s

. He at t ach ed t h e

fi nal d ecree an d i n co rp o rat ed s et t l em en t ag reem en t t o t he m o t i o n

. A h eari n g d at e was

1 Th e Bu t t s Co un t y

Su peri o r Co u rt s o o n t ran sferred t h e cas e t o Co b b Co u n t y

d u e t o th e l ack o f p ers o n al ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er Bro o k s i n Bu t t s Co u n t y

.

2s e t f

o r M ay 2 1, 2 0 1 8

, so t h e co u rt co ul d m ak e a t em p o rary d et erm i n at i o n a s t o

cu s t o d y

. At t h at h eari n g

, Bro o k s m o v ed t o d i s m i s s an y d e-l eg i t im at io n cl ai m o n

co l l at eral es t o p pel g ro un d s

, ci ti n g t h e di v o rce d ecree. Th e co u rt d ecl in ed t o m ak e a

ru l i n g, i ns t ead i n v i t i n g fu rt h er b ri efi n g o n t he p at ern i t y i s s u e.

On J u n e 5

, 2 0 1 8

, Lo p ez ag ai n am en d ed h er cl ai m

, arg u i n g t h at Bro o k s was n ot

t h e b i o l o g i cal fat h er an d s eek i n g ei t h er s ol e l eg al cu s t o d y o r jo i n t l eg al cu s t o d y wi th

p ri m ary p h y si cal cu st o d y o f t h e ch i l d. Al s o o n t h at dat e

, L o p e z fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r

g en et i c t es t i n g t o d em o n st rat e t h at Bro o k s i s n o t t h e b i o l o g ical fat h er o f t h e ch i l d

. On

J u n e 2 1

, 20 1 8, s i x t een d ay s lat er, t h e s u p eri o r co urt en t ered an o rd er g ran t i n g Lo p ez’ s

m o ti o n fo r g en et i c t es ti n g . A week l at er, Bro o k s m o v ed fo r reco ns i d erat i o n o r fo r a

cert ifi cat e o f i m

m ed i at e rev i ew, no t i n g t h at t h e co u rt ha d ru l ed wi t h o u t al l o wi n g

Bro ok s 3 0 d ay s t o res p o n d t o th e m o t i o n p u r s u a n t t o Un i fo rm Su p eri o r Co u rt Ru l e

6 .2

. Th e n ex t d ay , t h e s u p eri o r co u rt en t ered a cert i fi cat e o f i m m ed i at e rev i ew.

Th e fo l l o wi n g week

, o n J u l y 2

, 2 0 1 8, Bro o k s fi l ed an affi d av i t at t es t i n g t o t h e

fact s s u rro u n d in g h i s d i vo rce an d a u t h e n t icat in g ad d i t i o n al at t ach ed co p i es o f h i s

2 0 1 1 co m

p l ai n t fo r d i v o rce as wel l as co pi es o f t h e d i v o r c e d ecree an d set t l em en t

ag reem en t al read y f

i l e d w i th t h e co u rt as ex h i b i t s t o h i s m o t i o n fo r a co n t i n u an ce.

Lo p ez l i kewi s e m ov ed fo r t em p o rary em erg en cy cu s to d y of t h e ch i l d ; Bro ok s

3o p p o s ed t h e m o t i o n

, an d t h e s up eri o r co u rt m ad e no fu rt h er ru l i n gs

. On J ul y 3 1

, 2 0 1 8,

t h i s Co u rt g ran t ed Bro o k s ’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r i n t erl o cu to ry rev i ew, an d Bro o k s fi l ed h i s

n o t i ce o f ap p eal i n t h e s u p eri o r co u rt t he n ex t d ay

.

At t h e o u t s et

, we no t e t h at Lo p ez h as m ov ed th i s Co u r t t o e x c l u d e fro m

co n si d erat io n t h e d o cu m en t s Bro o k s fi l ed aft er t h e s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s ru li n g g ran t i n g

g en et i c t es ti n g

, i .e., t h e affi dav i t

, di v o rce p et it i on

, d i v o r c e d ecree, an d set t l em en t

ag reem en t fi l ed o n J u l y 2

, 2 0 18

. Al t h o u gh ap p el l at e ju ri s d i ct io n d i d n o t v es t i n t h i s

Co u rt u n t i l Bro o k s fi l ed h is n o t i ce o f ap p eal

, 2 w h i c h occu rred aft er h e fi l ed t h e

ch al l en g ed d o cu m en t s i n t he s u p eri o r co u rt

, it i s un d is p u t ed t h at t h e ch al l en g ed

d o cu m en t s were fi l ed aft er t h e s u p eri o r co u rt en tered t he o rd er at i s s u e i n t h i s cas e,

s o t h ey were n ot b efo re t h e co u rt wh en i t ru l ed

. Nev ert h el es s

, Bro o k s earl i er h ad fi l ed

wi t h t h e su p eri o r co u rt ex h i b i t s i n cl u d i ng t he part ies ’ d i v o rce d ecree an d set t l em en t

ag reem en t

, an d Lo p ez d i d n o t ch al l en g e t h o se d o cu m en t s

, so t h os e do cu m en t s were

b efo re t h e co u rt wh en i t ru l ed

. Lo p ez l i k ewi s e m ak es n o ch al l en g e t o th o se p art i cu l ar

d o cu m en t s o n ap p eal (o n l y t h e l at er-fi l ed d o c u m en t s ), s o an y o b ject i o n to

2 See Gr o g a n v. Ci t

y o f Da ws o n vi ll e

, 3 05 Ga. 79

, 8 2 (2 ) (8 2 3 SE2 d 7 6 3 ) (2 0 1 9 )

(ci t i n g O CGA § 5 -6 -3 4 (b )) (“ On ce t h e t ri al co u rt an d t hen an ap pel l at e co u rt g ran t

a p art y p erm is s i o n t o ap p eal an i n t erl o cu t ory o rd er, th e p art y m u s t f i l e a no t i ce o f

ap p eal wi t h i n a s p eci fi ed p eri o d t o co n fer ju ri s d i ct i o n o n t h e ap pel l at e co u rt .”)

4co n si d erat io n o f t h os e d o cu m en t s i s w a i v ed

. 3 In l ig h t o f t h is

, we need n o t l o o k

b ey o n d t he reco rd bef

o r e t h e su p eri o r co u rt t o res o l v e t h e ap p eal

, an d we d en y as

m o ot Lo p ez’ s m o t i on t o ex cl ud e t h e l at e-fi l ed d ocu m en t s.

1

. Bro o k s arg ues t h at t h e s u p eri o r c o u r t erred b y g ran t in g t h e p et i t i o n fo r

g en et i c t es t i n g b ecau s e t h e is s u e o f h i s pat ern i t y h ad b een res o lv ed in a p ri o r ju d i ci al

p ro ceed in g b et ween t h e p art i es . W e ag ree. 4

OCGA § 9-1 2-4 0 p ro v i d es : “ A ju d g m en t o f a co u rt o f co m p et en t

ju ri s di ct i o n s h al l b e co n cl u s iv e b et ween t h e s a m e p art i es an d t h ei r

p ri v ies as t o al l m at ters p u t i n i s s ue or wh i ch u n d er t h e ru l e s o f l aw

m i g h t h av e b een p u t i n i s s u e i n t h e cau s e wh erei n t h e ju d g m en t w a s

3 See W i l l i ams v. Du r d

en , 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p. 3 6 3, 3 6 7 n .2 (8 1 9 SE2 d 5 2 4 ) (2 0 1 8 )

(h o l d i n g t h at a p art y ’ s fai l u re t o ob ject wai ved an y c h a l l e n g e t o ad m i s s i b i l i t y o n

au t h en t i cat i o n g ro u n ds ); Ts el i o s v. S a r s o u r

, 34 1 Ga. Ap p

. 4 7 1

, 47 4

, n

. 3 (8 0 0 SE2 d

6 3 6 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (d efen d an t wai v ed au t h en t i cat i o n o b ject i o n t o ex h i b i t s u b m i t t ed at

s u m m ary ju d g m en t s tag e b y fai l i n g t o o b j ect i n tri al co u rt ). See al s o Co t t o n v. S t a t e

, 2 9 7 Ga. 2 5 7

, 2 5 9 (3 ) (7 7 3 SE2 d 2 4 2) (2 0 1 5 ) (h o l d i n g t h at a d efen d an t ’ s fai l u re to

m ak e an o b

j ect i o n i n t h e t ri al co u rt as t o au t h en t i cat i o n wai v ed t h at g ro u n d fo r

ex cl u s i o n o f ev i d en ce) (ci t i n g OCGA § 2 4 -1 -1 0 3 (a) (1 )). See g en eral l y OCGA § 2 4

-

9 -9 0 1 (b ) (4 ) (t he ap p earan ce an d co n t en t of a d ocu m en t m ay b e ev i d en ce o f i t s

au t h en t i ci t y ); Nya n ko

j o v. No r t h S t a r Ca

pi ta l Acq u is i ti o n

, 2 9 8 Ga. A p p

. 6

, 8 (6 7 9

SE2 d 5 7 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (acco rd ).

4 In l i g h t o f t he ru l in g o f th e t ri al co u rt b el o w an d th e p ro ced u ral p os t u re o f t h i s

cas e, w e pret erm i t wh et h er t h e ch i l d was l eg i ti m at e un d er OCGA § 1 9 -7 -2 0 (c) (“ Th e

m arri ag e o f t h e m o t h er an d rep u t ed fat h er o f a ch i l d b o rn o ut o f w e d l o c k an d t h e

reco g n it i o n b y t h e fat h er o f t h e ch i l d as h i s s h al l ren d er t h e ch i ld l eg it i m at e; i n s u ch

cas e t he ch i l d sh al l i m

m ed i at el y t ak e t h e s u rn am e o f h i s fat h er.”).

5ren d ered un t i l t h e ju d g m en t i s rev ers ed o r s et as i de.” In t h e i n s t an t cas e,

t h e p rev i o u s d i v o rce [d ecree]

, wh i ch [act io n ] was fi l ed b y ap p el l an t

[Bro o k s ] ag ai ns t ap p el l ee [Lo pez]

, reci t ed t hat t h e [“ p art i es s h al l s h are

jo i n t l eg al cu st o d y o f t he p a r t i es [ ‘] mi n o r ch i l d ,” award i n g p ri m a r y

p h y s i cal cu s t o d y t o Bro o k s .] Th e s et t l em en t ag reem en t

, w h i ch w a s

ap p ro v ed b y t h e co u rt an d i n co rp o rat ed in to t h e d i v o rce d ecree, [s t at ed

t h at “ t h ere i s o n e m i n o r ch i l d b o rn as a res u l t o f t h i s m arri ag e.”] Th us

,

t h e i ss u e o f t h e p at ern i t y o f t h e m i no r ch i l d was effect i v el y ad ju d i cat ed

i n t h e p ri o r d i v o rce p ro ceed i n g s

, fro m wh ich no ap peal was t ak en

. Si n ce

t h e l eg i t im acy o f th e ch i l d was r e co g n i zed i n t h e p rev i o u s act i o n

, t hat

i s su e i s res ju d i cat a, an d can n o t no w b e rai s ed b y th o s e wh o are bo u n d

b y t h e p ri o r ju d g m en t

. . . . Ap p el l an t [Bro ok s ] an d ap p el l ee [Lo p ez]

, th e

p art i es t o t h e p ri o r act io n , are b o u n d b y t h ei r o wn d i v o rce d ecree. 5

Lo p ez al l eg es no frau d o r m i s t ak e on h er p art t h at wo u l d vi ti at e th e co n cl u s i v e

n at u re o f t h e p ri o r d i v o rce act i o n

, wh i ch s h e n ei t h er co n t es ted n o r a p p eal ed

.

Th erefo re, co n s i s t en t wi t h a n u m b er o f s i m i l ar cas es ad d res s i n g th e re-l it i g at i o n o f

p at ern i t y fo l l o w i n g a d i v o rce d ecree set t l i n g t h e i s s u e, we h o l d t h at Lo pez i s es t o p p ed

i n t hi s act i o n fro m

ch al l en g i n g t h e p at ern i t y es t ab l i s h ed i n h er d i v o rce. 6

5 (Ci t at i on s an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s su p pl i ed .) M

a cu ch v. Pet t ey

, 1 7 0 Ga. Ap p . 4 6 7 , 4 6 8 (1 ) (3 17 SE2 d 2 6 2 ) (1 9 8 4).

6 See

, e .g

., Dep t

. o

f Hu ma n Res o u r ces v. Fl eema n

, 26 3 Ga. 75 6

, 7 5 7 -7 5 8 (2 )

(a) (4 39 SE2 d 47 4 ) (1 9 9 4 ) (n o t in g th at a m o th er wo u l d b e co l l at eral l y es to p p ed fro m

rel i t i gat in g t h e p at ern i ty q u es t i o n s et t l ed i n h er d i v o rce d ecree); Gr i ce v. Det wi l er

, 2 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 8 0

, 2 8 2 (4 8 8 SE2 d 7 5 5 ) (1 99 7 ) (g i v i n g effect t o p at ern it y es t ab l i s h ed

6Lo p ez arg u es t hat t h i s cas e s h o u l d b e co n t ro l l ed b y Vea l v. Vea l

. 7 In t h at cas e,

t h e m o t h er g av e b i rt h t o a dau g h t er, H., an d al t h ou g h b o th p art i es k n ew t h at h er t h en

b o y fri en d was n o t t h e ch i l d ’ s bi o l o g i c a l fat h er, h e s ig n ed t h e b i rt h cert i fi cat e; t h e

co u pl e m arri ed th e n ex t m on t h

. Th ey wen t on t o h av e t h ree ad d i t io n al ch i ld ren d u ri n g

t h ei r m arri ag e, b u t a few y ears l at er, th ey d iv o rced

. Th e d iv o rce d e c r ee m ad e n o

m en t i o n o f H. Th e n e x t ye a r

, t h e ex -h u sb an d ch al l en g ed t h e d i v o rce d ecree, an d a

t em p o rary ord er was en t ered gran t i n g jo i n t cu s t o d y o f H. Th ereaft er, d u e to a ch an g e

i n ci rcu m s t a n c e s a ffect i n g H., t h e t ri al co u rt award ed fu l l cu s to d y o f H

. t o t h e

h u s b an d

. 8 Aft er t h e wi fe ap peal ed , t he Su p rem e Co u rt h el d t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred

i n d i v o rce d ecree wh ere “ t h e ex -wi fe s o ug h t to at t ri bu t e p at ern i t y t o an o t h er m an aft er

rai s in g t h e ch i l d as o ffs p ri ng o f t h i s m arri ag e fo r an ex t en d ed p eri o d o f t i m e”), ci t i n g

Gh r is t v. Fr icks

, 21 9 G a. Ap p

. 4 1 5

, 4 1 7 (1 ) ( 4 6 5 S E 2 d 5 0 1 ) (1 99 5 ) (“ ‘ Part i es to

s t ip u l at i o n s an d ag reem en t s en t ered in t o i n th e co u rs e of ju d i ci al p r o c e e d i n g s are

es t o p p ed fro m

t ak i n g p o s i t io n s i n co n s i s t en t t h erewi t h

, an d n o l i t i g an t wi ll b e h eard

t o co m p l ai n u n l es s i t b e m ad e p l ai nl y t o ap p ear t h at t h e co n s en t o f t h e co m p l ai n i n g

p art y was o b t ai n ed b y

frau d

, o r m i s t ak e.’ ”), o v erru l ed o n o th er g ro u n d s b y Br i n e v.

S h i p p , 2 9 1 Ga. 3 7 6 , 3 8 0 (3 ) (7 2 9 SE2 d 3 9 3) (2 01 2 ).

7 2 8 1 Ga. 1 2 8 (6 3 6 SE2 d 5 2 7 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

8 See i d

.

7b y m ak i n g t h at award b ecau s e t h e ex -h u s b an d h ad n o ri gh t s t o H

. i n l i g h t o f t h e fact

t h at h e h ad n ev er ad o p t ed H. n o r l eg i ti m at ed h er as p ro v id ed b y O CGA § 1 9 -7 -2 2

. 9

No t a b l y

, in Vea l

, t h e p ri o r d i v o rce d ecree d i d n o t ad d res s p at ern i ty o v er t h e

ch i l d at i ss u e, n or d i d t h e V ea l Co u rt en g ag e i n an y res j u d icat a o r co ll at eral es t o p p el

a n a l y s i s

. Th u s

, th e Su prem e Co u rt i n t hat cas e was n o t p res en t ed wi th t h e q u es t i o n

rai s ed h ere

– t h e ad

j u d icat i v e effect o f t h e p art i es ’ p ri o r d i v o rce d ecree wi t h res p ect

t o p at ern i t y o v er t h e ch i l d p res en tl y at i ss u e – t herefo re Vea l d o es n o t co n t ro l o u r

d eci s i o n h ere.

Bas ed o n t h e b i n d i n g n at u re o f t h e p art i es ’ d i v o rce d ecree an d set t l em en t

es t ab l i s h in g Bro o k s’ s p at e r n i t y, a n d i n l i g h t o f t h e ru l e es tab l is h ed b y cas e l aw

ad d res s i n g t h i s q u es t i o n

, t h e tri al co u rt erred b y g ran t i n g Lo p ez’ s m o t i o n fo r g en et i c

t es t i n g fo r t h e p u rp o s e o f ch al l en g i n g Bro o k s ’ s p at ern it y

.

2 . Bro o ks ’ s rem ai n in g en u m erat i o n s are m o ot

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Co o mer

a n d Ma r kl e, JJ., co n cu r

.

9 See i d . at 1 2 8 -1 2 9

.

8