### IN THE CO URT OF APPEALS OF TE NNE SS EE

AT NASHVILL E

Ass ig ne d M arch 19 , 20 13

IN TH E MATTE R OF: JACO B H. C.

A p p e a l f r o m t h e J u v e n i l e C o u r t f o r W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y

N o

. 8 0 1 0 3 S h a r o n G u f f e e , M a g i s t r a t e

N o

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- C O A

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- C V

- F i l e d M a r c h 2 5

, 2 0 1 3

P e t i t i o n e r i n a p r o c e e d i n g t o m o d i f y c h i l d s u p p o r t f

i l e d a m o t i o n f

o r r e c u s a l w i t h t h e t r i a l

j u d g e a l l e g i n g t h a t t h e j u d g e w a s a p e r s o n a l f r i e n d a n d h a d a b u s i n e s s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e

f a t h e r o f o n e o f t h e p a r t i e s

. T h e t r i a l j u d g e d e n i e d t h e m o t i o n a n d t h e p e t i t i o n e r t h e n f i l e d

t h i s i n t e r l o c u t o r y a p p e a l a s o f r i g h t p u r s u a n t t o T e n n

. S u p

. C t

. R

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. W e a f f i r m t h e d e n i a l

o f t h e m o t i o n f

o r r e c u s a l

.

T e n n

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. 3 A p p e a l a s o f R i g h t / T e n n

. S u p

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. R

. 1 0 B ; J u d g m e n t o f t h e

J u v e n i l e C o u r t A f

f i r m e d

R IC H A R D H

. D IN K IN S

, J

. d e l i v e r e d t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e C o u r t

, i n w h i c h P A T R IC IA J

. C O T T R E LL

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P

. J

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J e f f r e y S p a r k

, N a s h v i l l e

, T e n n e s s e e

, f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t

, B

. C

.

A l i s h a G u e r t i n W a r n e r

, P h i l l i p R

. N e w m a n

, F r a n k l i n

, T e n n e s s e e

, f o r t h e a p p e l l e e

, S

. B

. C

.

O P I N I O N

T h i s a p p e a l a r i s e s o u t o f t h e d e n i a l o f a m o t i o n t o r e c u s e f i l e d b y B

. C

. , f

a t h e r o f

J a c o b H

. C

. ( “ F a t h e r ” )

, w h o h a d i n i t i a t e d a p r o c e e d i n g o n J a n u a r y 2 2

, 2 0 1 3 t o m o d i f y c h i l d

s u p p o r t ; S

. B

. C

. , m o t h e r o f J a c o b ( “ M o t h e r ” )

, f i l e d a n a n s w e r t o t h e p e t i t i o n a n d a c o u n t e r

p e t i t i o n o n F e b r u a r y 8

, s e e k i n g t o h a v e F a t h e r h e l d i n c i v i l c o n t e m p t

.

O n F e b r u a r y 2 5 F a t h e r f i l e d a m o t i o n a s k i n g t h e c o u r t t o r e c u s e i t s e l f i n a c c o r d a n c e

w i t h T e n n

. R

. S u p

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. 1 0 B ; t h e m o t i o n w a s a c c o m p a n i e d b y t h e a f f i d a v i t o f F a t h e r ’ s w i f

e

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A h e a r i n g w a s h e l d o n t h e m o t i o n o n M a r c h 1 1

, a n d o n M a r c h 1 5 t h e c o u r t e n t e r e d a n o r d e r

a s r e q u i r e d b y T e n n

. S u p

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. R

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, § 1

. 0 3

, d e n y i n g t h e m o t i o n a n d d e t a i l i n g t h e b a s i s u p o nw h i c h t h e m o t i o n w a s d e n i e d

. A P e t i t i o n f o r R e c u s a l A p p e a l w a s f i l e d w i t h t h i s c o u r t o n

M a r c h 1 8

.

I

. A p p e a l s U n d e r T e n n

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A p p e a l s f

r o m o r d e r s d e n y i n g m o t i o n s t o r e c u s e a r e g o v e r n e d b y S e c t i o n 2 o f T e n n

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S u p

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. U n d e r t h e r u l e

, a n a c c e l e r a t e d i n t e r l o c u t o r y a p p e a l o f t h e d e n i a l o f t h e

m o t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e i f f

i l e d w i t h i n f

i f t e e n d a y s o f e n t r y o f t h e t r i a l c o u r t ’ s o r d e r

. T e n n

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C t

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. 0 2

. I f

t h i s c o u r t d e t e r m i n e s t h a t n o a n s w e r i s n e e d e d f r o m t h e o t h e r p a r t i e s 1

t o t h e c a s e

, w e m a y a c t s u m m a r i l y o n t h e a p p e a l

. I d

. § 2

. 0 5

. T h i s c o u r t h a s t h e d i s c r e t i o n

t o d e c i d e t h e a p p e a l w i t h o u t a r g u m e n t

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. § 2

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I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h T e n n

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. 0 5 a n d 2

. 0 6

, w e h a v e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t

a n a n s w e r t o t h e p e t i t i o n

, f u r t h e r b r i e f

i n g a n d o r a l a r g u m e n t a r e n o t n e c e s s a r y

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, 2

w e w i l l p r o c e e d t o r e v i e w t h e t r i a l c o u r t ’ s o r d e r

, a p p l y i n g t h e d e n o v o s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w

.

T e n n

. S u p

. C t

. R

. 1 0 B § 2

. 0 6

.

I I

. G r o u n d s f

o r t h e T r i a l J u d g e ’ s R e c u s a l

A s g r o u n d s f

o r r e c u s a l

, F a t h e r a s s e r t s t h a t t h e t r i a l j u d g e i s a p e r s o n a l f r i e n d o f a n d

h a s a b u s i n e s s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r a n d

, c o n s e q u e n t l y

, t h a t t h e j u d g e ’ s

i m p a r t i a l i t y “ m i g h t b e r e a s o n a b l y q u e s t i o n e d ” w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f T e n n

. R

. S u p

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R J C 2

. 1 1

. T h e f

o l l o w i n g f

a c t s r e l a t i v e t o t h e a s s e r t i o n a r e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e a f f i d a v i t o f

F a t h e r ’ s w i f

e :

T enn . Sup . Ct. R. 10 B § 2. 02 p rovid es tha t t he a ppe al is to be fi le d “in the app rop ri at e a ppe ll at e 1

cou rt .” T his cas e ori ginat ed as a pro cee din g to est abl is h pat er nit y and set sup por t as pro vided in T enn

. Code

Ann. § 36- 2- 301, et seq

. P u r s u ant to T enn

. Code Ann. § 36- 2- 315, app eal s fr om fi nal ord er s in suc h

pro cee din gs ar e to thi s cou rt ; con si st ent wit h the st at ute

, thi s is the app rop ri at e cou rt for int er loc uto ry app eal s

of thi s na tur e.

Att ach ed as exh ibi ts to the Pet it ion for Recu sal Appea l wer e cop ie s of: (1) the pet it ion to m odi fy 2

chi ld sup por t, (2) the ans wer to the pet it ion to m odi fy and cou nte r- pet it ion for con te m pt, (3) the ord er ent er ed

O c t o b e r 1, 2012

, fr om whic h the m odi fi cat ion was sou ght, (4) the ans wer to the cou nte r- pet it ion

, ( 5 ) t h e

m oti on for re cus al fi le d in the tri al cou rt

, (6) af fi davit of Fat her ’s wif

e, (7) the ord er den ying the m oti on to

re cus e, (8) a tr ans cr ipt of the hea ri ng on re cus al m oti on, (9) the ord er ent er ed on J une 20, 2011

, est abl is hin g

pat er nit y and set ti ng sup por t and par ent ing ti m e, and (10 ) the ord er ent er ed J anu ar y 13, 2012

, ado pti ng the

fi nal par ent ing pla n. I n add it ion

, at ta che d as an exh ibi t to the pet it ion was an af fi davit of Fat her whic h was

swor n t o on Ma rc h 17 and not fi le d in the tr ia l cou rt

. T hes e m at er ia ls pro vide a suf fi ci ent fa ct ual con te xt

for re sol uti on o f t he i ssu es pre sen te d i n t his app eal

.

-2-O n A u g u s t 1 4

, 2 0 1 2

, I w a s p r e s e n t i n W i l l i a m s o n C o u n t y J u v e n i l e

C o u r t f o r a c u s t o d y

, p a r e n t i n g t i m e a n d c h i l d s u p p o r t t r i a l b e t w e e n m y h u s b a n d

a n d [ M o t h e r ] r e g a r d i n g t h e i r c h i l d [ J a c o b ]

.

A t t h e t i m e i n q u e s t i o n

, I w a s w a i t i n g o u t s i d e t h e c o u r t r o o m

. A l s o

p r e s e n t w a s [ M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r ]

. W e w e r e s i t t i n g n e x t t o e a c h o t h e r o n a b e n c h

. [ T h e t r i a l j u d g e ] c a m e o u t o f t h e h a l l w a y i n t h e b a c k w h e r e t h e j u d g e ’ s

c h a m b e r s a n d o t h e r o f

f i c e s a r e l o c a t e d

. [ M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r ] a d d r e s s e d [ t h e j u d g e ]

b y h e r f i r s t n a m e a n d s a i d “ H i ! ” [ T h e j u d g e ] t h e n w e n t t o t h e s e c u r i t y d e s k a n d

p i c k e d u p s o m e p a p e r s

. W h e n [ t h e j u d g e ] w a l k e d b a c k

, [ M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r ]

s p o k e t o h e r a g a i n a n d c o n g r a t u l a t e d h e r o n b e i n g a p p o i n t e d a s t h e J u v e n i l e

C o u r t J u d g e

. H e t o l d h e r t h a t h e w a s “ g l a d t h a t h e c o u l d h e l p ” o r w o r d s t o t h a t

e f f e c t

. H e a s k e d h e r w h e n s h e w a s g e t t i n g s w o r n i n

. S h e t o l d h i m s h e t h o u g h t

i t w o u l d b e s o m e t i m e i n J a n u a r y

. H e t h e n t o l d h e r t o l e t h i m k n o w w h e n i t

w a s a s h e “ d i d n ’ t w a n t t o m i s s i t

. ” [ T h e j u d g e ] d i d n o t a p p e a r t o w a n t t o h a v e

a l o n g c o n v e r s a t i o n

, i n f a c t s h e a p p e a r e d e i t h e r i n a r u s h o r u n c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h

t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n

.

D u r i n g t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n

, h e a d d r e s s e d h e r b y h e r f i r s t n a m e

. I t w a s

c l e a r f r o m t h e t o n e o f t h e i r c o n v e r s a t i o n a n d t h e w a y t h e y a d d r e s s e d e a c h o t h e r

a n d i n t e r a c t e d w i t h o n e a n o t h e r t h a t t h e y k n e w e a c h o t h e r p e r s o n a l l y a n d w e r e

f r i e n d s

.

I n a d d i t i o n

, F a t h e r ’ s a f

f i d a v i t s t a t e s t h a t t h e t r i a l j u d g e p r e s i d e d o v e r c e r t a i n a s p e c t s o f t h e

p a t e r n i t y p r o c e e d i n g a s a J u v e n i l e C o u r t M a g i s t r a t e f r o m M a y t h r o u g h N o v e m b e r o f 2 0 1 1 ;

t h a t M o t h e r ’ s f

a t h e r w a s p r e s e n t t h r o u g h t h o s e p r o c e e d i n g s a n d t h a t n e i t h e r F a t h e r n o r h i s

c o u n s e l w a s a d v i s e d t h a t “ [ t h e j u d g e ] w a s a f r i e n d o f o r o t h e r w i s e k n e w [ M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r ]

. ” 3

A t t h e h e a r i n g o n t h e m o t i o n

, t h e j u d g e s t a t e d :

W e d o k n o w e a c h o t h e r

. W e h a v e w o r k e d t o g e t h e r f o r 1 6 y e a r s

. . . .

I d i s a g r e e [ t h a t t h e j u d g e c o u l d n o t b e i m p a r t i a l ]

. A n d t h e r e a s o n I d i s a g r e e i s

I h a v e n ’ t s e e n [ M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r ] f o r t h e b e t t e r p a r t o f

p r o b a b l y s e v e n o r e i g h t

y e a r s

. I d o n ’ t s e e h i m o n a r e g u l a r b a s i s

. I d o n ’ t t a l k w i t h h i m

. W h e n I s e e

h i m I s a y “ h i ”

, I c a l l h i m b y h i s f i r s t n a m e – j u s t a s I c a l l D a n i e l

– t h a t d e p u t y

s i t t i n g b a c k t h e r e

– b y h i s f i r s t n a m e

. I k n o w a l o t o f o f f i c e r s M r

. S p a r k

. I

Fat her al so st at es tha t the j udge’s st at ements at the hea ri ng on the m oti on to re cus e and in it s ord er 3

den ying the m oti on that the j udge did not know tha t Mo the r’ s fa the r had a dau ghter unt il “t his cas e began”

is “misl ead ing,” s inc e t he j udge’s re fe re nce was to th e m odi fi cat ion pro cee din g whi le “t he c ase ” i ncl ude d

the pr oce edi ngs in 201 1.

-3-t h i n k I c a n b e f a i r a n d i m p a r t i a l i n t h i s m a t t e r j u s t a s I c o u l d f o r a n y o n e e l s e

t h a t w a l k s i n t o m y c o u r t r o o m

. . . .

I n t h e o r d e r d e n y i n g t h e r e c u s a l m o t i o n

, t h e c o u r t m a d e t h e f o l l o w i n g f

i n d i n g s :

T h e C o u r t k n o w s e v e r [ s i c ] t h r e e h u n d r e d ( 3 0 0 ) l a w e n f o r c e m e n t

o f f i c e r s a n d h a s w o r k e d w i t h m a n y o f t h e m o v e r t h e l a s t s i x t e e n y e a r s a s a n

A s s i s t a n t D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y

, p r i v a t e a t t o r n e y

, M a g i s t r a t e

, a n d J u d g e

. I t w o u l d

b e i m p r a c t i c a l a n d u n n e c e s s a r y t o g r a n t a r e c u s a l i n a n y c a s e i n v o l v i n g l a w

e n f o r c e m e n t

.

T h e C o u r t h a s k n o w n [ M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r ] w i t h t h e B r e n t w o o d P o l i c e

D e p a r t m e n t f

o r s i x t e e n y e a r s

. U n t i l t h i s c a s e b e g a n

, t h e C o u r t w a s u n a w a r e

h e h a d a d a u g h t e r

, d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h e l a c k o f a p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p

. F u r t h e r

,

t h e C o u r t h a s o n l y h a d p r o f e s s i o n a l c o n t a c t w i t h [ M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r ] a n d

v i r t u a l l y n o c o n t a c t w i t h h i m f o r t h e l a s t s e v e n o r e i g h t y e a r s

.

I I I

. D i s c u s s i o n

I n h i s P e t i t i o n

, F a t h e r a r g u e s t h a t t h e f a c t t h a t t h e j u d g e h a s k n o w n M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r

f o r s i x t e e n y e a r s a n d i s o n a f i r s t n a m e b a s i s w i t h h i m g i v e s t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f i m p r o p r i e t y

.

H e f u r t h e r c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e s t a t e m e n t o f M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r

, a s r e c o u n t e d i n F a t h e r ’ s w i f e ’ s

a f f i d a v i t

, “ t h a t h e w a s ‘ g l a d t h a t h e c o u l d h e l p ’ o r w o r d s t o t h a t e f f e c t ” a n d t o “ i n v i t e h i m s e l f

t o t h e s w e a r i n g i n c e r e m o n y ” u n d e r m i n e s h i s c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e i m p a r t i a l i t y o f t h e j u d g e

.

F a t h e r a l l e g e s s p e c i f

i c c o n c e r n s a r i s i n g u n d e r R u l e s 1

. 2 a n d 2

. 1 1 ( A ) o f t h e R u l e s o f

J u d i c i a l C o n d u c t

. R u l e 1

. 2 s t a t e s t h a t a j u d g e “ s h a l l a c t a t a l l t i m e s i n a m a n n e r t h a t

p r o m o t e s p u b l i c c o n f

i d e n c e i n t h e i n d e p e n d e n c e

, i n t e g r i t y

, a n d i m p a r t i a l i t y o f t h e j u d i c i a r y

,

a n d s h a l l a v o i d i m p r o p r i e t y a n d t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f i m p r o p r i e t y

. ” T h e p o r t i o n s o f R u l e

2

. 1 1 ( A ) w h i c h F a t h e r a s s e r t s a r e p e r t i n e n t t o t h i s a p p e a l a r e ( 1 ) a n d ( 4 )

, w h i c h s t a t e :

A ) A j u d g e s h a l l d i s q u a l i f y h i m s e l f o r h e r s e l f i n a n y p r o c e e d i n g i n w h i c h t h e

j u d g e ’ s i m p a r t i a l i t y m i g h t r e a s o n a b l y b e q u e s t i o n e d

, i n c l u d i n g b u t n o t l i m i t e d

t o t h e f o l l o w i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s :

( 1 ) T h e j u d g e h a s a p e r s o n a l b i a s o r p r e j u d i c e c o n c e r n i n g a p a r t y o r a p a r t y ’ s

l a w y e r

, o r p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e o f f a c t s t h a t a r e i n d i s p u t e i n t h e p r o c e e d i n g

.

* * *

( 4 ) T h e j u d g e k n o w s o r l e a r n s b y m e a n s o f a t i m e l y m o t i o n t h a t a p a r t y

, a

p a r t y ’ s l a w y e r

, o r t h e l a w f i r m o f a p a r t y ’ s l a w y e r h a s m a d e c o n t r i b u t i o n s o r

-4-g i v e n s u c h s u p p o r t t o t h e j u d g e ’ s c a m p a i g n t h a t t h e j u d g e ’ s i m p a r t i a l i t y m i g h t

r e a s o n a b l y b e q u e s t i o n e d

.

T h e n e c e s s i t y t h a t l i t i g a n t s h a v e c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e i m p a r t i a l i t y o f j u d g e s i s

f u n d a m e n t a l

, s u c h t h a t t h e p r i n c i p l e i s r e f l e c t e d i n o u r C o n s t i t u t i o n

. A s n o t e d i n K i n a r d v

.

K i n a r d :

L i t i g a n t s

, a s t h e c o u r t s h a v e o f t e n s a i d

, a r e e n t i t l e d t o t h e “ c o l d

n e u t r a l i t y o f a n i m p a r t i a l c o u r t

. ” S e e L e i g h t o n v

. He n d e r s o n

, 2 2 0 T e n n

. 9 1

,

9 8

, 4 1 4 S

. W

. 2 d 4 1 9

, 4 2 1 ( 1 9 6 7 ) ; C h u m b l e y v

. P e o p l e ’ s B a n k & T

r u s t C o

. , 1 6 5

T e n n

. 6 5 5

, 6 5 9

, 5 7 S

. W

. 2 d 7 8 7

, 7 8 8 ( 1 9 3 3 )

. T h e p r i n c i p l e o f j u d i c i a l

n e u t r a l i t y i s e m b o d i e d i n b o t h T e n n

. C o n s t

. a r t

. 6

, § 1 1 a n d i n t h e C o d e o f

J u d i c i a l C o n d u c t

. T h u s

, o n e o f t h e c e n t r a l t e n e t s o f o u r j u r i s p r u d e n c e i s t h a t

a l l l i t i g a n t s h a v e a r i g h t t o h a v e t h e i r c a s e s h e a r d b y f a i r a n d i m p a r t i a l j u d g e s

.

T h e c o u r t s h a v e a l s o r e c o g n i z e d

, h o w e v e r

, t h a t t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n o f t h e

p u b l i c ’ s c o n f

i d e n c e i n j u d i c i a l n e u t r a l i t y r e q u i r e s n o t o n l y t h a t t h e j u d g e b e

i m p a r t i a l i n f

a c t

, b u t a l s o t h a t t h e j u d g e b e p e r c e i v e d t o b e i m p a r t i a l

. S e e

O f f u t t v

. U n i t e d S t a t e s

, 3 4 8 U

. S

. 1 1

, 1 4

, 7 5 S

. C t

. 1 1

, 1 3

, 9 9 L

. E d

. 1 1 ( 1 9 5 4 )

( h o l d i n g t h a t “

j u s t i c e m u s t s a t i s f

y t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f j u s t i c e ” ) ; I n r e C a m e r o n

,

1 2 6 T e n n

. 6 1 4

, 6 5 8

, 1 5 1 S

. W

. 6 4

, 7 6 ( 1 9 1 2 )

. T h u s

, e v e n w h e n a j u d g e

b e l i e v e s t h a t h e o r s h e c a n h e a r a c a s e f a i r l y a n d i m p a r t i a l l y

, t h e j u d g e s h o u l d

r e c u s e h i m s e l f o r h e r s e l f i f “ t h e j u d g e ’ s i m p a r t i a l i t y m i g h t r e a s o n a b l y b e

q u e s t i o n e d

. ” S e e T e n n

. S

. C t

. R

. 1 0

, C a n o n 3 ( E ) ( 1 ) ; C h u m b l e y v

. P e o p l e ’ s

B a n k & T

r u s t C o

. , 1 6 5 T e n n

. a t 6 5 9

, 5 7 S

. W

. 2 d a t 7 8 8

.

K i n a r d v

. K i n a r d

, 9 8 6 S

. W

. 2 d 2 2 0

, 2 2 7

– 2 8 ( T e n n

. C t

. A p p

. 1 9 9 8 )

. T h e t e s t o f w h e t h e r 4

t h e r e i s a r e a s o n a b l e b a s i s f o r q u e s t i o n i n g a j u d g e ’ s i m p a r t i a l i t y i s a n o b j e c t i v e o n e

. B d

. o

f

4

Art ic le V I

, § 11 o f t he T enn ess ee Cons ti tut ion pro vides tha t “no J udge of the Supr eme o r

I nfe ri or Cour ts sha ll pre si de on the tr ia l of any cau se in the event of whic h he m ay be

int er est ed.” T he pur pos e of thi s con st it uti ona l pro visio n is to guard agains t the pre j udgm ent

of the ri ghts of li ti gants and to avoid si tua ti ons in whic h the li ti gants m i gh t h ave cau se to

con cl ude tha t the c o u r t h a d re ach ed a pre j udged con cl usi on bec aus e of int er est

, par ti al it y

or fa vor. Chumbl ey v. Peop le 's Bank & Trus t Co., 165 T enn

. 655, 659, 57 S.W .2d 787, 788.

(19 33)

.

Bd. o f Pr of' l Re spo nsi bil it

y of Sup reme Cour t o

f Te nne sse e v . Sl avi n , 145 S.W .3d 5 38, 5 48 ( T enn . 200 4).

-5-P r o

f ’ l R e s p o n s i b i l i t

y o f S u p r e m e C t

. o

f T e n n e s s e e v

. S l a v i n

, 1 4 5 S

. W

. 3 d 5 3 8

, 5 4 8 ( T e n n

.

2 0 0 4 ) ( c i t i n g D a v i s v

. L i b e r t y M u t

. I n s

. C o

. , 3 8 S

. W

. 3 d 5 6 0

, 5 6 4

– 6 5 ( T e n n

. 2 0 0 1 ) )

. 5

T h e r e i s n o f

a c t a l l e g e d o r s h o w n i n t h e r e c o r d

, o t h e r t h a t t h e f a c t t h a t t h e j u d g e h a s

k n o w n t h e f

a t h e r o f o n e o f t h e l i t i g a n t s f o r a n u m b e r o f y e a r s a n d w o r k e d w i t h h i m i n a

p r o f e s s i o n a l c a p a c i t y

, w h i c h w o u l d g i v e r i s e t o a b a s i s t o q u e s t i o n t h e j u d g e ’ s i m p a r t i a l i t y

.

T h e j u d g e ’ s e x p l a n a t i o n t h a t

, i n h e r f o r m e r p o s i t i o n a s a p r o s e c u t o r a n d l a w y e r i n p r i v a t e

p r a c t i c e

, s h e c a m e i n t o c o n t a c t w i t h M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r

, a p o l i c e o f

f i c e r i n t h e c o u n t y i n w h i c h

t h e j u d g e s i t s

, r a i s e s n o c o n c e r n s o f j u d i c i a l i m p r o p r i e t y w i t h i n t h e s c o p e o f R J C 1

. 2 o r R J C

2

. 1 1 ( A ) ( 1 ) i n h e a r i n g a c a s e i n v o l v i n g t h e o f f i c e r ’ s d a u g h t e r

. S i m p l y s t a t e d

, t h e m e r e f a c t 6

t h a t t h e j u d g e w o r k e d w i t h M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r i n t h e p a s t d o e s n o t s u p p o r t a d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t

t h e j u d g e ’ s i m p a r t i a l i t y m i g h t r e a s o n a b l y b e q u e s t i o n e d

. 7

F a t h e r ’ s c o n t e n t i o n s r e l a t i v e t o R J C 2

. 1 1 ( A ) ( 4 ) a r e l i k e w i s e n o t s u p p o r t e d b y t h e

r e c o r d

. A s a n i n i t i a l m a t t e r

, w e n o t e t h a t t h e r u l e s p e a k s t o a “ p a r t y ” o r “ p a r t y ’ s l a w y e r ” ;

M o t h e r ’ s f

a t h e r

, a s t o w h o m t h e j u d g e ’ s d i s q u a l i f y i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p e x i s t s

, i s n o t a p a r t y t o

t h e s e p r o c e e d i n g s a n d t h e r e i s n o f a c t i n t h e r e c o r d a n d n o a l l e g a t i o n t h a t h i s m e r e p r e s e n c e

a t h e a r i n g s i n v o l v i n g h i s d a u g h t e r h a s i n a n y w a y i n f l u e n c e d t h e j u d g e o r a n y r u l i n g

. T h e

v a g u e a n d a m b i g u o u s s t a t e m e n t t h a t M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r w a s o f s o m e “ h e l p ” r e l a t i v e t o t h e

j u d g e ’ s a p p o i n t m e n t i s i n s u f f i c i e n t t o r a i s e a c o n c e r n t h a t d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n m a y r e q u i r e d b y

R J C 2

. 1 1 ( A ) ( 4 )

. F u r t h e r

, t h e r e i s n o a l l e g a t i o n o f f a c t a n d t h e r e i s n o p r o o f i n t h e r e c o r d 8

Rec usa l i s a ppr opr ia te “whe n a per son of or din ar y prude nce in th e j udge' s po si ti on, knowi ng all 5

of the fa ct s known to the j udge, woul d fi nd a re aso nab le bas is for que st ion ing the j udge' s imp a r t i a l i t y. ”

Davi s v. Lib ert

y Mu t. Ins

. Co., 38 S.W .3d at 564– 65 (qu oti ng All ey v. Sta te

, 882 S.W .2d 810, 820 (T enn

. Cri m . App.1 994) ).

Even tho ugh not spe ci fi cal ly al le ged, we have al so con si der ed the app li cab il it y of RJ C 2.4( C) to 6

the ci rc um st anc es pre sen te d an d ha ve det er m ine d that the re cor d do es not sup por t t he t ri al j udge’s re cus al

on t he b asi s of

sa id rul e.

For the same re aso n, we see no impropr ie ty in the j udge having con duc te d pro cee din gs in the cas e 7

as J uvenil e Cour t Ma gistr at e. We have re viewed the J une 20, 2011 Orde r ent er ed fol lowi ng the hea ri ng on

Ma y 9, 2011 and the ord er ent er ed J anu ar y 13, 2012 fol lowi ng the hea ri ng on Novem ber 28, 2011

. T he J une

20, 2011 Orde r, re ci te d tha t Fat her acknowl edged pat er nit y of J aco b; the ord er the n add re sse d par ent ing ti m e

and the par ameter s of chi ld sup por t wer e set

, wit h cou nse l for the par ti es to at te m pt to agree on the amount

of sup por t and Fat her ’s ar re ar age and

, fa il ing same, to ask the cou rt to set sup por t. T he ord er ent er ed J anu ar y

13, 2 012 ado pte d a per m ane nt par ent ing pl an a nd s et sup por t. T her e i s no in dic at ion tha t Fat her app eal ed

ei the r o f t he o rde rs to the the n- si tt ing J uvenil e Cour t J udge or sou ght any re li ef re la ti ve the re to oth er th an

the pet it ion to m odi fy whic h l ed t o t his app eal

.

We addre ss thi s cont ent ion des pit e the fac t tha t it is ent ir el y based on a st at ement i n an af fi davit 8

(c ont inu ed.. .)

-6-s h o w i n g t h e m a n n e r i n w h i c h t h e j u d g e w a s a p p o i n t e d o r t h e n a t u r e o f a n y “ c a m p a i g n ” r u n

b y t h e j u d g e f

o r t h e p o s i t i o n o r a n y “ h e l p ” M o t h e r ’ s f a t h e r m a y h a v e p r o v i d e d i n t h a t r e g a r d

. 9

T h e r e c o r d d o e s n o t g i v e f a c t u a l s u p p o r t t o F a t h e r ’ s a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e j u d g e s h o u l d b e

d i s q u a l i f i e d

.

I V

. C o n c l u s i o n

F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s

, w e a f f i r m t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e t r i a l c o u r t d e n y i n g t h e

m o t i o n f o r r e c u s a l a n d r e m a n d t h i s c a s e f o r f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ R I C H A R D H

. D I N K I N S

, J U D G E

(... con ti nue d) 8

in whic h t he a ff

ia nt st at es: “He tol d he r h e was ‘gla d he cou ld hel p’ or word s t o t hat ef fe ct .”

I t app ear s tha t the j udge was app oin te d to the pos it ion by the Wi ll ia m son Count y Com m is si on; the 9

ci rc um st anc es by whic h ther e was a vacanc y in the pos it ion and the pro ced ure uti li zed by the Com m is si on

for fi ll ing th e vaca ncy is not app ar ent fr om th e r eco rd.

-7-