FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and BROWN, 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

October 11, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A1 38 6 . LONGINO v . LONGINO.

B A R N E S , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

Un d er t h e t erm s o f A nt h o n y an d San d ra L o n g i n o ’ s 2 0 1 7 fi n al d i v o rce d ecree,

t h e wi fe was award ed p ri m ary p hy s i cal cu s t od y o f t h e co u p l e’ s t wo dau g h t ers

. In

J an u ary 2 0 1 8

, t h e h u s b an d fi l ed an em erg en cy m o t i on fo r t em

po rary cu s t o d y o f t h e

g i rl s an d co n t em

p o ran eo u s p et i t i o n fo r m o d i fi cat io n o f cu s t o d y b as ed

, in p art

, o n t h e

wi fe’ s al l eg ed ab u s e o f al co h o l an d p res cri pt i o n d ru g s

, an d ed u cat i o n al neg l ect o f t h e

ch i l d ren . In h i s p et it i o n fo r m o d i fi cat io n o f cu s to d y

, t h e hu s ban d cl ai m ed t hat t h ere

h ad b een a s ub s t an t i al ch an g e i n ci rcu m s t an ces s u ch t h at i t was i n t h e ch i l d ren ’ s b es t

i n t eres t fo r h i m

t o b eco m e t h ei r p erm an en t p ri m ary p h y s i cal cu s to d ian

. Su b s eq u en t

t o a h eari n g o n t he p et i t i o n

, i n Feb ru ary o f 2 0 1 8

, t h e co u p l e en t ered i n t o a t em p o raryco n sen t o rd er u n d er w hi ch t h e h u sb an d was g i ven ph y s ical cu s t o dy o f th e ch i l d ren

an d t h e wi fe g ran t ed s u p erv i s ed v i s i t at i o n.

On No v em

b er 8

, 20 1 8

, t h e t ri a l co u rt h el d a h eari ng o n th e p et i t i o n fo r

m o di fi cat i o n o f cu s to d y at wh i ch t he m o t h er, fat h er, an d s ev eral wi t n es s es t es t i fi ed

an d pres en ted ev i d en ce co n cern i n g t h e p aren t s ’ rel at i on s hi p

, t he m ot h er’ s paren t i n g

an d t h e ch i l d ren ’ s wel fare. O n D ecem b er 1 4

, 2 0 18

, t h e t ri al co urt en t ered an o rd er

g ran t i n g t h e co u p l e j o i n t l eg al cu s t o d y , wi t h t h e h u s b an d as t h e d es ig n at ed p ri m ary

p h y s i cal cu s to di an

, an d t he co u p l e s h ari ng al t ern at i n g week s o f p h y s i cal cu st o d y

. Th e

h u s b an d no w ap peal s fro m t h at o rd er an d co n t en ds t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d i n g

t h at t h e award o f jo i n t p h y s i cal cu s to d y was i n t h e ch i l d ren ’ s b es t i n t eres t

. Fo r t h e

reas on s s et fo rt h b el o w, we rem an d t h e cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i ng s

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

.

“ In co n s i d eri n g t h e ap peal o f a ch il d -cu s t o dy d eci s i o n

, we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce

i n th e l i g h t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n

. ” Dr i ver v. S en e

, 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p.

2 7 5

, 2 76 (7 5 8 SE2 d 61 3 ) (2 0 1 4 ). A n d we rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s cu st od y d eci s i o n fo r

an ab u s e o f d i s c r et io n

. Id

. at 2 7 7

. W h ere t h ere i s an y ev i d en ce t o s u p p ort 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 ot s ay t here was an ab u s e o f d i s cret io n

. Ha s kel l

v. Ha s kel l , 2 8 6 Ga. 1 1 2 , 1 1 2 (1 ) (6 8 6 SE2 d 1 0 2) (2 00 9 ). A p et i t io n t o ch an g e ch i ld

2cu s t o d y s h ou l d be g ran t ed o n l y i f “ t h e t ri al co u rt fi nd s t h at t here h as b een a m at eri al

ch an ge o f co n d i t i o n affect i n g t h e wel fare of t h e ch i ld s i n ce th e l as t cu s t o d y award .”

(Pu n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Vi s ku p v. Vi s ku p

, 2 9 1 Ga. 1 0 3, 1 0 5 (2 ) (7 2 7 SE2 d 9 7 ) (2 0 1 2 );

OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 (b ) (“ t hi s s u b s ect i on s h al l no t li m i t o r res tri ct t h e p o wer o f t h e ju d g e

t o e n t er a ju dg m en t rel at i ng to t h e cu s t o d y o f a ch il d i n an y n ew p ro ceed i n g b as ed

u p o n a s h o wi ng o f a ch an g e i n an y m at eri al co n d i t i o n s o r ci rcu m s t an ces of a p art y o r

t h e ch i l d ”). If t h ere h as b een s uch a m at eri al ch an g e, t h e co urt s h o ul d t h en “ l o o k to

an d d et erm i n e” th e b es t i n t eres t o f t h e ch i l dren

. OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 (a) (2 ) (“ T h e d u t y

o f th e ju d g e i n al l [cu s t o d y ] c a s e s s h a l l b e t o ex erci s e d i scret i o n t o l o o k t o 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 th e ch i l d an d wh at wi l l b es t p ro m o t e

t h e ch i l d ’ s wel fare an d h ap p i n es s an d t o m ak e h is o r h er award acco rd i n gl y .”); New

v. G o s s

, 3 2 7 G a

. Ap p

. 4 1 3

, 4 1 4 (2 ) (7 59 SE2 d 26 6 ) (2 0 1 4) (t ri al co u rt m us t fi n d a

m at eri al ch an g e i n co n d i t i o n s o r ci rcu m s tan ces an d t h at t h e ch an g e i n cu s t o d y i s in

t h e b es t i n teres t o f t h e ch i l d ren .)

Th u s

, i n m o di

f yi n g a p rev i o u s cu s t o d y arran gem en t

, a t h res h o l d fi n di n g t h a t the

t ri al co u rt m

u s t m ak e i s t hat t h ere h as b een a m at eri al ch an g e i n ci rcu m s t an ces b efo re

i t t h en co n s i ders wh at i s i n th e ch i l d ren ’ s b es t i n t eres t. W ei cker t v. W

ei cker t

, 2 6 8 Ga.

Ap p

. 6 2 4

, 6 2 7 (1 ) (6 0 2 SE2 d 3 3 7 ) (2 0 0 4 ); Od u m v. Ru s s el l , 3 4 2 Ga. A p p

. 39 0

, 3 9 2

3(1 ) (8 0 2 SE2 d 8 29 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (“ W h i l e a b es t i n t eres t of t h e ch i l d s t an d ard ap p l i es t o an

i n i t i al d et erm i n a t i o n o f cu s t o d y

, i t i s ap p l icab l e i n a ch an ge o f cu s t o d y act i o n o n l y

a f t er t h ere h as been a s h o wi n g o f a ch an g e in co n d i t i o n m at eri al l y affect i n g t h e

ch i l d .”) (ci tat i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t ted ). Th is Co u rt h as fu rt h er h el d t h at

[ a ]l t h o u gh

. . . a t ri al co u rt m u s t fi n d t hat a m at eri al ch an g e i n

ci rc u m s t a n ces has t ak en p l ace b efo re i t can co n s i d er wh et h er

m o d i fi cat i o n o f cu s t o d y i s i n t h e ch i l d ren ’ s b es t i n t e r e s t s

, we wi l l n o t

rem an d t o req u i re t he u s e o f t h e wo rd ‘ m at eri al ” wh ere

. . . it i s m an i fes t

fro m t h e wri t ten o rd er th at t h e t ri al co urt co n s i dered t h at s i g n i fi can t an d

s u b s t an t i al ch an g es i n ci rcu m s t an ces h ad o ccu rred .”

W ei cker t

, 2 6 8 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 2 8 (1 ) (n o t i n g t h at o m i ss i o n o f “ m ag ic wo rd ‘ m at eri al ’ to

m o di fy t h e wo rd ‘ ch an g e” d i d n o t req u i re rem an d wh en “ [c] o n s i d eri n g t h e o rd er as

a wh o l e, a s t ro n g i m

p l i cat io n ari ses t h at t h e t ri al co u rt co n si dered t h e c h a n g e o f

ci rcu m s t an ces t o h av e b een m at eri al

. Th e o rd er reci t ed a co rrect u n ders t an d in g o f t h e

l aw an d t h en ch an g ed cu s t o d y fo l l o wi n g a w eek -l o ng t ri al .”). Ho w ev er, “ [w] i t h o ut

an ex p l i ci t st at em en t s peci fy i n g t h e fact ual b as es fo r t h e t r i al co u rt ’ s i mp l i ci t

co n cl u s i o n t h at a ch an g e i n m at eri al co n d it i on s o r ci rcu m s t an ces ju s t i fi ed a ch an g e

i n cu s t o d y i n t h i s cas e

, t h i s C o u r t is no t i n a po s it i on t o ev al u at e wh et h er t h e t ri al

co u r t act ed w i th i n t h e l i m i t s o f i t s d i s cret io n

. ” Go r d y v. G o r d y

, 2 4 6 Ga. Ap p

. 8 0 2,

48 0 3 (1 ) (5 4 2 SE2 d 5 36 ) (2 0 0 0 ). In Go r d y

, t h e tri al co u rt d i d n o t s t at e s p eci fi cal l y a

fi nd i ng t h at a m at eri al ch an g e i n ci rcu m s t an ce ex i s t ed o r t h at a ch an g e i n cu s t o d y was

warran t ed i n t h e ch i l dren ’ s b es t i n t eres t s

. Id

. W e fu rt h er n o t ed i n t hat cas e t h at “ [a] t

t h e heari n g [o n th e cu s t o d y m o d i fi cat io n p et i t io n ]

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o n l y ex p l an at i o n

o f it s fo rt h co m in g o rd er w as t h e fo l l o wi n g : ‘ It ’ s a v ery h ard cas e.

. . . I fi n d t h at i n t h e

b es t i n t eres t o f t h e ch i l d ren

, t h ey s h o u l d b e wi t h t h ei r fat her.’ ” Id

. An d we p o i n t ed o ut

t h at

,

[i ] n th ei r bri efs

, bo t h part i es m ak e cert ai n as s u m p t i o ns ab o ut t h e fact ual

fi nd in g s u n d erl y i n g t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s m o d i fi cat i o n o f cu s t o d y , b as ed o n

t h e co n t e n t o f [t h e fat h er’ s ] p et i t i o n an d t h e ev i d en ce pres en t ed at th e

h eari n g

. Bu t on t h e reco rd t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t s t at e t h at i t fo u n d t hat

a ch an g e i n m at eri al co n d i t i o n s o r ci rcu m st an ces ju st i fi ed a c h an g e i n

cu s t od y

, n o r d id th e co u rt i den t i fy an y s peci fi c fact ual fi n d i n g s

s u p p o rt i n g t h at l eg al co ncl u s i o n

.

(Em p h as i s o m it t ed .) Id

.

Li k ewi s e h e r e, t h ere i s n o t h i n g i n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er o r th e h eari n g t h at

as s i s ts t h i s Co u rt i n i t s ev al u at i o n o f wh et h er t h e t ri al co u rt p ro perl y ex erci s ed i t s

d i s cret i o n i n m o di fy i n g t h e fo rm er cu s t o d y arran g em en t

. Th e o rd er m erel y s et s fo rt h

i n d et ai l t h e n ew cu s t o d y an d ch i l d su p p ort arran g em en t

, a n d no t h i n g m o re. At t h e

h eari n g

, t h e t ri al co u rt pro vi d ed n o ad d i ti o nal i n s i g h t as wh y i t m o di fi ed t h e cu s t o d y

.

5At n o p o i n t di d t h e t ri al co u rt s t at e th at i t h ad fo u n d a m at eri al ch an g e in

ci rcu m s t an ces t h at affect ed t h e ch i l d ren

, o r t h at t h e b es t i n t eres t s o f th e ch i l d ren

wo u l d b e s erv ed by a ch an g e i n cu st o dy

. In co n cl u d in g t h e h eari n g

, t h e t ri al co u rt

i n fo rm ed t he p art i es t h at i t w as g o i n g t o t ak e t h e ev i d en ce “ u n d er rev i ew,” n o t ed t h at

t h e d au g h t er s h e h ad s po k en t o p ri v at el y wi t h i n ch am b ers w as a “ n eat k id ” an d t h at

t h e p aren t s “ h av e d o n e a g o o d jo b .”

W e are aware th at t h i s Co u rt h as co n s is t en t l y h el d t h at p urs u an t t o OCGA § 1 9

-

9 -3 (a) (8 ) 1 an d t h e O CGA § 9-1 1 -5 2 (a) 2

, s p eci fi c fi n d i n g s o f fact as to t h e b as i s fo r

t h e ju d g e’ s d eci s i o n are n o t r e q u i r e d u n l es s req u es t ed

. See W ei cker t

, 2 6 8 Ga. Ap p.

at 6 2 9 (2 ) (i n a ch il d cu s t o d y m o d i fi cat i o n act i o n, t h e t ri al co u rt w as n o t req u i red to

1 If req u es t ed b y an y p art y on o r b efo re t he cl o s e of ev i d en ce

i n a co n t es t ed heari n g

, th e p erm an en t co u rt o rd er award i n g

ch i ld cu s t o d y s h al l s et fo rt h s peci fi c fi n d i ng s o f fact as t o

t h e b as is fo r t h e ju d g e’ s d eci s io n in m ak i ng an award o f

cu s t od y i n cl u d i n g an y rel ev an t fact o r rel i ed u p o n by th e

ju d g e as s et fo rt h in p arag rap h (3 ) o f th i s s u b s ect i on

. Su ch

o rd er s h al l set fo rt h in d et ai l w h y t h e co u rt award ed

cu s t od y i n t h e m an n er s et fo rt h i n t h e o rd er. . . .

2 “ [I] n al l no n

ju ry t ri al s i n co u rt s o f reco rd

, t h e co u rt s h al l u p o n req u es t o f an y

p art y m ad e p ri o r t o s uch ru l i n g

, fi nd t h e fact s s p eci al l y an d s h al l s t at e s ep arat el y i t s

co n cl u s i o n s o f l aw.”

6i n cl u d e s p eci fi c fi n di n g s of fact i n i t s wri t t en o rd er b ecau s e n ei th er p art y req u es t ed

t h at t h e co u rt d o s o ); Cl a r k v. Ra u

, 33 8 Ga. Ap p

. 2 5 1, 2 5 5 (3 ) (7 8 9 SE2 d 3 9 9) (2 0 1 6 )

(o rd er n ot “ faci al l y d efi ci en t ” wh en “ n ei t h er p art y req ues t ed s p eci fi c fi n d i n gs o f fact

,

wh i ch u n d er OCGA § 1 9 -9 -3 (a) (8 ) n eed o n l y b e p ro v i d ed if req u es t ed b y an y p art y

o n o r befo re t h e cl o s e of ev i d en ce.”) (p u n ct u a t i o n o m i t t ed ). An d we are al s o

co g ni zan t o f t h e p res u m

p t io n o f co rrect n es s g i ven t o t h e t ri al co u rt wh ere “ th ere i s n o

i n d i cat i o n i n t h e reco rd th at t h e t r i al ju dg e

. . . ap p li ed i n an y o t her st an d ard ” t h an

t h o s e req u i red by O C G A § 1 9 -9 -3

. (Ci t at i on an d p u n ct uat i on o m i t t ed .) Da l l o w v.

Da l lo w

, 29 9 Ga. 7 6 2

, 77 7 (4 ) (7 9 1 SE2 d 2 0 ) ( 2 0 1 6 ) (“ i n th e ab s en ce o f a co n t rary

s h o wi n g , t he t ri al co u rt wi l l b e p res u m ed t o h av e fo l l o wed t h e l aw.” )

Ho wev er, wi th o u t ei t her a s tat em en t an y wh ere o n th e reco rd refl ect i n g t h at t h e

t ri al co urt fo u n d a ch an g e i n m at eri al co n d it i o n s o r ci rcu m s t an ces t h at j u s t i fi ed t h e

ch an ge i n cu s t o d y

, o r an o rd er t h at re f l ect ed i n s o m e deg ree t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

u n d ers t o o d an d ap p l i ed th e req u i s it e fi n d i n g s

, we m u s t v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er

an d rem an d t h e cas e fo r t h e t ri al co u rt t o m ak e s u ch t h res h o l d s tat u to ry fi n d i n g s

. See

Bu r nh a m v. Bu r nh a m

, 3 5 0 Ga

. A p p

. 3 4 8 (8 2 9 SE2 d 4 2 5 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (t ri al co u rt fai l ed

m ak e t h e t h res h ol d f

a c t u a l fi n d i n g t h at a m at eri al ch an g e in ci rcu m s t an ces p ri o r to

co n si d eri n g t h e b es t i n t eres t s of t h e ch i ld ren ); Mo r g a n v. Fo r d

h a m

, 3 28 Ga. Ap p.

72 2 7

, 2 2 8 -2 29 (7 61 SE2 d 6 2 1 ) (2 0 14 ) (p h y s i cal p reced en t o n l y ) (t ri al co u rt ’ s fai l u re

t o m ak e fi n d i n g t h at t here were ch an g ed ci rcu m s t an ces an d fo cu s i n g s o l el y o n b es t

i n t eres t an al y s i s req u i red rem an d ); Jo h ns o n v. Hu b er t

, 17 5 Ga. Ap p

. 1 69

, 1 7 0 (1 )

(3 3 3 SE2 d 2 1 ) (1 9 8 5 ) (wh ere t h e t ri al co u rt award ed cu s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d t o t h e

p l ai n t i ff fat h er s o l e l y u p o n t h e co n cl u s i on th at i t was i n t h e ch i l d ’ s b es t i n t eres t

wi t h o u t m ak i n g t h e t h res h ol d d et erm i n at io n t h at t h ere w as a ch an g e in m at eri al

ci rcu m s t an ces

, t he t ri al co u rt fai l ed t o ap p ly t h e p ro per l eg al s tan d ard an d rem an d was

req u i red ); co m

p are W ei cker t

, 2 6 8 G a. Ap p

. at 6 2 7-6 2 8 (1 ) (read i n g t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er

as a wh o le s h o wed t hat t ri al co u rt u n ders to o d t h e t h res h o l d req u i rem en t o f ch an g ed

ci rcu m s t an ces an d t h at i t fo u n d t h em t o ex i s t ).

Ju d g m e n t v a ca ted a n d r ema n d ed wi t h d i r ect io n

. M

er ci er a n d Br o wn

, JJ.,

co n cu r

.

8