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

A ugust 18, 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 21 0 . HARDIN v . HARDIN.

P E T E R S O N , J u d g e.

Do u gl as An d rew Hard i n (t h e “ fat h er”) ap p eal s t he t ri al co urt ’ s or de r pe r m itt i n g

Ri t a Hard i n a/ k / a Ri t a Barb ag al l o (t h e “ m o t her”) t o res u m e v i s i t at i o n wi t h h er

y o u n g es t s o n i n t h e fo rm o f w eek l y th erap eu t i c s e s s io n s. He arg u es th e t ri al co u rt

erred by en t eri ng a s el f-ex ecu t i n g c h a n g e o f v i s i t at i o n

, by fai l in g t o i n cl u de a

p aren t i n g p l an wi t h t h e o rd er, an d b y fai l i n g t o co n si d er th e bes t i n t eres ts of t h e ch i l d.

Becau s e w e f

i n d t h e co urt ’ s o rd er t o b e a s el f-ex ecu ti n g ch an ge of v is i tat i on o f t h e

s o rt p ro h i b i t ed u n d er Geo rg i a l aw, we v acat e t h e o rd er.

“ A t ri al co u rt ’ s de c ision r e g ard i n g a ch an g e i n cu s t o d y / v i s i t at i o n wi l l b e u p h el d

o n ap p eal u n les s i t i s sh o wn t h at t he co u rt cl earl y ab u s ed i ts di 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 ru l i n g

, a rev i ewi n g co u rt can n o t s ayt h ere was a n a b u s e o f d is cret i o n .” Ez u n u v. Mo u l t r ie

, 3 3 4 Ga. Ap p. 2 7 0, 2 7 2 (7 7 9

SE2 d 4 4 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (p u nct u at io n an d ci t at io n o m it t ed ).

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s ho ws t h e fat h er fi l ed a m o t i o n t o m o di fy cu s t o d y an d

v i s i t at i o n

, s eek i ng s o le p h y si cal cu s to d y an d l i m i t at i o n o f t h e m o t her’ s vi s i t at i o n i n

acco rd an ce wi t h t h e r e c o m m e n d at i o n o f a g u ard i an ad l i t em

. Th e m o th er’ s reg u l ar

v i s i t at i o n p ri vi l eg es wi t h h er ch i l d ren were l at er t em p o rari l y s us p en d ed b y co n s en t

o f t h e p art i es

. 1 Befo re d eci d i n g t h e f a t h er’ s m ot i o n

, t h e t ri al co u rt el ect ed t o g at h er

m o re i n fo rm at i o n

, i ncl u d i ng a p ro fes s i o n al ev al u at i o n. In l at e 2 0 1 4

, t h e p ro fes s i o n al

ev al u at o r s u b m it t ed h is rep o rt

, i n wh i ch h e n o t ed s i gn i fi can t co n cern s ab o u t t h e

m o th er’ s m en t al h eal t h an d co n cl ud ed t h at he d i d n o t b el i ev e it t o b e i n t h e b es t

i n t eres t s o f t h e ch i l d ren t o p erm i t vi s i t at i o n wi t h o u t t h e m o t h er fi rs t recei v i n g

s u b s t an t i al t reat m en t

. Th e ch i ld ren al s o s u b m i tte d s t at em en t s t o th e co urt t h at t h ey d id

n o t wi sh t o h av e v i s i t at i o n o r co u n s el i n g wi t h t h ei r m o t her.

In M ay 2 0 1 5

, t h e co u rt hel d a h eari n g ack n o w l ed g i n g t h e rep o rt an d i s s u ed a

f i n a l ru l in g

. Al t h o u g h n o ch an g e in t h e m ot h er’ s co n di t i o n i s ap p aren t fro m t h e

reco rd

, t h e t ri al co u rt en t ered an o rd er o n Decem b er 1 7, 2 0 1 5 p erm i tt i ng t h e m o t h er

1 Th e co n s en t o rd er b et ween t h e p art i es was en t er e d i n 2 0 1 2, an d t he m o t h er

h ad n o t h ad v i s i t at i o n wi t h t h e ch i l d ren s i nce.

2t o res u m e v i s it at i o n wi t h h er y o u n g es t s o n 2 i n t h e fo rm o f w eek l y t herap eu ti c s es s i on s

aft er s h e co m

p l et ed ei g ht week s o f co u ns el i n g o n h er o wn “ fo r t h e f o l l o w i n g t w o

m o nt h s

. ” Th e t ri al co u rt o rd er p ro v i d ed t hat

[t ] h e m en t al h eal t h p r o f

es s io n al s h al l b e pro v i ded t h e rep o rt o f [t he

p ro fes s io nal ev al u at o r]

, an d at t h e co n c l u s io n o f t h e t wo m o n t h s sh al l

m ak e cert ai n reco m

m en d at i o ns as t o an y fu rt h er t reat m e n t an d o t h er

t e r m s an d co n d i t io ns reg ard in g m en t al h eal t h wh i ch s h al l b e fo l l o w ed

b y [t h e m o th er]

. Up o n a g o o d fai t h co m pl et i o n o f ei g ht week s, an d a

rep o rt to t h is Co urt wh i ch ev i d en ces co m pl et io n o f t hi s th erap y an d [t he

m o t h e r ]’ s p ro g res s

, [t he m o t h er] sh al l b e en ti t led t o i n it iat e v i s i t at i o n

wi t h t h e y o u n g er ch i l d

. . . b y en g ag i n g a ch i l d p s y ch o l o g i s t to su p erv i s e

an d as s i s t i n week ly t h erap eu t ic s es s io n s w i th [t h e y o u n g er ch i l d ]

. T h i s

s h al l co n t i n u e u nt i l t h e ch i l d reach es t h e ag e o f m ajo ri t y

.

Th e co u rt s t at ed t h at it bel i ev ed i t t o b e i n t h e “ l o n g -t erm b es t i n t eres t o f t h e ch i l d ”

t o at t em pt t o rep ai r t h e ch i l d’ s rel at i o n s h i p wi t h t h e m o t h er. Th e fat h er co n t en d s

, an d

t h e m o t h er d o es no t d is p ut e, t h at o n Decem b er 2 4

, 2 0 1 5

— ju s t s ev en day s aft er en t ry

o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n al o r d e r

— t h e m o t h er’ s t h erap i s t 3 s u bm i t t ed a cert i fi cat e o f

2 Th e t ri al co u rt ack n o w l ed g ed t he o l d er ch i l d t u rn ed 1 8 i n M ay 2 01 5

.

3 Th e fat h er co m

p lai n s t h at t h e m o t h er’ s t h erap i st wh o s u b m i t ted t h e cert i fi cat e

o f co m p l et i o n al s o s erv ed as h er ex p ert wi t n es s

.

3co m

p l et i o n

, t h o ug h th i s d o cu m en t d o es n o t ap p ear i n t h e reco rd b efo re u s

. Th i s

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

1

. Th e fat her arg u es t hat th e tri al co u rt erred by en t eri n g an i m p erm i s s ib l y s el fex ecu t i n g o rd er t h at p ro v i d es fo r an au t o m at ic ch an g e o f v i s i t at i o n . W e ag ree.

“ Vi s i t at io n p ri v i leg es are, o f co u rs e, p art o f cu st o d y .” W ri g h ts on v. W

r i g h t s o n

,

2 6 6 Ga. 4 9 3

, 4 9 6 (3 ) (4 6 7 SE2 d 5 7 8 ) (1 9 9 6 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

Sel f-ex ecu ti n g ch an g e o f cu s to d y p ro v i s i o ns al lo w fo r an “ a u t o m at i c”

ch an g e i n cu s t o d y b a s e d o n a fu t u re ev en t wi t h o u t an y ad d i t i o nal

ju d i ci al s cru ti n y

. Ou r Su p rem e Co u rt h as h el d t h at “ an y s el f-ex ecu t i n g

ch an g e o f cu s t o d y p ro v is i o n t h a t fai l s to gi v e p aram o u n t im po 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 to d y as b et w een p aren t s m u s t be

s t ri ck en as v i o l at i v e o f Geo rg i a p u b l i c p o l icy .”

Les t er v. Bo l es

, 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p

. 8 9 1

, 8 9 2 (1 ) (7 8 2 SE2 d 5 3 ) (2 0 1 6) (ci t i n g Del l i n g er v.

Del l i n g er , 2 7 8 Ga. 7 32

, 7 3 3 (1 ) (6 09 SE2 d 3 3 1 ) (2 0 04 )). Bu t n o t al l s el f-ex ecu t i n g

p ro v is i o n s are in val i d

. Rat h er, we m u s t cl o s el y ex am in e t h e n at u re o f an y s u ch

p ro v is i o n i n d et erm i n i n g wh et her i t fai l s “ to g i ve p aram o u nt i m p o rt t o t he ch i l d ’ s b es t

i n t eres t s [.] ” Id

.

In W ea ver v. Jo n es

, 2 60 Ga. 49 3 (3 9 6 SE2 d 8 9 0 ) (1 99 0 ), an d Pea rce v. Pea r ce

,

2 4 4 Ga. 6 9 (2 5 7 SE2 d 9 0 4 ) (1 9 7 9 ), o ur Su p rem e Co u rt u p h el d au t om a t i c cu s t o dy

4ch an ge p ro v i s i o n s t h at co n t em p l at ed t h at an o l d er ch i l d, u po n reach i ng ag e 1 4

, m ay

ch o os e t h e p aren t wi t h wh o m t h e ch i l d wi s h es t o res i d e. S ee Sco t t v. S

co t t

, 2 7 6 Ga.

3 7 2

, 37 3 (5 7 8 SE2 d 8 7 6 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (d i s cu s s i n g W ea ver an d Pea r ce ). An d in Les t er

, we

u p h e l d a s el f-ex ecu t in g p ro v i s i o n t h at al tered cu st o d y wh en t h e ch i l d b eg an fi rs t

g rad e, n o t i n g t h at t h e pro v i si o n was n o t i n v al id b ecau s e t h e ch an g e i n cu s to d y was

n o t co n d i t i on al u p o n an ev en t t h at m ay n ev er o ccu r an d was “ n o t an arb it rary ch an g e

t h at m ay o r m ay no t affect t h e ch i l d ’ s b es t i n t eres t s at s o m e u n k n o wn d at e[.] ” See

Les t er , 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p . at 8 9 3 (1 ).

Bu t o t h er sel f-ex ecu t in g pro v i s i on s th at creat e an au t o m at i c ch an g e o f cu s t o dy

b as ed s ol el y o n a cu s t od i al p aren t ’ s rel o cat i o n wi t h i n t h e co u n t ry o r rem arri ag e, o r

a co u n sel o r’ s d et erm i n at io n o f read i n es s

— wi t h o u t reg ard t o t h e ch i l d ’ s b es t i n t eres t s

at t h e t i m e of t h e ch an g e

— h av e b een reject ed

. S ee Jo h n s on v. Jo h ns o n

, 2 9 0 Ga. 3 5 9,

3 5 9 -6 0 (7 2 1 SE2 d 9 2 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (rev ers i n g t ri al co u rt ju d g m en t wi t h d i rect i o n t h at t h e

t ri al co u rt s t ri ke t h e s el f-ex ecu t i n g p ro v i s i o n o f t he d ecree t h at al lo wed t erm i n at i o n

o f s u perv i s ed o v ern ig h t vi s it s t o o ccu r b as ed o n a co u n s el o r’ s d et erm i nat i o n o f

read i n es s ); Del l i n ger

, 2 78 Ga. at 7 3 4 -3 6 (1 ) (6 0 9 SE2 d 33 1 ) (2 0 0 4) (rev ers i n g t ri al

co u rt j u d gm en t wi t h d i rect i o n t h at t h e t ri al co u rt s t ri k e t h e s el f-ex ecu t i n g p ro v i s i o n

o f t h e decree t h at al t ered cu s t o d y i f t h e m o t her m o v ed ); S co t t v. S co t t

, 2 7 6 Ga. 3 7 2,

53 7 6 (5 7 8 SE2 d 8 76 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (“ Rem arri ag e an d rel o cat i o n d irect l y affect a ch i l d b ut

t h e y d o n o t au t o m at i cal l y warran t a ch an g e in cu s t o dy

. ”). “ It i s t h e t ri al co u rt ’s

res p o n s i b i l i t y t o d et erm i n e w h e t h er t h e ev i den ce i s s u ch t h at a m o di fi cat i o n o r

s u sp en s i o n o f cu s t o d y

/v i s i t at i o n p ri v i l eg es i s warran t ed

, an d t h e res p o ns i b i l i t y f o r

m ak i n g t h at d eci si o n can no t b e d el eg at ed to an o t h er, n o m at t er th e d e g r e e o f t h e

d el eg at ee’ s ex p ert i s e o r fam i l i ari t y wi t h t he cas e.” W r i g h ts o n

, 2 6 6 Ga. at 4 9 6 (3 )

(ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i t ted ).

Th e q u e s t i o n fo r t hi s Co u rt to res o l v e, th en

, i s wh et h er t h e s el f-ex ecu t i n g

p ro v is i o n ch al l en ged h ere i s t h e s o rt pro h i bi t ed u n d er Geo rg i a l aw. A rev i ew o f t h e

cas el aw reg ard i n g p ro hi bi t ed s el f-ex ecu t in g p ro v i s io n s sh o ws t h at t h ey can g en eral l y

b e su m m ari zed as h av i n g o ne o f t wo cri t i cal fl aws

. Fi rs t, s el f-ex ecu ti n g p ro v i s i on s

t h at rel y o n a t h i rd p art y ’ s fu t u re ex erci s e o f d i scret i o n es s en t ial l y d el eg at e t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s j u d g m en t t o th at th i rd p art y

. S e e

, e.g

. , Jo h n so n

, 2 9 0 Ga. at 3 5 9 -6 0

. An d,

s eco n d

, s el f-ex ecu t i n g p ro v i s i o n s t h at ex ecu t e at so m e u n cert ai n d at e w el l i n t o t h e

fu t u re are n o t p erm i t t ed b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt creat i n g t h o se p ro v i s i o n s can n o t k n o w

at th e t i m e o f t h ei r creat i o n wh at d i s p o si t io n at t h at fu t u re d at e wo u l d serv e t h e b es t

i n t eres t s o f t he ch i ld ; t h e p as s ag e o f t im e (an d th u s, l i k el i h o od o f c h a n g ed

ci rcu m s t an ces ) i s ju s t to o g reat

. S ee Del li n g er

, 2 7 8 Ga. at 7 3 5 (au t o m at i c ch an g e in

6v i s i t at i o n wi t h ou t an y reg ard t o t h e ci rcu m s t an ces ex i s t i n g i n t h e ch i l dren ’ s l i v es at

t h e ti m e of t h e ch an ge i s “ u t terl y d ev o i d o f t h e fl ex i b i l i t y neces s ary t o ad ap t t o t h e

u n i q u e v ari ab l es t h at ari s e i n ev ery cas e, v ari ab l es t h at m

u s t b e as ses s ed i n o rd er t o

d et erm i n e wh at s erv es t h e b es t i n t eres t s an d wel fare o f a ch i l d”).

Th e m o t h er arg u es t h at t h e ch al l en g ed p ro v i s i o n h ere i s ak i n t o t h at ex am i n ed

i n Les t er b ecau s e t h ere ap p ears t o b e a d at e d et erm i n at i v e fo r t h e ch an g e i n v i s i t at i o n

— her co m

p l et i on o f ei g h t week s

. 4 An d s h e arg u es t hat t h e t ri al co urt co n s id ered t h e

b es t i n t e r e s t s o f t h e ch i l d wh en i t en t ered t he o rd er, as ex p res s l y ack n o wl ed g ed

t h erei n

, n o t i n g t h at an at t em p t t o rep ai r th e ch i l d ’ s rel at i o n s h i p wi t h t he m o th er wo u ld

b e i n t he “ l o n g -t erm bes t in t eres t o f t h e ch i l d [.] ” Bu t as t he m o th er p o in t s o u t i n h er

ap p el l at e b ri ef

, “ [t ] h e t ru e p o t en t i al v i ce in t h is s o rt of s el f-ex ecu t i n g ch an g e, as

Fat h er an d t h e d eci ded c a s es en v i s i o ns t hat ev i l

, i s d el eg at i o n o f ju dg m en t to

an o th er.” In d eed

, we h av e i n s t ru ct ed t ri al co urt s to st ri k e s u ch p ro vi s i o n s i n t h o s e

cas es i n wh i ch t he t ri al co u rt h as d el eg at ed i ts au th ori t y t o det erm in e t h e t i m i n g o f

4 Th e p ro v i s i o n co u l d al s o b e i n t erp ret ed as t h e t ri al co u rt ret ai n in g j u ri s d i ct i o n

t o rev i ew t he m o t h er’ s p ro g res s as rep o rt ed t o i t an d d et erm i n e wh et h er i t i s su ffi ci en t

t o t ri g ger v i s i tat i o n

. Ho wev er, t h at i n t erp re t a t i o n i s n o t av ai l ab l e t o u s g i v en t h e

co u rt ’ s d es i g n at i o n o f t h e o rd er as “ fi nal ,” b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt

, i n s o d es i g n at i n g

i t s o rd er, d em on s trat ed i t s i n t en t t o d i v es t i ts el f o f j u ri sd i ct i o n t o d o an y f u r t h e r

an al y s i s o f t h e m o t h er’ s co m pl i an ce wi t h i t s o rd er.

7cu s t o d y t ran s i t i o n s or m o d i fi cat i o n s t o a co u n s el o r. S ee W r i g h t s o n

, 2 6 6 G a. at 4 9 5 -9 6

(3 ), Jo h n s o n , 2 9 0 Ga. at 3 5 9-6 0 . Th at i s es s en t i al l y wh at h as h ap p en ed h ere.

U n d e r t h e t erm s o f t h e o rd er at i s s u e, t h e co u ns el o r i s t o “ m ak e cert a i n

reco m m en d at i o ns as t o an y fu rt her t reat m en t an d o t her term s an d c o n d i t i on s

reg ard i n g m en t al h eal t h wh i ch s h al l b e fo l lo wed b y [t he m o t h er] .” Up o n a “ g o o d fai th

co m p l et i o n o f ei g ht week s” o f t h erap y

, a rep o rt i s t o b e m ad e t o t h e t ri al co u rt (i t i s

u n cl ear by wh om ) ev i d en ci ng co m p l et i o n o f t h i s t h erap y an d t h e m o th er’ s p ro g res s

.

On ce t h es e ev en t s h av e occu rred

, t h e m o t h er i s en t i t l ed t o i n i t i at e v i s i t at i o n wi t h t h e

ch i l d i n th e fo rm of week l y th erap y ses s i o ns

. Un d er t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er, t h i s

t ran s it i o n i n cu s t o d y i s au t o m at i c, an d al t h o u g h i t i s u n cl ear p reci s el y wh o h as t h e

u l t i m at e res p o n s i b i li ty fo r rev i ewi n g th e rep o rt t o d et erm i n e wh et h er i t s u ffi ci en t l y

ev i d en ces t h e m o t h er’ s “ p ro g res s ” an d co m pl et i o n o f th e req u i red t h erap y

, it i s cl ear

t h at i t i s n o t t h e co u rt . Th i s i s t ro u b l i n g fo r p reci s el y t h e reas o n t he fat h er arg u es i n

h i s ap p eal

— t h e m o t h er m ay n o t act u al l y h av e m ad e “ p ro g res s ” i n h er t herap y i n t h e

s en s e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt i n t en d ed

, o r s h e m ay n o t b e co m pl y in g wi t h t h e co u n s el o r’ s

ad d it i o n al t reat m en t reco m m en d at i o n s o r t h e res t o f t h e co u rt ’s o r d e r

. In d eed

, t h e

m o th er at t em

p t ed t o res u m e v i s i t at i o n al m o s t im m ed i at el y fo l l o wi n g en t r y o f t h e

o rd er, d es p i t e n o t hav i n g co m p l i ed wi t h i t s in s t ru ct i o n t h at s h e co m p l et e ei g ht week s

8o f th erap y “ fo r th e fo ll o wi n g t w o m o n t h s .” 5 Th i s m ak es th e ev en t t ri gg eri n g t h e

au t o m at i c ch an g e i n vi s it at i o n arb i t rary

, wi t h “ o n l y a t an gen t i al co nn ect i o n” t o t h e

c h i l d ’ s b es t i n t eres t s. Les t er

, 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p. at 8 93 (1 ). Th us

, th e o rd er l ack s “ t h e

fl ex i bi l i t y n eed ed t o ad ap t to t he u n i q u e v ari ab les t h a t m u st be as ses s ed i n o rd er to

d et erm i n e w h at s erv es t h e b es t i n t eres t s an d wel fare o f a ch i l d .” Les t er

, 3 3 5 Ga. Ap p.

at 8 9 2 -9 3 (1 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t e d )

. F o r t h is reas o n, we fi n d t h at t h i s

p ro v is i o n i n t he t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er co n s t it u t es an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

, an d acco rd i n g l y

,

we v acat e t h e o rd er an d rem an d t h e cas e t o t h e t r i al co u rt t o rev i s i t t h e i s s u e an d

p ro v id e a n ew o rd er o n t h e fat h er’ s m o t i o n co n s is t en t wi t h t h i s o p i n i o n

.

2

. Becau s e o f o u r h ol d i n g i n Di v i si o n 1

, we n eed n o t ad d res s t h e fat h er’ s o t h er

en u m erat i o n s o f erro r.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d ca s e r ema n d ed

. Ph i p p s

, P. J., a nd D i l la r d

, J., co n cu r

.

5 Th e m o t h er arg ues t h at s h e w as ab le t o an t i ci p at e t h e am o u n t o f co u rt -o rd ered

t h erap y an d co m

p let ed i t i n ad van ce, b u t p o i n t s t o n o t h in g i n t h e reco rd s u p p o rt i n g

h er arg u m en t

.

9