SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, HODGES and PI PKI N, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

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M ay 21, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 35 6 . STEEDLEY v . GILBRETH.

P I P K I N , J u d g e.

Th i s cas e i n v o l v i ng a cu s t o d y d i s p ut e b et ween Lau ra St eed l ey

, t h e m o t h er o f

s ev en -y ear-o l d C. B. G., an d D i an e Gi l b ret h

, t h e ch i l d ’ s m at ern al g ran d m o t h er, 1 h as

m ad e s ev eral ap p earan ces b efo re t h i s Co u rt . M o s t recen tl y

, 2 i n S t eed l ey v.Gi l b r et h

,

3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 9 (8 3 4 SE2 d 3 01 ) (2 0 19 ) ( S t eed ley II), we v acat ed a t em p o rary o rd er

g ran t i n g cu s t o d y t o t he Gran d m o t h er an d rem an d ed t o t h e t ri al co u rt fo r ad d i t i o n al

an al y s i s an d fi nd i n g s o f fact req u i red b y Cl a r k v. W a de

, 2 7 3 Ga. 58 7

, 5 9 8 -5 9 9 (IV)

(5 4 4 SE2 d 9 9 ) (2 0 0 1). S teed l ey II

, 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 8 1 (1 ). Th e t ri al co urt t h en i s s u ed

1 Herei n aft er, w e refer t o St eed l ey as “ t he Mo t h er” an d t o Gi l b r e t h as “ t h e

Gran d m o t h er.”

2 W e d i s m i s s ed a p rev i o u s ap p eal as u n t i m el y

. S t eed l ey v. G i l br et h

, Cas e No

. A1 9 A0 32 7 (d i s m i s sed Oct o b er 4 , 2 0 1 8 ).a jo i n t cu s t o d y o rd er, award i n g t h e M o t h er “ p ri m ary p h y s i cal cu s t o d y ” an d g ran t i n g

t h e Gran d m o t h er v i si t at i on ri g h t s o n e w eek an d o n e week en d a m o n t h ; t h e o rd er al s o

req u i red t h e p art i es t o “ wo rk t o g et h er fo r t h e b es t i n t e r e s t o f t h e ch il d ” an d to

“ co o p erat e o n h o l i d ay s an d b i rt h d ay s .” Th e M o t h er ap p eal s

, 3 an d we n o w rev ers e.

As we ex p l ai n ed in S t eed l ey II

, “ [c] u s to d y d i s p u t es b et ween a paren t an d cl o s e

t h i rd -p art y rel at i v es

, i n cl u d i n g g ran d p aren t s

, are g o vern ed by OCGA § 1 9 -7 -1 (b .1 ).”

3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 80

. Al t h o u g h i n S t eed l ey II

, we rem an ded t hi s cas e t o th e t ri al co u rt

wi t h i n s t ru ct i o n s fo r t h e tri al co u rt t o en g ag e i n p ro p er fact fi n d i n g an d t he an al y s i s

req u i red by Cl a rk t o s u p p ort i t s cu s t o d y award t o t h e Gran d m o th er, t h at i s no t wh at

t h e t ri al co u rt d i d ; in st ead

, ci ti n g OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3

, t he co urt en t ered an o rd er s et t i n g

3 T h e Gran d m o t h er h as n o t fi l ed a b ri ef o n ap p eal

. Th u s, as th ere i s n o t h i n g

h er e t o c o n t ro vert t h e fact s as s et o u t b y t he M ot h er, we m ay accep t t h o s e fact s as

t ru e. See Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (b ) (1 ). In an y ev en t, t h e un d erl y i n g fact s are s et

o u t i n S t eed l ey II

, 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p . at 1 7 9 -1 8 0, an d n eed n o t b e rep eat ed h ere.

2o u t a jo i n t cu s to dy arran g em en t b et ween t h e M o t h er an d t h e G ran d m o t h er. 4 Th i s was

erro r.

On i t s face, OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 g o vern s cu s t o d y an d v i s i t at i o n b et w een a ch i l d ’ s

p aren t s

, an d p ro v i d es n o au t h o ri t y fo r an award o f jo i n t cu st o d y bet ween a p aren t an d

o t h er rel at i v es

, i n cl u d i n g gran d p aren t s

. 5 A s ou r Su p rem e Co u rt ex p l ai ned i n S t o ne v.

S t o n e , 2 97 Ga. 4 5 1 (7 7 4 SE2 d 6 8 1 ) (2 0 1 5 ),

“ [i ] n t h e Geo r g i a Co d e, o u r l eg i s lat u re h as cl earl y i n d i cat ed t h at jo i n t

cu s t od y arran g em en t s d o n o t i n cl u d e t h i r d p a rt i es wh en o n e o r b o t h

p aren t s are s ui tab l e cu s t o d i an s

. . . . Qu i te ex p l ici t l y

, t h e s t at u t e i n cl u d es

g ran dp aren t s wi t h paren t s fo r p u rp o ses of c o n t a c t (v is i tat i on ) w i t h th e

m i n o r ch il d

, bu t

, wh en ri g h t s an d res p o n si b i l i t i es (cu st od y ) are i n

4 Al t h o u g h t h e tri al co u rt d i d n o t u s e t h e p h ras e “ jo in t cu s t o d y ” i n it s o rd er, we

a g r e e w i t h t h e M o t h er t hat i t s h o ul d b e co n s i d ered as s u ch

. Th e co u rt reci t ed o n l y

OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 i n i ts o rd er, wh i ch p ert ai n s to cu s t od y arran g em en t s b et ween p aren t s

,

an d g r a n t e d “ p r i m ary ,” b u t n o t s o l e p h y s i cal cu s t o d y

, t o t h e m o t h er an d o t h erwi s e

req u i red th e part i es t o wo rk t o g et h er fo r t h e b es t i n t eres t o f t h e ch i l d an d to co o p erat e

fo r h o l i d ay s an d b i rt h d ay s. Th es e are al l as pect s o f jo in t leg al cu st o d y

, wh i c h c a n

o n l y b e s h ared b y p aren ts

. See OCGA § 19 -9 -6 (5 ); S t on e v. S to n e

, 2 9 7 Ga. 4 5 1 ,4 5 3

(7 7 4 SE2 d 6 8 1 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

5 Th e t ri al co u rt st at ed i n i t s ord er t h at OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 au th o ri zed t h e

co n si d erat io n o f t h e c h i l d ’s rel at i o n s h ip wi t h cl o se fam il y m em b ers i n m ak i n g a

cu s t o d y d et erm i n at i o n

. Al t h o u g h OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 (a) (3 ) (B) au t h o ri zes t h e co u rt to

co n si d er t h e ch i l d ’ s rel at i o n s h i p wi th s ib l i n g s o r st ep s i b l in g s i n as s es s i ng t h e b es t

i n t eres t o f t h e ch i l d, t h e c o n s i d erat i o n o f t h i s fact o r i s i n t h e co n t ex t of d eci d i n g a

cu s t o d y co n t es t b et w een p aren t s

.

3co n s i d erat i o n

, t h e s t at u te ex cl u d es g ran dp aren t s an d en co urag es s h ari n g

b et ween t he p aren t s o n l y .”

Id at 4 5 2 -4 5 3

.

Th u s

, wh i l e a g ran d p aren t

, o r o t h er l i s t ed rel at iv e, m ay o b tai n s ol e cu s t o d y o f

a ch il d un d er cert ai n ci rcu m s t an ces

, s ee Cl a r k v. W a d e, 2 7 3 Ga. at 5 9 8-5 9 9 (IV), “ in

s i tu at i o n s wh ere a p aren t i s s u i t ab l e t o ex erci s e cu s t o d y o ver a ch il d

, [n ei th er OCGA

§ 1 9 -7 -1 (b .1 ) no r an y o t h er co de s ect i o n ] al lo w[s ] t h at p aren t al cu s t o d y t o b e l i m i t ed

b y a jo in t cu s t o d y arran g em en t wi t h a g ran dp aren t o r, fo r t h at m at t er, an y o t h e r

p ers o n .” S t on e

, 2 9 7 Ga. at 4 5 5

. By g ran t i ng t h e m o t h er p ri m ary ph y s i cal cu s t o d y

, t h e

t ri al co urt i n t h i s cas e n eces sari l y d et erm in ed t h at t h e M ot h er was “ s u i tab l e” t o h av e

c u s t o d y o f h er ch il d

, an d t h e tri al co u rt was n o t au t h o ri zed t o en t er a jo i n t cu s t o dy

arran g em en t wi t h t h e Gran d m o t h er. E.g

., Jewel l v. McGi n n i s

, 34 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 9 6

, 8 9 6

(1 ) (8 0 2 SE2 d 3 0 6 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (“ Th e Su p rem e Co u rt o f G eo rg i a an d th i s Co u rt h av e b o th

h el d t h at a t h i rd part y m ay hav e s o l e l e g a l c u s t o d

y o f a ch il d wh en n o p aren t i s

s u i t ab l e fo r c u s t od y ; ho wev er, G eo rg i a s tat u t o ry l aw o n l y s u p p o rt s jo i n t l eg a l cu s t o d y

arran g em en t s b et w e e n p a r e n t s .”); Ma r ks v. S o l es

, 3 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. 3 8 0, 38 6 (2 ) (7 9 3

SE2 d 5 87 ) (2 0 16 ) (“ Ab s en t a fi n d i n g t h at b o t h p aren t s were u n fi t

, t h e t ri al co u rt was

n o t au t h o ri zed t o award an y l eg al o r ph y s i cal cu s t o d y t o t h e

. . . ch i ld ’ s p at ern al

4g ran d p aren t s

. ”); S h ef f i el d v. S h ef f i el d

, 3 3 8 Ga. Ap p. 6 6 7

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

(“ wh i l e a t h i rd p art y m ay h av e s o l e l eg al cu s t o d y o f a ch i l d w h en n o paren t i s s u i t ab l e

fo r cu s t o dy

, Geo rg i a l aw o n l y al l o ws jo i n t cu s t o d y arran g em en t s b et ween p aren t s .”).

W e no t e h owev er, t h a t O C G A § 1 9 -9 -3 (d ) d o es en co u rag e co nt act wi th

g ran d p aren t s

, s ee S t o n e

, 2 9 7 Ga. at 4 5 5

, an d n ot h in g i n o u r h ol d i n g s h o u l d b e read

t o p recl u d e t h e Gran d m o th er fro m seek i n g

, o r t h e t ri al c o u r t fro m g ran t i n g,

reas on ab l e v i s i t at io n ri g h t s wi t h h er g ran d s o n

. Ho wev er, t h e m e c ha nism f or obta ini n g

s u ch vi s i t at i o n i s s et o u t i n OCGA § 1 9 -7 -3

, n ot 1 9 -9 -3

. See S t o n e

, 2 9 7 Ga. at 4 5 5.

Fu rt h er, i n o rd er to gran t a fam i l y m em b er reas o n ab l e vi s i t at i o n ri g ht s u n d er OCGA

§ 1 9

- 7

- 3 (c) (1 ), t h e co u rt m u st fi rs t fi n d b y

cl ear an d co nv i nci n g ev i den ce t h at t h e

h eal t h o r wel fare o f t he ch i l d wo u l d b e h arm ed u n les s s uch vi s i t at i o n i s g ran t ed an d

t h e b es t i n t eres t s o f t h e ch i l d wo u l d b e s erv ed b y s u ch v is i tat i on

. 6 Id at 4 5 4 ; s ee al s o

Da vi s v. Ci ca l a , 3 5 6 Ga. Ap p . 8 7 3 , 8 7 5 -8 7 6 (8 4 9 SE2 d 7 2 8 ) (2 0 2 0 ). Here, t h e t ri al

c o urt d id n o t reci t e OCGA § 1 9 -7 -3 i n i t s o rd er, an d i t d i d n o t m ak e t h e f i n d i n g s

wh i ch wo u l d b e neces s ary t o g ran t t h e Gran d m o t h er reas o n ab l e v i s i t a t i o n ri g h t s

6 W e n o te t hat ou r Su p rem e Co u rt has d ecl ared s ub s ect i o n (d ) o f OCGA § 1 9

-

7 -3 u n co n s t i t u t io nal b ecau s e i t al l owed a co u r t t o a w a rd v i s i t at i on to a p aren t o f a

d eceas ed

, i n cap aci t at ed

, o r i n carcerat ed p aren t

, o v er t h e o b ject i o n o f a fi t p aren t an d

wi t h o u t an y s h o wi n g t hat t h e v i s i t at i o n was req u i red t o k eep t he ch i l d fro m act u al o r

t h reat en ed h arm

. Pa t t en v. Ar d i s , 3 0 4 Ga. 1 4 0 , 1 4 0 (8 16 SE2 d 6 3 3 ) (2 0 1 8).

5p u rs u an t t o s u b s ect i o n (c) (1 ). 7 Ac c o r d i n g l y

, we d o n o t ad d res s wh et h er t h e

Gran d m o t h er wo ul d b e en ti t l ed t o su ch ri g h t s s h o u l d s h e d eci d e t o p u rs u e t h em

.

Bas ed o n t h e fo reg o i n g

, t he t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er i s rev ers e d an d t h e cas e is rem an d ed

wi t h d i rect io n fo r t he t ri al co u rt t o en ter an o rd er a wa r d i n g s o l e p hy s i cal an d l eg al

cu s t o d y t o t h e m o t h er. 8

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a nd

Ho dg es , J., co n cu r

.

7 Th e t ri al co u rt d i d reci t e t h at th e Gran d m o t h e r h ad b een a co n s t an t an d

s i gn i fi can t p res en ce i n t h e ch i l d’ s l i fe, th at s h e h ad h el ped t h e m o t h er rai s e h i m

, an d

t h at at t i m es t h e ch i l d h ad b een i n h er c u s t o d y. Ho wev er, t hes e fi n d i n g s o f fact fal l

s h o rt o f wh at i s req u i red b y OCGA § 1 9 -7 -3 (c) (1 ). See D a vi s

, 35 6 Ga. Ap p

. at 8 7 6

-

8 7 7 (2 ). Ad d i t i o n al l y

, we n ot e h ow d i ffi cu l t t h es e cu s t o dy cas es can be fo r al l

co n cern ed

, i n cl u d i ng t ri al co urt s

. Al t h o u g h we h av e n o d o ub t o f t h e g o o d i n t en t i on s

o f t h e t ri al c o u r t

, d u e to t h e co n st i tu t i o n al u n d erp i n n i n g s in t h es e t y p e cas es

, i t i s

i m p erat i v e t h at t ri al co u rt s ad h ere t o t he s t ri ct u res l ai d o u t b y Geo rg ia l aw.

8 Th e Mo th er rai s es a n u m b er o f o t h er co n ten t io n s i n h er b ri ef o n ap p eal

, b u t

, i n li g h t o f o u r h o l d i ng

, we d o n o t n eed t o reach h e r o t h e r en u m erat i o n s an d

arg u m en t s

.

6