THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, 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.

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. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

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H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

June 11, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 37 2 . ROSS v . SM ALL. DO-0 1 2

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

Ch en ea Sm al l fi led a p et i t i o n t o es t ab li s h p at ern i ty an d d ut y o f s u pp o rt fo r h er

m i n o r ch i l d

, P. R., a l l e g i n g t h at M ari o Ro s s w as t h e b i o lo g i cal fat h er. Aft er Ro ss

fai l ed t o an s wer or ap p e a r at th e h eari n g

, th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed Sm al l ’ s p et i t i o n,

fi nd i ng t h at Ro s s was t he bi o l o g ical fat h er of P. R. a n d o r d eri n g ret ro act i v e an d

co n ti n u i n g ch i l d s u p po rt an d at t o rn ey fees

. Ro s s ap peal s

, arg u in g t h at t he tri al co u rt

ab u sed i ts d i s cret i o n (1 ) b y es t ab l i s hi n g p at ern it y wi th ou t co n d uct i n g gen et i c t es t i n g;

(2 ) b y ru l i n g o n cu s t o d y wh en no co u nt ercl ai m o r p et i t i o n fo r l eg i t i m at i o n h ad b een

fi led ; (3 ) b y u s i n g i n co rrect fi g u res t o cal cu lat e p r e s u m p t i v e ch il d s u p p o rt ; (4 ) by

award i n g ret ro act i v e ch i l d s u p p o rt ; an d (5 ) b y award in g at t o rn ey fees wi t h o ut

i n cl u d i n g n eces s a r y f

i n d i n g s o f fact o r n o t i n g t h e ap p l i cab le st at ut o ry b as i s fo r t h eaward

. Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo ll o w, we affi rm in p art

, v acat e i n p art

, 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

.

“ [W ] e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i ng on a l eg i t im at i o n p et i t i o n fo r an ab u s e o f

d i s cret i o n an d wi l l s u s tai n t h e t ri al co urt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n gs i f t h ere i s an y ev i d en ce to

s u p p ort t h em .” 1

Vi ewed i n t hi s li g h t

, t h e reco rd s h o w s t h at Sm al l fi l ed t he p et i t i o n fo r p at ern i t y

,

ch i l d su p p o rt , an d at t o rn ey fees o n J an u ary 2 0, 2 0 1 9 . Ro s s was s erv ed i n p ers o n by

t h e s heri ff o n Feb ru ary 8

, 2 0 1 9

. Sm al l al s o s erv ed t h ird -p art y d is co v ery o n Ro s s ’ s

em pl o y er. A Un i fo rm Su p eri o r Co u rt Ru l e 5.2 n o t i c e o f th i rd -p art y d i s co v ery was

s erv ed o n Ro s s b y m ai l on Feb ru ary 2 6, 2 0 1 9

, a t an ad d res s i n Po wd er Sp ri n g s

,

Geo rg i a.

On M ay 3 0

, 20 1 9

, t h e t ri al co u rt h el d a h eari n g o n t h e p et it i on

, a tran s cri p t o f

wh i ch d o es n o t ap pear i n t h e reco rd

. Th ereaft er, t h e tri al co u rt en t e r e d a n o r d er

g ran t i n g th e pet i t i o n an d fi n d i n g t h at Ro ss w as t h e b i ol o g i cal fat her wh o l i v ed o n an d

o ff ag ai n wi t h Sm al l an d P. R. Th e co urt fo u n d t h at Ro s s had fai l ed t o l eg it i m at e P.

1 (Pu n ct u at io n o m i tt ed .) Ch a l k v. Po l et to

, 3 46 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9 1

, 4 9 3 (8 1 6 S E2 d

4 3 2 ) (2 0 1 8 ), q u ot i n g Du r d en v. An d er s o n

, 3 3 8 Ga

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

(2 0 1 6).

2R., fai l ed t o p ay s up p o rt as i de fro m s h ared ex p en s es wh en t h e co u p l e l i v ed t o g et h er,

an d fai led to es t ab l i s h p aren t i n g t i m e. Th e co u rt award ed s o l e cu st o d y t o Sm al l

, an d

b as ed o n h er t es t i m o n y an d ev i den ce p res en t ed at t he h eari n g

, award ed ch i l d s u p p o rt

o f $ 1,4 4 1 per m o n t h

, at tach i n g a ch il d s u pp o rt wo rk sh eet t o t h e o rd er an d en t eri n g

an i n co m e d ed u ct i on o rd er to en s u re p ay m en t. T h e c o u r t al s o award ed Sm al l 1 4

m o nt h s o f ret ro act i v e ch i l d s u p p o rt o f $ 1 4 ,8 3 5 i n m o n t h l y i n s t al l m en t s o f $ 6 1 8 .8 0.

Fi n al l y

, t h e co u rt award ed Sm al l at t o rn ey fees an d co s t s o f $ 2 ,7 7 1 b as ed o n h er

t es t i m o ny th at sh e a t tem pt ed t o hav e t h e m at ter res o l v ed t hro u g h ch i l d s u p p o rt

en fo rcem en t b ut t hat Ro s s ev ad ed s erv i ce, req u i ri n g h er t o h ire an at t o rn ey an d h av e

h i m s erv ed i n Bal d wi n Co u n t y

. Th e co u rt n ot ed i n i t s o rd er th at Ro s s fai led t o at t en d

t h e h eari n g o r an s wer t h e p et i t io n

.

On J u l y 1, 2 0 19

, aft er t h e fi n al o rd er was en t ered

, Ro s s’ s at t o rn ey fi led an en t ry

o f ap p earan ce, an s wer t o Sm al l ’ s p et i t i on

, m ot i o n t o o pen d efau l t

, an d co u n t ercl ai m

fo r l e g i t i m a t i o n

. On t h at s am e d ay

, Ro ss ’ s at t o rn ey fi l ed an ap p l icat i o n fo r

d i s cret i o n ary ap peal in t h e Geo rg i a Su prem e Co urt

, wh i ch t ran s ferred i t t o t h i s Co u rt

b y o rd er i s s u ed o n J ul y 1 9, 2 0 1 9

. 2 On Au g u s t 2 3

, 2 01 9

, t h i s Co u rt g ran t ed Ro s s ’ s

2 Th e tri al co u rt was d i ves t ed o f ju ri s d i ct io n t o al t er i t s ru l i n g w h en Ro s s fi l ed

h i s d i s cret i o n ary ap p li cat i o n. See Do vel v. Do vel

, 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 42 3

, 4 2 6 n

. 3 (8 3 4

SE2 d 9 1 8) (2 0 1 9).

3ap p li cat io n o n th e b as is t h at a t ri al co u rt o rd er p as s i n g u p o n ch i l d cu s t o d y i s d i rect l y

ap p eal ab l e. 3

1 . As an i n i t i al m at t er, u n d er OCGA § 1 9-7 -4 7 (b ),

[i ] f i n an y p at ern i ty act i o n an an s wer h as n o t been fi l ed wi t h i n t he t i m e

req u ired b y Ch ap t er 1 1 o f Ti t l e 9

, t h e “ Geo rg i a Ci v i l Pract i ce A ct ,” th e

cas e s h al l au t o m at i cal l y b eco m e i n defau l t u n l es s t h e t i m e fo r fi l i n g th e

an s w e r h as been ex t en ded as pro v i d ed by l aw. 4 Th e d efau l t m ay be

o p en ed as a m at t er o f ri g h t b y t h e fi l i n g o f s u ch d efen ses wi t h i n 1 5 d ay s

o f t h e d ay o f d efau l t

, up o n th e p ay m en t o f co s t s

. I f t h e cas e i s s t i l l i n

d efau l t aft er t h e ex p irat i o n o f t h e p eri od o f 1 5 d ay s

, th e p l ai n t iff at an y

t i m e t h ereaft er s h a l l b e en t i tl ed t o v erd i ct an d ju dg m en t b y d efau lt

, i n

o p e n co u rt o r in ch am

b ers

, as i f ev ery i t em an d p arag rap h o f t h e

co m p lai n t o r o t h er o ri g i n al p lead in g were su p po rt ed b y p ro p er ev id en ce.

Ro s s was s erv ed wi t h t h e co m p l ai nt o n Feb ru ary 8, 2 0 1 9

, an d fai l ed t o fi l e an

an s wer o r p et i t io n fo r l eg i t i m at i o n i n res p o n s e t o Sm al l ’ s p et it i on fo r p at ern i t y

.

Th erefo re, Ro s s was in defau l t

, wh i ch h e fai l ed t o m o v e t o o pen at an y t i m e p ri o r to

3 See OCGA § § 5 -6 -3 4 (a) (1 1 ), 5 -6 -3 5 (j).

4 See OCGA § 9-1 1-1 2 (a) (s t at i n g t h at a d efen d an t m u st an s wer wi t h in 3 0 day s

o f s erv i ce).

4en t ry o f t h e fi n al ju dg m en t

. 5 To t h e ex t en t Ro s s arg u es o t h erwi s e, t h e t ri al co u rt was

au t h o ri zed b y

t h i s s t at u t e t o en ter a fi n al o rd er i n t h i s cas e.

2

. Ro s s arg u es th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y es tab l i s h i ng p a t e r n i t y wi t h o ut

co n du ct in g g en et i c t es t i n g

, b u t h e s u pp o rt s t h i s arg u m en t w i t h n o ci t at i on t o au t h o ri t y

o t h er t han OCGA § 1 9 -7 -4 3 (d ), wh i ch al l o ws t h e co u rt t o o rd er g en et i c t es t i n g b ut

d o es n o t req u i re i t. 6 Ro s s fai ls t o es t ab l i s h t hat t h e t ri al co u rt was req u i red t o co m p l et e

g en et i c t es ti n g p ri o r t o ru l in g on t h e i s s u e o f p at ern it y

. M o reo v er, b ecau s e t h e h eari n g

o n t h e p et i t i o n was n o t tran s cri b ed

, we d o n o t k n o w w h a t ev i d en ce was p res en t ed

b efo re t h e co u rt an d p res u m e t h at i t s d eci s i o n was s u p p o rt ed t h ereb y

. 7

3

. N ex t

, Ro ss co n t en ds t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y ru l i n g o n cu s to d y wh en n o

co u nt ercl ai m o r p et i t i o n fo r leg i t i m at i o n h ad b een fi l ed

. Ag ai n, t h e t ri al co u rt was

5 See OCG A § 9

- 1 1

- 5 5 ; Bo wen v. Sa vo y

,

__ Ga.

_

_ (8 3 9 SE2 d 5 4 6

, 5 4 8 )

(2 0 2 0).

6 OCGA § 1 9 -7 -4 3 (d ) st at es t h at “ [i ] n an y cas e i n w h i ch t h e p at ern i t y o f a ch i ld

. . . has n ot b een es t ab l i s h ed

, t h e co urt

, ei t h er o n i ts o wn m o t i on o r o n t h e m o t i o n o f

an y p art y

, ma

y ord er t h e m ot h er, t h e al l eg ed fat h er, an d t h e c h i l d

. . . to su b m i t to

g en et i c t es ts as s p eci fi ed i n Co d e Sect i o n 1 9 -7 -4 5.” (em p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) Th e u s e o f

t h e wo rd “ m ay ” i n t h i s st at u te i n d i cat es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt h as d i s cret i o n t o o r d er

g en et i c tes t i n g rat her t han b ei n g req ui red t o d o so

. See Bel t Po wer

, LLC v. Reed

,

_

_ Ga. A p p.

_

_ (2 ) (b ) (8 4 0 SE2 d 7 6 5 ) (2 0 2 0 ) (p h y s i c al p reced en t on l y as t o Di v i s i o n

3 ).

7 See S t a n

f o r d v. Po g u e , 3 4 0 Ga. Ap p

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

5au t h o ri zed u n d er OCGA § 1 9 -7 -4 7 (b ) t o is su e an o rd er in t h i s cas e reg ard l es s o f

wh et h er Ro s s an s wered o r fi l ed a l eg i t i m acy p et i ti o n i n res p o n s e. An d b ecau s e Ro ss

fai l ed t o d o s o , t h e t ri al co u rt was au t h ori zed t o award Sm al l s o l e cu s to d y o f P. R. 8

4

. Ro s s co n t en d s th at t h e t ri al co urt erred b y us i n g i n co rrect fi g ures t o cal cu l at e

p res u m p t i v e ch i l d s u p p o rt

. As s t at ed ab o v e, h o wev er, a t ran s cri pt of t he h eari n g d o es

n o t ap p ear i n t h e reco rd

, s o w e p res u m e t h e t ri al co u rt h eard t es t i m on y an d recei v ed

ev i d en ce t h at su p po rt ed i t s fi n d i n g s fo r fi g ures i t u s ed t o o rd er ch i l d s u p p o rt fo r P.

R. 9

5 . Ro s s m ai n tai n s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt al s o erred b y award i n g ret ro act i v e ch i ld

s u p p ort

. W e ag ree t o th e ex t en t t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er ap p ears to co nfl i ct wi t h t h e

p ercen t o f ch il d s u p p o rt owed b y Ro ss p er m o n th u n d er t h e ch i l d s u pp o rt g u i d el i n es

.

8 See OCGA § 1 9 -7 -2 5 (“ On l y t h e m o t h er of a c h i l d b o r n o u t o f wed l o ck i s

en t i t l ed t o cu s t o d y of t h e ch i l d

, u n l es s t he fat h er leg i ti m at es t h e ch i l d as pro v i d ed in

Co d e Sect i o n 1 9 -7 -2 2

. Ot h erwi s e, t h e m o th er m ay ex erci s e al l p aren t al p o wer o v er

t h e ch i l d .”).

9 See St a n f or d

, 3 4 0 Ga. A p p

. at 87 (1 ). M o reo v er, t o t h e ex t en t t h at i t ap p l i ed

a d ev i at i on fo r ex t racu rri cu l ar act i v i t i es

, i t n o t ed i n t h e o rd er th at t h e m o th er t es t i fi ed

t o t h o se ex p en ses

. See al s o Ha ml i n v. Ra mey

, 2 9 1 G a. Ap p

. 22 2

, 2 2 7 (2 ) (6 6 1 SE2 d

5 9 3 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (“ Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt i n t hi s cas e d eci d ed t o award t he p res u m p t i v e

am ou n t o f ch i l d s u p p ort wi t h o u t ap p l y i n g a d i s cret i o n ary d ev i at i o n

, OCGA § 1 9 -6 -1 5

d o es n o t req ui re th e co u rt t o is s u e fi n di n gs t o ex p lai n i t s reas o n i n g in reach i n g t h at

d eci s i o n .”).

6Th e co u rt ’ s o rd er i n d icat es t h at t h e m o t h er t es t i fi ed t o m o nt h ly ex pen s es fo r t h e t o t al

n u m b er o f u n s up p o rt ed m o n t hs

, b u t t h e t ri al co u rt o rd ered Ro s s to p ay 60 p ercen t o f

t h e r et ro act i v e am o u n t rat h er t h an h i s act u al pro rat a sh are o f 5 2

. 5 3 p ercen t a s

cal cu l at ed acco rd i n g t o th e g ui d el in es

. W h i l e t h e tri al co urt co u l d h av e d ev i at ed fo r

s o m e reas o n t hat i s n ot art i cu l at ed i n t h e o rd er, t h e t ri al co u rt fai l ed t o i n d i cat e s u ch

rat i o nal e i n t h e o rd er. 1 0 Acco rd i n g l y

, we v acat e as t o t h e am o u nt o f ret ro act i v e ch i ld

s u p p ort an d rem an d fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i ng s co n s i s t en t wi th t h i s o p i n i o n

.

6

. Fi n al l y

, Ro s s c o n t e n d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y award in g at to rn ey fees

wi t h o u t i n cl u d i n g n eces s ary fi n d i n g s o f fact or ci t i n g t h e ap p l i cab l e Co d e s ect i o n

p u r s u a n t t o wh i ch t h e co u rt award ed t h e fees

. W e ag ree. Al t h o ug h t h e t ri al c o u r t

n o t ed s om e b eh av i or u p o n wh i ch i t w a s o r d e r i n g at t o rn ey fees

, i t fai l ed t o ci t e an y

s t at u to ry au t h o ri t y t h erefo re o r t o i n d i cat e wh et h er t h e beh av i o r n ot ed co n s ti t u t ed t h at

fo r wh i ch at t o rn ey fees co u ld b e award ed

. 1 1 A cco rd i ng l y

, we v acat e as t o t h e am o u nt

o f at t orn ey

fees an d rem an d fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i ng s co n s i s t en t wi th t h i s o p i n i o n

.

1 0 See, e.g

., M

e dl ey v. Mo s ley

, 3 3 4 Ga. Ap p

. 5 8 9

, 5 94 (3 ) (7 8 0 SE2 d 3 1 )

(2 0 1 5), ci t in g S

mi t h v. Ca r t er , 3 0 5 Ga. Ap p . 4 7 9 (6 9 9 SE2 d 7 9 6 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

1 1 See, e.g

., Gi lch r i st

v. Gi l ch r i s t , 2 8 7 Ga. Ap p

. 1 3 3 , 1 3 4 (1 ) (6 50 SE2 d 7 9 5 )

(2 0 0 7) (ex pl ai n i n g th at l ack of a h eari n g tran scri p t d o es n o t ci rcu m v en t t h e n eed fo r

t h e t ri al co u rt t o m ak e fi n d i n g s o f f a c t a n d c i t e ap p ro p ri at e l aw wh en o rd eri n g

at t o rn ey fees ); Ba i l ey v. McNea l y

, 2 7 7 Ga. Ap p. 8 4 8

, 8 4 9 (1 ) (6 2 7 SE2 d 8 9 3) (2 0 0 6 ).

7Ju d

g men t a f f i r med i n p a r t

, v a c a t ed i n p ar t

, a n d r ema nd

ed wi t h d i r ect i o n.

McFa d den , C. J., a n d Ho d

g es , J., co n cu r

.

8