SECOND DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, BOGGS and RI CKM A N, 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

A ugust 11, 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 05 6 . OXFORD v . FULLER.

R I C K M A N , J u d g e.

A m o t h er ap peal s fro m a t ri al co u rt o rd er m od i fy i n g c u s t o d y o f h er m i n o r

ch i l d ren fro m jo i n t l eg al an d p h y s i cal cu s t od y s h ared wi t h t h e ch il dren s ’ fat h er t o a

cu s t o d y arran g em en t wh ereb y p ri m ary p h ys i cal cu st od y an d fi n al d eci s i o n m ak i n g

a u t ho ri t y al t ern at e an n u al l y an d au t o m at i cal ly

. Th e m o th er co n t en d s t h at t h e t r i a l

co u rt erred b y en t eri n g t h e cu s t o d y o rd er b ecau s e it i s s el f-ex ecu t i n g wi t h o u t m ak i n g

a d et erm i n at i o n as to wh et h er t h e cu st o d y ch an ge i s i n t he b es t i n t eres t s o f t h e

ch i l d ren an d t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e t erm s o f t he o rd er are i n t h e b es t i n t eres t s

o f t h e ch i l d ren . Fo r t h e fo ll o wi n g reas o n s, we rev ers e t h e ju dg m en t an d rem an d fo r

fu rt her p ro ceed i n g s co ns i st en t wi t h t h i s o p i n i on

.On ap p eal fro m a t ri al co u rt ’ s d et erm i n at i o n i n a cu st o d y di s p u t e,

we d efer to t hat co u rt in al l m at t ers o f fact : W h en co n si deri ng a d i s p ut e

reg ard i n g t h e cu st o dy o f a ch i l d

, a t ri al co urt h as very b ro ad d i s cret i o n

,

l o o k i n g al way s t o t h e b es t i n t e r e s t o f t h e ch il d

. Th i s Co u rt wi l l n o t

i n t erfere u n l es s t he ev i d en ce s h o ws a cl ear ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

, an d

wh ere t h ere i s an y ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n di ng

, w e wi l l

n o t fi n d t here was an ab u s e o f d i scret i o n

.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed .) Ba n ks t o n v. W a s h i n g t o n , 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 9 (7 7 1

SE2 d 7 2 6) (2 0 1 5).

S o v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws th at t h ere are t h ree ch i l d ren at i ss u e, t wi n g i r l s

wh o we r e b o r n o n N o vem b er 1 5

, 2 0 0 6 an d a b o y bo rn o n J u ne 1 5

, 2 0 0 9. In a J u n e

2 0 1 2 d iv o rce co m

p ro m i s e an d s et t lem en t ag reem en t, t h e p art i es ag reed t h at t h e y

wo u l d s h are jo i n t l eg al an d p h y s i cal cu s to d y of t h e ch i l d r e n a n d f o l lo w a week -t o

week cu s t o d ial arran g em en t sch ed u l e. Th ere was a p ro v i si o n i n t h at ag reem en t t h at

t h e m o t h er “ ag ree[d ] t o l iv e an d res i d e i n Up s on Co u n t y, G e o rg ia, or an y Co u n t y

wh i ch i s co n t i g u o u s t o Up s o n Co u n t y , u n t i l fu rt h er o rd er o f t h e [t ri al co u rt ] .”

In J an u ary 2 0 1 3

, t h e m o t he r m o v ed to Co wet a Co u n t y wi t h h er cu rren t h u s b an d

b ecau s e s h e was o ffered m ore l u crat i v e em p l o y m en t. In Feb ru ary

2 0 1 4

, t he m o t h er

fi led

, i n Up s o n Co u n ty

, t h e i n s t an t p et it i o n fo r a ch an g e o f cu s t o d y an d ch i ld s u p p o rt

,

al l eg in g

, i n t er al i a, t h at h er m o ve was a ch an g e i n ci rcu m s t an ces m at eri al l y affect i n g

2t h e w el fare o f her ch i l d ren

. In res p o n s e t o t h at p et i t i o n

, t h e fat her fi led a p et i t i o n fo r

m o di fi cat i o n o f cu s t o d y i n Co wet a Co u n t y

. Th e fat her’ s p et i t i o n was t ran sferred to

Up s on Co u n t y

.

At t h e Ap ri l 2 01 5 t ri al o n b o t h p et i t i o n s , t h e co u rt h eard t es t i m o n y t h at s i nce

t h e d i v o rce, t h e m o t h er h ad at t en d ed n u rs i n g s ch o ol, w h ic h inc reas ed h er em p l o y m en t

o p p o rt u ni t i es

, an d s h e h ad rem arri ed

. In s u ran ce fo r t h e ch i l d ren i s pro v i de d b y t h e

m o th er an d her n e w h u s b an d. Th e tri al co urt h eard t es t i m o n y t h at t h e m o t h er was

m o re fi n an ci al l y

s t ab l e t h an t h e fat h er.

Bo t h o f t h e g i rl s t es t i fi ed at t h e t ri al t hat t h ey li k ed st ay in g wi t h b ot h p aren t s

.

On e o f th e g i rl s tes ti fi ed t h at wh en sh e was wi th h er fat h er s h e co ul d n o t s p eak wi th

h er m o t h er as m

u ch as w o ul d l i k e, an d t h at h er fat h er wo ul d n o t l et h er go h o m e wi th

h er m o t h er wh en s h e was i nju red

.

Th e t ri al co u rt h eard t es t i m o n y fro m t h e m o t h er an d t h e fat h er t h at t h e fat h er

wo u l d n o t al l o w t he ch i l d ren t o p art i ci p at e i n ex t racu rri cu l ar act i vi t i es b ecau s e o f t h e

week -t o -week cu s t o d y arran g em en t

.

3Th e t ri al co u r t h eard t es t i m o n y fro m t wo g u ard i an s ad l i t em

, El i zab et h Hi at t

an d E l izab et h Fo rd ham

. 1 Hi at t tes t i fi ed t h at her “ reco m m en d at io n was fo r [t h e

m o th er] t o hav e cu s t o d y .” Hi at t b as ed t h i s reco m m en d at i o n on h er h om e ev al u at i o n,

“ ci rcu m s tan ces reg ard i n g th e ch i l d ren ,” an d t h at “ t h e ch i l d ren are t ak en care o f

pr im a r il y b y [t h e m o t h er] .” Ho wev er, Fo rd h am t es ti fi ed th at h er reco m m en d at i o n was

t h at “ [t h e m o t h er’ s ] req u es t t o h av e t h e ch i ld ren fu l l -t i m e b e d en i ed . At a m i n i m u m

. . . t h e arran g em en t s ho u l d st ay t h e way t h at i t i s .” Fo rd h am fu rt her tes t ifi ed t h at s h e

wo u l d n ot o b

j ect t o t h e fat h er b ei n g p ri m ary cu s to d i an

. Fo rd h am t es t i fi ed t hat s h e h ad

n ev er i nt erv i ewed t he m o t h er, b u t s h e reco g n i zed t h at t h e m o t h er “ h ad a real l y g o o d

jo b

, an d t h at [t h e m o t h er] was i n a real l y g o o d ho u s e, an d t h at s h e’ s b een m arri ed

, an d

t h ei r m arri ag e was s t a b l e.” Fo rd h am ack n owl ed g ed t h at Hi at t h ad b een i n b o th

p art i es ’ h o m es wh i l e s he h ad n o t

, an d s h e ag reed t h at g en eral l y a p ers o n wh o

i n t erv i ews b o th p aren t s an d s ees b o t h of t h ei r h om es wo u l d h av e a b et t er

u n d ers t an d i n g o f t h e co m p ari s on b et ween t h e t wo

.

Pri o r t o t h e cl o s e o f t h e ev i d en ce t h e t ri al co u rt s t at ed

,

1 Hi at t was ap p o i n t ed t o i n v es t i g at e t h e m o t h er an d Fo rd h am was ap p o i n t ed to

i n v es t i g at e t h e fat h er.

4[T] h e ch i ld ren s h o u l dn ’ t l o s e b y say i ng o h

, m y g o s h

, we’ re o n ly g o i n g

t o s ee m o m m y ev ery o t h er week en d. T hat can s t i l l h ap p en

. Th e k i d s

s h o u l d n’ t l o s e b y s ay i n g o h

, m y g o s h

, we’ re o nl y g o i n g t o get t o s ee d ad

ev ery o t h er week en d

. Yo u k n o w, t h o s e wo u l d b o t h be h o rro r s t o ri es fo r

y o u

. Bu t

, l o g i s t i cal l y

, th e week t o week i s al s o s o m et h i n g t h at i s a l i t t l e

b i t d i ffi cu l t

, ok ay ? So

, h ere i s wh at I’ m t h i n ki n g ab o u t d o in g

. I’ v e d o ne

t h i s o n ce b efo re an d n ev er h eard b ack fro m th e p eo p le t h a t it d i d n ’ t

wo rk

. An d

, I’ v e s een p eo p l e ag ree to t h is o n ce b efo re, an d n ev er heard

b ack t h at it d i d n ’ t wo rk

. An d

, t h at i s

, i n s tead o f d i v i d i n g cu s to d y w eek

t o week

, di v i d e i t y ear t o y ear. An d, t h e reas o n t hat co u l d h a p p en i s

b ecau s e we n o w h av e, I t h i n k

, a co m m o n co re cu rri cu l u m

. An d

, I t h i n k

t h e cu rri cu l u m al l acro s s Geo rg i a i s ab o u t t h e sam e

. . . [ T ] h e k id s are

g o i n g t o h av e fri en d s i n b o t h p l aces

.

Th e t ri al co u rt as k ed t h e at t o rn ey s if t hey h a d d i s c u s sed t he po s si b i l i t y o f a

y ear-t o -y ear cu s t o dy arran g em en t an d t h e fat h er’ s at to rn ey res p on d ed

, “ N o

, s i r.” Th e

t ri al co u rt rep l i ed

, “ No s u rp ri s e. Th at ’ s wh y I d o w h at I d o.” At th e co n cl u s i o n o f t h e

ev i d en ce, t h e m o t h er’ s at t orn ey ex p res sed co n cern s ab ou t t h e p ro po s ed y ear-t o -y ear

cu s t o d y arran g em en t

, i n cl u d i n g co n cern s ab ou t t h e ch i l d ren ch an gi n g s ch o ol s ev ery

y ear. Th e t ri al co u rt res p o n ded

, “ [A] ren ’ t y o u i g n ori n g t h at t h ere are al s o b en efi t s in

b ei n g a n ew ki d i n s ch o o l? ” T h e t ri al co u rt fu rt h er s t at ed

, “ Sh o w m e h ow [t h e y ear-t o

y ear cu s t o d y

arran g em en t ] i s h arm fu l .”

Fo l l owi n g t h e t ri al , t h e co u rt en t ered an o rd er p ro vi d i n g t h at

,

5[Th e] [f] at h er s h al l h av e p ri m ary ph y s ical cu s to d y o f an d fi nal d eci s i o n

m ak i n g au t h o ri t y fo r s ai d m i n o r ch i l d ren b eg i n n i n g J u ly 1

, 2 01 5

, at n o o n

u n t i l J u l y 1

, 20 1 6

, at n o o n at wh i ch t im e t h e [f] at h er s h al l h av e p ri m ary

p h ys i c a l cu s t o d y an d fi n al d eci s i o n m ak i n g au t h ori t y fo r t h e m i n o r

ch i l d ren u n t i l J ul y 1, 2 0 1 7

, at [ n ]o o n ; an d s h al l co n t i n u e t h i s an n ual

al t er n a t io n o f p ri m ary p h y s i cal cu s t o d y an d fi n al d eci s io n m ak i n g

au t h ori t y each y ear ch an g i ng o v er o n J u l y 1 s t at [n ] o o n fo r s ai d m i n o r

ch i l d re n u n t il each res p ect i v el y at t ai n s th e ag e o f ei g h t een y ears

,

g rad uat es h i g h s ch o o l

, m arri es o r o t h erwi s e b eco m es em an ci pat ed

.

It is fro m t h i s o rd er t h at t h e m ot h er n o w ap p eal s.

1

. T he m o t h er co n t en ds t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred b y en t eri n g t h e cu s t od y o rd er

b ecau s e i t i s s el f-ex ecu t i ng w i t ho u t m ak i n g a d et erm i n at i o n as t o wh et her t he cu s t o dy

ch an ge i s i n t h e b es t i n t eres t s o f t h e ch il d ren . W e ag ree.

“ Sel f-ex ecu t i n g ch an g e o f cu s t o d y p ro v i s io n s al l o w fo r an ‘ au to m at i c’ ch an g e

i n cu s t o d y b as ed o n a fu t u re ev en t wi t h o u t an y ad d it io n al j u d ici al s cru t i n y .” S co t t v.

S co tt

, 27 6 Ga. 3 7 2, 3 7 3 (5 7 8 SE2 d 8 7 6) (2 00 3 ). Ou r Su p rem e Co u rt h as h el d t h at

,

“ [w] h il e s el f-ex ecu t i ng ch an g e o f cu s t o d y p ro v is io n s are n o t ex p res s l y p ro h ib i t ed by

s t at u to ry l aw

. . . an y s u ch p ro v i s i o n t h at fai l s t o g i v e p aram o u n t i m p o rt t o th e ch i l d ’ s

b es t i n t eres t s i n a ch an g e o f cu s t o d y as b et ween p aren t s v i o l at es t h i s St at e ’s p u b l i c

p o l i cy as ex p res s ed i n OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 .” Id . at 3 7 5

.

6Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er ch an g es t h e p aren t wh o “ wi l l h av e p ri m ary p h y s i cal

cu s t o d y o f an d fi n al d eci s i o n m ak i n g au t h o ri t y ” fo r th e ch il d ren each y ear o n J u l y 1 s t

u n t i l each o f t h e ch i l d ren “ at t ai n s th e ag e o f ei g h t een y ears

, g rad u at es h ig h s ch o o l

,

m arri es o r o t h erwi s e b eco m e em an ci p at ed ” wi t h ou t an y “ d et erm i nat i o n wh et h er t h e

cu s t o d y ch an g e i s i n t h e b es t in t eres t of th e p art ies ’ [ch i l d ren ] at t he ti m e t h e ch an g e

wo u l d au t o m at i cal l y occu r.” Sco t t

, 2 7 6 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 77

. In t h e ab s en ce o f an an n u al

h eari n g p ri o r t o t h e ch an g e i n cu s t o d y

, “ [t h e ord er] v i o lat es th i s St at e’ s p u b li c p o l i cy

as ex pres s ed i n OCGA § 19 -9 -3 t h at a t ri al co u rt t ak e i n t o acco un t t h e fact u al

s i tu at i o n at t h e t i m e t he cu s t o d y m o d i fi cat io n i s s o u g h t

, wi t h t h e co u rt ’ s ‘ p aram o u nt

co n cern ’ al way s rem ai ni ng t he b es t i n t eres t s an d w el fare o f t h e m i n o r ch i l d.”

(Ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) Ba n ks t o n

, 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. a t 3 5 ( 2 ) (rev ers i n g a

s el f-ex ecu t i n g p ro v i s i o n au t o m at i cal l y ch an g in g cu s t o d y aft er 1 8 m on t hs ). See S co t t

,

2 7 6 Ga. at 3 7 7 (v acat in g d i v o rce d ecree w i t h d i rect i o n t h a t t h e tri al co u rt s et as i d e

p ro v is i o n t h erei n wh i ch au t o m at i cal l y t ran s ferred p h y si cal cu s t o d y t o t h e fat h er i n t h e

ev en t t h e m o t h er m o v e d o u t s i de o f h er co u nt y o f res i den ce); s ee al so Del l i n g er v.

Del l i n g er

, 2 7 8 Ga. 73 2

, 7 3 6 (1 ) (6 0 9 SE2 d 3 31 ) (2 0 0 4 ) (rev ers i n g t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er

i m p o s i n g a s el f-ex ecu t in g ch an g e i n v i s i tat i o n s ho u l d t he m o t her m o v e m o re t h an 3 5

m i l es o u t s i d e h er co u n t y o f res i d en ce). Co m p are Les t er v. Bo l es

, 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p

. 8 9 1,

78 9 3 (1 ) (7 8 2 SE2 d 5 3) (2 01 6 ) (fi n d i ng n o ab u s e o f d i s c ret i on i n s el f-ex ecu t i n g

p ro v is i o n t h at was n o t o p en -en d ed o r arb i t ra r y a n d “ g av e p aram ou n t i m p o rt t o t h e

ch i l d ’ s b es t i n t eres t s ”) (p u n ct uat i o n an d fo o t no t e om i t t ed ). Th erefo re, we rev ers e t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er.

2

. T h e m o t her co n t en d s th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y en t eri n g t h e cu s to d y o rd er

b ecau s e t h ere was n o ev i d en ce t h at th e term s o f th e o rd er are i n t h e b es t in t eres t s o f

t h e ch i l d ren

. W e ag ree.

Pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 (a) (2 ), wh en d et erm i ni n g t h e i s s u e of cu s t o d y o f

m i n o r ch i l d ren

, “ [t ] he d u ty of th e ju d g e

. . . sh al l b e to ex erci s e d i s cret i o n to l o o k to

an d d et erm i n e s o l el y wh at i s fo r t h e b es t i n t eres t o f t h e ch i ld an d wh at wi l l p ro m o t e

t h e ch i l d ’ s wel fare an d h ap pi n es s an d t o m ak e h is o r h er award acco rd i ng l y .”

In t h e i n s t an t cas e, t h e effect o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er i s t o req u i re t h e ch i l d ren

t o ch an ge s ch o o l s

, ho m es

, s c h o o l fri en d s

, an d ex t racu rri cu l ar act i v i t i es ev ery y ear.

Th ere was n o ev i d en ce p res en t ed t h at t h es e ch an g es wo u l d b e i n th e b es t i n t eres t o f

t h e ch il d ren

. Bo t h gu ard i an ad l i t em s h ad fi n i s h ed t h e i r t e s ti m o n y b efo re t h e t ri al

co u rt p ro n o un ced th at i t was co n s i d eri n g an an n u al ch an g e i n cu st o d y

. Nei t h er

g u ard i an ad l i t em reco m

m en d ed an an n u al ch an g e in cu s to d y o r t es t i fi ed as t o wh at

effect an an n u al ch an g e i n cu s to d y wo u l d h av e o n t h e ch i l dren . Fu rt h erm o re, wh i l e

8t h e t ri al co u rt b el iev ed t h at t h e r e a r e ben efi t s t o b ei ng t h e n ew k i d i n sch o o l

, n o

ev i d en ce was p res en t ed t h at ch an g i ng s ch o o ls ev ery y ear wo u l d b e i n t h e b es t i n t eres t

o f t h es e ch il d ren

.

Becau s e t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd to s u p p o r t a fi n di n g t h at t h e b es t

i n t eres t s o f t h e ch i l d ren wo u l d b e s erv ed b y t h e an n ual ch an g e i n cu s t o d y

, we rev ers e

t h e t r i a l c o u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d fo r t h e t ri al co u rt t o fu rt h er co n s i d er th i s i s s u e

co n si s t en t wi t h t h i s o p i ni on

. See Li f es y v. Li fes y

, 2 56 G a

. 6 1 3 ( 3 ) (3 5 1 SE2 d 6 3 7 )

(1 9 8 7) (“ Th ere i s no ev i den ce in t h e reco rd t h at m ig h t s u p po rt fi n di n g s t h at t h e b es t

i n t eres t s o f t h e ch i l d ren wi l l b e s e r v ed b y req u i ri ng t hat t h ey ch an g e res i d en ces

,

s ch o ol s y s t em s, ci rcl es o f fri en d s

, act i v i t i es

, an d s t at es o n a y earl y b as i s

. ”); s ee al s o

S t eed v. Dea l

, 2 2 5 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5 (3 ), (4 8 2 SE2 d 5 2 7 ) (1 9 9 7 ) (‘ [T] h ere is n o ev i d en ce

i n t h e reco rd t h at m i g h t s u p po rt a fi n di n g t hat t h e b es t i n t eres t o f t h e c h i l d wi l l b e

s erv ed b y req u iri n g t h at h e ch an g e res i d en ce, s ch o o l s y s t em

, s p e c i a l ed u cat i o n

t each ers

, d oct o rs

, t h erap i s t s

, ci rcl e o f fri en ds

, act i v i t i es

, an d s t at es o n a y earl y b as i s .”)

Ju d g men t r ever

s ed a n d ca s e r ema n d

ed

. Ba r nes , P. J., a n d

Bo g g s , J., co n cu r

.

9