FI RST DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, C. J.

, PHI PPS, P. J.

, and BOGGS, J.

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

Nov em ber 19, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A0 97 8 . PRABNARONG v . OUDOM HACK.

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

In t h i s ap p eal

, we rev iew t h e q u es t i o n o f w h et h er a Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y

ex erci s ed em erg en cy j u r i s d i ct i o n wh en it

, i n co n t rav en t io n o f an o rd er i ss u ed b y a

co u rt i n t h e st at e o f W as h i n g t o n award i n g p h y s i ca l c u s t o d y o f a m i n o r ch i l d t o t h e

ch i l d ’ s fat h er, award ed t em po rary cu s to d y o f th e ch i l d t o th e ch i l d ’ s m at ern al u n cl e

aft er t h e d eat h of th e ch i ld ’ s m ot h er (wh o h ad b een t h e p ri m ary cu s t o d ial p aren t an d

h ad res id ed wi t h t h e ch i ld i n G eo rg i a at t h e t im e o f h er d eat h ). Becau s e t h ere was n o

b as i s fo r t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ex erci s e o f em erg en cy ju ri s d i ct i on , we rev ers e.

Th e p ert i n e n t f

a c t s o f t hi s ap p eal are u n di s p ut ed

. Th e m o t h er o f th e m i n o r

ch i l d

, V. P., 1 an d t h e ch i l d ’ s fat h er, Si ri ch ai Prab n aro n g

, w e r e d i v o rced b y d ecree

1 V. P. was b o rn o n J un e 1 2 , 2 0 0 1.en t ered i n a W as h i n g t o n co u rt o n Decem b er 2 0 , 2 0 0 5 . Pu rs u an t t o a p aren t i n g p l an

t h e co urt i n c o r

p o r a t ed i n t o t h e d i v o rce decree, t h e m o th er was award ed p ri m ary

p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f V. P., an d l a t e r m o v e d wi t h V. P. t o Geo rg i a. T h e m o t h er

rem arri ed an d h ad an o t her ch i l d

. V

. P. res i d ed i n G eo rg i a fo r n i n e y ears b efo re h er

m o th er d i ed o n Oct o b er 1 5

, 2 0 1 4 ; s h e l i v ed wi th her m ot h er an d s t e p f a t h er. V.P’ s

m at ern al g ran d p aren ts an d u ncl e res i d ed n earb y i n Geo rg ia. Aft er t h e d i v o rce (an d

b efo re t h e m o t her’ s d eat h ), t h e fat h er h ad co n ti nu ed t o l i v e i n W as hi n g t o n

, an d h ad

ex erci s ed v i si t at i o n wi t h V. P. d u ri n g t h e ch i l d ’ s s u m m er b reak s fro m

s ch oo l

.

In No v em b er 2 0 1 4

, aft er V. P.’ s m o t h er d i ed

, V

. P.’ s fat h er o b t ai n ed fro m t h e

s am e W as h i n gt o n co u rt t h at h ad i s s u ed t h e d i v o rce decree an d p aren t i n g pl an an o rd er

award i n g h i m p ri m ary p h y si cal cu s t o dy o f V. P. D ay s l at er

, V

. P.’ s m at ern al u n cl e

fi led i n t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt o f Gwi n net t Co u n ty a m o ti o n fo r an em erg en cy h eari n g,

an d a pet i t io n req u es t i n g t h at th e d i v orce decree an d p aren t i n g p l an t h at h ad b een

en t ered i n W as h i n g t o n i n 2 0 0 5 b e reg i s t ered i n Geo rg i a, an d t h at t h e Geo rg i a co u rt

m o di fy t h e p a r e n t i ng p lan b y o rd eri n g t h at h e b e award ed jo i n t l eg al an d p ri m ary

p h y s i cal cu s t od y o f V. P., “ wi t h [V. P.’ s fat h er] co n t i n u i ng to hav e s u m m er paren t i n g

t i m e as h as b een t h e cas e s i n ce 2 0 0 5 .” Th e u n cl e as s ert ed in h i s p et i t i o n t h at V. P.’ s

fat h er “ h as t h reat en ed t o m i s t reat [V. P.] b y rem o v i n g her fro m ev ery t h i n g s h e k n o ws

,

2i n cl u d i n g h er s tep fat h er, y o unge r siste r

, au n t s

, u n cl es

, m at ern al g ran d p aren t s, fri en d s

,

t each ers an d cl as s m at es .” Th e u n cl e pres en t ed as an ex h ib i t to h i s p et i t i o n an

“ Affi dav i t o f El ect i o n o f [V. P.] ” wh erei n t hen 1 3 -y ear-o l d V. P. ex p res s ed h er d es i re

t o “ v i s i t wi t h [h er fat h er]

, b ut s t ay i n Geo rg i a.” V. P. av erred t h at s h e el ect ed t o l i v e

wi t h h er s t ep fat h er an d u n cl e o n a p erm an en t b as i s

, an d s h e ack n o wl ed ged t h at h er

u n cl e was as k i n g th e co u rt t o o rd er t h at h e b e her p erm an en t cu s t o d i an

, an d t h at h er

fat h er h av e v i s it at i o n ri gh t s

. V. P. at t ach ed t o h er aff i d a v i t t wo h an d wri t t en

d o cu m en t s

– o n e en t i t led

, “ W h y I wan t t o s t ay i n GA,” an d t h e o th er en t i t l ed

, “ W hy

I d o n ’ t wan t t o s t ay

i n W A.”

V. P.’ s fat h er res p o n d ed t o t h e u n cl e’ s p et i t i o n b y fi li n g i n t h e Gwi n n et t act i o n

a p l ead i n g en t i t l ed

, “ Reg i s t rat i on o f Fo rei g n J u dg m en t

. . . an d M o t i o n t o En fo rce.”

He s o ug h t t o reg i s t er t h e cu s t o d y o rd er h e h ad o bt ai n ed fro m t h e W as hi n g t o n co u rt

aft er V. P.’ s m o t h er h ad d i ed

, wh i ch o rd er award ed h i m pri m ary p h y s ical cu s t o d y o f

V. P.

Aft er a h eari n g o n t he m at t er, t h e Gwi n n et t co u r t en t ered an o rd er wh i ch

p ro v id ed t h at t h e W as h i n g t o n d i v o rce d ecree “ i s h ereb y m ad e t h e O rd er o f t h i s

Co u rt .” In t h e s am e Gwi n n et t o rd er, t he co u rt reco g n ized t h e No v em b er 1 2

, 2 0 1 4

W as h i n g t o n o rd er t h at t h e fat h er h ad p res en t ed fo r reg i s t rat i o n

, wh i ch o rd er award ed

3p ri m ary p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f V

. P. t o h e r f a t her; an d th e co u rt s t at ed th at “ [i ] t i s

u n d i s p u t ed t h at u p on t h e M o th er’ s d eat h

, l eg al cu s t o d y o f t h e Ch i l d i s w i t h t h e

[Fat her] .” No n et h el es s

, t h e co u rt fo u n d t h at i t h ad em erg en cy ju ri s d i ct i o n p u rs u an t

t o OCGA § 19 -9 -6 4 (a) “ b as ed up o n t h e A ffi d av it o f El ect i o n o f [V. P.] an d t h e

h an dwri t t en at t ach m en t s t h eret o

, t h at [V. P.] has b een s u b ject ed t o o r th reat en ed wi th

m i s t reat m en t or a b u s e.” Th e co u rt t h en o rd ered t h at V. P. “ s hal l rem ai n i n t h e

p h y s i cal cu s t o d y an d care o f t h e [u n cl e] p en d i n g t ran s fer o f t h e cas e t o t h e J u v en i l e

Co u rt o f Gwi n n et t C o u n ty an d ap po i n tm en t o f a g u ard i an t o d et erm i ne th e p ro p er

p erm an en t p h y s ical cu s t od i an o f [V. P.] .”

Up o n t h e fat h er’ s ap p eal o f t h a t o rd er, h e en u m erat es t wo erro rs

. Fi rs t, h e

co n ten d s t h at “ [t ] he t ri al co u rt erred b y n ot en fo rci n g t h e fo rei gn ju dg m en t o f ch i ld

cu s t o d y [h e h ad ] reg i s tered wi th th e Gwi nn et t Co u n t y Co u rt .” Bu t

, as t h e Gwi n n et t

co u rt reco g n i zed t h e W as hi n g t o n o rd er wh i ch p l aced p ri m ary cu st o d y o f V. P. wi th

h er fat h er, t h e p ert i n en t i s s u e ap pears t o b e, as t h e fat h er co n t en ds i n h i s s eco n d

en u m erat ed erro r, wh et h er “ [t ] h e t ri al co u rt erred by ex erci s i n g t em p o rary em erg en cy

4ju ri s d i ct i o n

. . . wh ere t h e ci rcu m s t an ces an d w el l -b ei ng o f t h e ch i l d d i d n o t d em an d

i m m ed i at e act i o n

. ” 2

“ J u ri s d i ct i o n i s a q u es t i o n of l a w t o wh ich ap p el lat e co u rt s ap p l y a d e n o v o

s t an d ard o f rev i ew.” 3 “ E x cep t as o t h erwi s e p ro v i d ed in Co de Sect i on 19 -9 -6 4, a co u rt

o f t h i s s t at e m ay n ot m o d i fy a ch i l d cu s t o d y d et erm i n at i o n m ad e by a co u rt of an o t h er

s t at e,” 4 un les s cert ai n ci rcu m s t an ces ex i s t t hat are n o t p ert i nen t h ere. Pu rs u an t to

OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 4 (a), “ [a] co u rt o f t h i s s t at e h as t em p o rary em erg en cy ju ri s d ict i o n [t o

m o di fy a ch i l d cu s t o d y d et erm i n at i o n m ad e b y a co u rt o f an ot h er s t at e] i f t h e ch i l d i s

p res en t i n t h i s s t at e a n d

. . . i t i s n eces s ary i n an em erg en cy to p ro tect th e ch i ld

b ecau s e t h e ch i l d . . . i s s u b ject ed t o o r t h reat en ed wi t h m is treat m en t o r ab u s e.”

2 See OCGA § 1 9-9 -8 6 (b ) (“ A co u rt o f t h i s s t at e s h al l reco g n i ze an d en fo rce,

b u t m ay n o t m o d i fy

, ex cep t i n acco rd an ce wi t h Part 2 o f t h i s art i cl e, a reg is t ered ch i ld

cu s t o d y d et erm i nat i o n o f a co u rt o f an o t h er s t at e.”).

3 In t h e In t er es t o

f M. M

., 3 1 5 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 3

, 6 7 4 (1 ) (7 2 7 SE2 d 27 9 ) (2 0 1 2 )

(fo o t no t e o m i t t ed ); s ee g en eral l y Zi n kh a n v. Br u ce

, 3 05 Ga. Ap p. 51 0

, 5 1 1 (6 9 9 SE2 d

8 3 3 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (“ Si n ce t h e su p eri o r co u rt ’ s d eci si on as t o wh et h er it h ad s u b ject m at t er

ju ri s d i ct i o n t o co ns i der th e

. . . p et i t i o n fo r cu s t o d y was b as e d o n a n a p p l i cat i o n o f

l aw t o u n d i sp ut ed fact s

, we ap p l y a d e n o v o s t an d ard of rev i ew.”) (ci t at i o n an d

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

4 OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 3

.

5T h e h an d wri t t en d ocu m en t s V

. P. at t ach ed t o h er affi dav i t p ro v i d ed t h e

fo l l o w i n g

. In t h e d o cu m en t en ti t l ed

, “ W hy I wan t t o st ay i n G A ,” V. P. s t at ed t h at s h e

d es i red to rem ai n i n Geo rg i a b ecau s e s he fel t s afe h ere, s h e n eed ed t o “ b e t h ere fo r”

h er y o u n g er s i s t er, s h e l o v ed t h e s ch oo l s h e at t en d ed

, s h e m ad e g o o d grad es in

s ch o ol , an d s h e kn ew ev ery b o dy at s ch o ol

. V. P. ex p res s ed co n cern t h at t h e cred i t s

s h e was earn in g fo r h i g h -s ch o o l -l ev el co u rs es w o u l d n o t t ran sfer t o an y sch o o l s h e

wo u l d at t en d i n W as h in gt o n

.

In t h e d ocu m en t en t i tl ed

, “ W h y I do n ’ t w an t t o s t ay i n W A ,” V. P. s tat ed t h at

s h e d i d n o t wan t t o res i de i n W as h i n g t o n b ecau s e it was n ot safe t h ere. Sh e st at ed t h at

“ o n ce wh en [s h e] was ab o u t 6 o r 7 y ears o l d ,” h er fat h er p erm i t t ed s o m eo n e s h e d id

n o t k n o w t o s up erv is e h er. V

. P. s t at ed t h at o n an o t h er o ccas i o n, h er fat her h ad l eft

h er at a p u b l i c s wi m

m i n g p o o l i n t h e s o l e care an d cu st o d y o f a co u s i n ; V

. P. d i d n ot

s t at e t h e ag e o f t h at co u s i n

. An d fi n al l y

, V. P. s t at e d t h at s o m et i m es s h e feared h er

s t ep b ro t h er b ecau s e h e k ep t g u n s an d k n i ves

, an d h e sm o k ed i n h is ro o m an d d ran k.

In Ro z i er v. B er t o

, 5 t h i s co u rt h el d th at t h er e w a s n o t r u e em erg en cy wh i ch

req u i red t h e Geo rg ia co u rt to ex erci s e e m erg en cy ju ri s d i ct i o n p u rs u an t t o OCGA §

1 9 -9 -6 4 (a) fo r t h e p ro t ect io n o f t h e ch i l d

, wh ere t h e ch i l d was i n t h e p h y s i cal cu s t o dy

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

6o f t h e n o n -cu s t o di al p aren t wh o s o u g h t t h e t em p o rary o rd er p u rs u an t t o 1 9 -9 -6 4 (a),

an d t h at p aren t ’ s v ers i o n of t he fact s (t h at t h e ch i l d was fi l t h y

, i m pro p erl y c l o t h ed

,

an d g en eral l y neg l ect ed in t h e cu s t o d i al p aren t ’ s care) d i d n o t p res en t an “ i m m ed i at e

d an ger” 6 t o t h e ch i l d

. In Ja cks o n v. S a n omi

, 7 th e Su prem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a, ci t i n g

Ro z ier

, h el d t h at t h e n o n-cu s t od i al m o t her’ s al l eg at i o n s t hat h er c hil d feared ret u rn i n g

t o t h e f o r e i g n co u n t ry wh ere t h e ch i l d res i d ed wi t h h i s fat h er (t h e cu s to d i al p aren t )

b ecau s e of o n g o i n g v i o l en ce th ere d i d n ot m eet th e req u i s it e cri t eri a p u rs u an t to

OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 4 (a) an d t he Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt was n o t au t h o ri z e d t o ex erci s e

t em p o rary em erg en cy ju ri s di ct i o n t o co n t rav en e an o rd er en t ered b y a fo rei g n s t at e

t h at h ad award ed p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f t he ch i l d t o t he fat h er. 8

An d i n A n d

er s o n v. Dea s

, 9 wh ere a m o th er s o ug h t t o i nv o k e th e ju ri s di ct i o n o f

a Geo rg i a co u rt p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 4 (a), t h i s co urt h el d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

was fu l l y au t h o ri zed t o d ecl in e to ex erci s e em erg en cy j u ri s d i ct i o n

, on t h e g ro u n d t h at

6 Id . at 4 2 9

.

7 2 9 2 Ga. 8 8 8 (7 4 2 SE2 d 7 1 7 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

8 Id . at 8 9 0

.

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

7t h e ch i l d was i n no “ i m m ed i at e d an g er” 1 0 becau s e s h e co n t i nu ed t o be i n th e cu s t o dy

o f t h e paren t wh o s ou g h t t h e tem p o rary o rd er p u rs u an t to OCGA § 19 -9 -6 4 (a), an d

t h at “ th ere was n o t ru e em erg en cy wh i ch req u i red t h e Ge o r g i a co u rt to ex erci s e

ju ri s d i ct i o n fo r t h e p ro tect i o n o f t h e ch i l d

. ” 1 1 Th e m o t her i n An der s o n h ad al l eg ed t h at

t h e fat her h ad b een t hreat en i n g t o k i l l t he m ot h er an d harm t h e ch i l d

, an d th at d u ri n g

a s u b s eq uen t p h o ne co n v ers at i o n

, th e fat h er scream ed at t h e ch i l d an d t h reat en ed to

b eat t h e ch il d t h e n ex t t i m e h e s aw h er. 1 2

In t h i s cas e, t h ere was no t ru e em erg en cy wh ich req u i red t h e Geo rg i a co u rt to

ex erci s e ju ri s di ct i o n fo r t h e p ro t ect i o n o f V

. P. Th e ch i ld

, wh o was 1 3 y ears o l d at t h e

co m m en cem en t o f t h i s (Geo rg i a) cu s t o d y cas e, was i n t h e ph y s i cal cu s t o dy o f h er

u n cl e wh o w as p et i ti o n i n g fo r a ch an ge o f cu s t o dy

, an d was i n n o i m m ed i at e d an g er

u n d er an y vers i o n o f t he fact s al l eg ed i n h er affi d av i t an d at t ach m e n t s

, i

. e

., al l eg ed

n eg lect b y h er fat h er wh en s h e was s i x o r s ev en y ears o l d an d fear o f h er s t ep b ro t h er

b ecau s e h e k ep t weap o n s an d h e s m o k ed an d dran k

. 1 3 No r are we p ers u ad ed t h at

, as

1 0 Id . at 77 1 (1 ) (a).

1 1 Id . (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

1 2 Id . at 77 0

.

1 3 See g en eral l y Ja cks o n , s u pra; A n d er s o n , s u pra at 7 7 0 -7 7 1 ; Ro z i er , s u p ra.

8t h e un cl e as s ert s

, cert ai n co n s eq u en ces o f V. P. g o i n g t o l i v e wi t h h er f a t h e r in

W as h i n g t o n

– th at s h e wo ul d n o l o n g er l iv e wi th h er s t ep fat h er o r hal f s i st er, o r n ear

h er m at ern al rel at i v es an d fri en d s i n G eo rg i a

– am o u n t ed t o an act o f m i st reat m en t o r

ab u s e b y V. P.’ s fat her an d were s u ffi ci en t to i n v o k e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s em erg en cy

ju ri s d i ct i o n p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 4 (a).

“ Th e gen eral ru l e i s t h at t h e co urt wh ere t h e p aren t wi t h l eg al cu st o d y res i d es

h as t h e ex cl u s i v e ri g ht t o award ch an g e o f cu s t o d y .” 1 4 Gi v en t h at t h e Geo rg i a co u rt

reco g n ized t h e W as h i n gt o n o rd er wh i ch award ed t h e fat h er l eg al cu s t o dy o f V. P. an d

t h at V. P.’ s al l eg at i on s o f n eg l ect b y her fat her an d fear o f h er s t ep b ro t her aro s e fro m

a c t s t hat h ad al leg ed l y occu rred an d ci rcu m s t an ces t h at h ad al l eg ed ly ex i s t e d i n

W as h i n g t o n, t he u n cl e’ s cl ai m s s h ou l d b e p res en t ed i n W as h in g t o n

. 1 5

No t ab l y

, t h e o rd er fro m wh i ch t h e fat h er ap p eal s ru n s afo u l of an o th er st at u t o ry

req u i rem en t

. If a prev i o u s ch i ld cu s t o d y d et erm i n at i o n ex i st s

, as in t h i s cas e, “ t h e

1 4 Ma t t h ews v. Ma t t h ews

, 2 3 8 Ga. 2 0 1 (2 3 2 S E2 d 76 ) (1 9 7 7 ) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ); s ee Ch a t ma n v. Pa l mer

, 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p. 2 2 2

, 22 4 (1 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 6 1 6 ) (2 0 1 4 );

OCGA § 1 9 -9 -2 3 (a).

1 5 See g en eral l y R o z i er

, s u p ra at 4 2 9 (al t ho u g h fat h er co n t en d ed t hat h i s ch i ld

m ay h av e b een n eg lect ed b y t h e m o t h er wh o w as t h e cu s t o d i al p aren t

, su ch n eg l ect

, i f i t ex i s t ed

, aro s e an d was d i sco v ered by t h e fat h er in t he s t at e w h ere t h e m o t h er

l i ved wi t h t h e ch i l d , an d t h e fat h er co ul d h av e p res en t ed h i s cl ai m s i n t h at s t at e).

9t em

p o rary o rd er mu s t sp eci fy a p eri o d t hat t h e co urt co n s i d ers ad eq u at e t o al l o w t h e

p ers o n s eek in g th e t em

p o rary o rd er t o ob t ai n a n o rd er fro m t h e co u rt m ai n t ai n i n g

co n ti n u i n g j u ri s d ict i o n o v er t h e cu s t o d y o f t h e ch i l d [ ] .” 1 6 “ Th e o rd er i s s u ed i n t h i s

s t at e rem ai ns i n effect u n t i l an o rd er i s o b t ai n ed fro m th e o t h er s t at e wi th i n t he p eri o d

s p eci fi ed o r t h e peri o d ex p i res .” 1 7 Here, t he t ri al co urt fai l ed t o s p eci fy i n i t s o rd er an y

p eri o d of t i m e w i t h i n wh i ch t he u n cl e m u s t o b t ai n an ord er fro m t h e W as h i n g t o n

co u rt

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Do yl e, C. J., a n d Bo g

g s , J., co n cu r

.

1 6 Ta yl or v. Cu r l

, 2 98 Ga. Ap p

. 45 (6 7 9 SE2 d 8 0 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (em p h as is s u p p l i ed ).

See OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 4 (c).

1 7 OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 4 (c).

10