THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BETHEL and GOBEI L, 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 22, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A1 47 6 . BAZAN v

. BAZAN.

E LLI N G T O N , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

Ro s a Ram o s (fo rm erl y Ro s a Bazan ) fi l ed t h i s act i o n ag ai n s t Leo n zo Bazan in

t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt o f W h i t fi el d Co u n t y s eek i n g t o m o d i fy t he ch i l d cu s t o d y an d ch i ld

s u p p ort p ro v i s i o n s o f t he p art i es ’ d i v o rce d ecree. Fo l l o w i ng a h eari n g, th e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed Ram o s l e g a l an d p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f t h e p art i es ’ t wo m i n o r ch i l d ren an d

d i rect ed t h at Bazan hav e s up erv i s ed v i s i t at i o n. T h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed Bazan ’ s m o t i o n

fo r a n ew t ri al

, an d Bazan ap p eal s

, co n t en d i n g t h at t h e t ri al co urt d en i ed h i m t h e

o p p o rt u ni t y t o i n t ro d u ce ev i d en ce an d pres en t a d efen s e t o Ram o s ’ s p et i t i o n t h ereb y

d en y i n g h i m

d ue p ro ces s . Fo r t h e reas o n s ex p l ai n ed b el o w , we affi rm

.

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h e fo l l o wi n g fact s

, w h i ch are u n d is p u t ed u nl es s o t h erwi s e

n o t e d

. T h e p art i es d i vo rced i n Ap ri l 2 0 1 0

. Th e d i v o rce d ecree p ro v i d ed t h at t h ep art i es hav e j o i n t l e g a l an d p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f t h ei r d au g h t ers

, th en ag ed fi v e an d

fo u r y ears o l d

. Th e d ecree pro v i d ed t h at Bazan h ad p ri m ary p h y s ical c u s t o d y an d

Ram o s wo u l d h av e t h e ch i l d ren at al l t i m es wh en Bazan w as at wo rk

, as wel l as o t h er

s p eci fi ed v i s i t at i o n

. Nei th er p art y was o rd ered t o p ay

ch il d s u pp o rt t o t h e o t h er.

Ram o s fi l ed a p et i t i on fo r m o d i fi cat i o n o f t h e s e p r o v i s io ns i n J u ly 2 0 1 1

. In

Feb ru ary 2 0 1 4

, t h e co urt s en t t h e p art i e s n o t i c e o f a “ Sp eci al Set Fi n al Heari n g ” to

b e h el d M ay 1 9

, 2 01 4

. Bazan w as rep res en t ed b y at t o rn ey Kat h eri n e O’ Gwi n

. Ram o s

a n d t h e ch il d ren ’ s t h erap i s t t es t i fi ed

. Th e t ri al co u rt ad jo u rn ed t h e h eari n g b efo re

Ram o s res t ed an d an n o u nced t hat t h e h eari n g wo u l d b e co m p l et ed at a l at er d at e. Th e

ev i d en ce b ei n g in co m

p l et e, t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t en t er a fi n al o rd er, b ut en t er ed a

t em p o rary o rd er i n Sep t em

b er 2 0 1 4 g i v i n g Ram o s pri m ary ph y s i cal cu s t o d y o f t h e

ch i l d ren an d p ro v i d i n g fo r v is i t at i o n an d ch i l d s u p p o rt

.

Aft er th e M ay 2 01 4 h eari n g

, Bazan h ired Ray m o n d Bat es to rep res en t h i m

. Th e

co u rt ag ai n g av e t h e part i es n o t i ces o f a “ Sp eci al Set Fi nal Heari n g,” w h i ch was fi rs t

s ch ed u l ed fo r Feb ru ary

1 9, 2 01 5 , res ch ed u l ed m u l t i p l e t i m es

, an d fi n al ly co n v en ed

o n No v em

ber 1 1 , 2 0 1 5 . Ag ai n

, co u rt was ad jo u rn ed b efo re Ram o s res t ed

.

2Th e co u rt l as t h eard ev id en ce o n Sep t em b er 9

, 20 1 6

, by wh i ch t i m e Bazan was

n o lo n ger rep res en t ed b y co u n s el

. 1 At t h e Sep t em b er 2 01 6 h eari n g

, Ram o s ’ s co u n s el

cro s s -ex am i n ed Bazan an d t h en cal l ed t h e ch i l d ren ’ s t h erap i s t o n d i rect ; Bazan cro s s

ex am i n ed t h e t herap i s t

. Th e t ri al co u rt o ffered Bazan t h e o p p o rt un i ty to t es ti fy o n h i s

o wn b eh al f. Bazan ad d res s ed t h e c o u r t u n d er o at h

, co n cl u d i n g, “ t h at ’ s al l I h av e,

Yo u r Ho no r.” Aft er f

u rt h er cro s s -ex am in at i o n b y Ram o s ’ s co u n s el

, t h e t ri al co u rt

as k ed Bazan

, “ di d y o u hav e an y o t h er wi t n es s es y ou wi s h t o cal l ? ” Bazan an s wered

,

“ n o ,” an d t h e co u rt m o v ed o n t o t h e i ss u e o f Ram o s ’ s req ues t fo r at t o rn ey fees

.

Aft er R a m o s ’s co u n s el p res en t ed ev i d en ce an d arg u m en t o n t h e i s s u e o f

at t o rn ey fees

, th e co u rt as k ed Bazan i f h e wan t ed t o as k an y q u es ti o n s ab ou t t h e fees

req u es t ed an d

, recei v in g n o d irect an s wer, as k ed w h et h er t h e p art i es wan t ed t o m ak e

an y cl o s i n g arg u m en t

. Bazan res p o n d ed t h at h e wan t ed t o cal l Ram o s t o t he s t an d.

Th e co u rt rep l i ed

, “ I b el i ev e t h e ev i d en ce i s cl o sed

. Yo u t o ld m e y o u d i d n ’ t h av e an y

m o re wi tn es s es .” Bazan st at ed t h at h e h ad m i s u n d ers t o o d t he q u es t i o n an d rei t erat ed

h i s d es i re t o cro s s -ex am i n e Ram o s

. Th e co u rt refu s ed t o h ear an y m o re ev i d en ce. Th e

1 In a p l ead i n g fi l ed M ay 2 7

, 2 0 1 6, Bazan co n s e n t e d t o Ray m o n d Bat es ’ s

m o ti o n t o wi t h d raw as Bazan ’ s co un s el

, an d th e t ri al co urt g ra n t e d t h e m o t i o n to

wi t h d raw. Ram os ’ s co un s el t h en s erv ed n o t i ce o f th e fi nal h eari n g s et fo r Sep t em b er

9 , 2 01 6 , u p o n Bazan p ers on al l y

.

3co u rt an n o u n ced i ts d eci si o n fro m th e b en ch an d

, i n No v em b er 2 0 1 6

, i s s u ed i t s fi n al

ju d g m en t g i v i ng Ram os leg al an d p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f t h e ch i l d ren

, p r o v i d i n g fo r

s u p erv i s ed v i s it at i o n an d ch i l d s u p p o rt , an d award i n g Ram o s at t o rn ey fees

.

In r e l a te d c la im s o f erro r, Bazan ch al len g es t h e m o d i fi cat i on o rd er, arg u i n g t h at

t h e t ri al co u rt d en i e d h i m t h e o p p o rt u n i t y t o p res en t ev i d en ce i n o p po s i t i o n to

Ram o s ’ s p et i t io n t o m od ify cu s to d y

. Bazan d o es n o t co n ten d th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred

i n ex cl u d i n g an y ev i d en ce h e o ffered

. Rat h er he arg u es t h at h e was n ev er affo rd ed an

o p p o rt u ni t y t o t en der h i s wi t n es s es an d ot h er ev i d en ce. Bazan co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt fai led “ t o acco m

m o d at e h i s p ro s e s tat u s .”

W i t h reg ard to t he M ay 2 0 1 4 an d No v em b er 2 0 1 5 h eari n gs

, Bazan co n t en d s

t h at t h e t ri al co urt i m

p ro p erl y “ cl o s e d ” t h o s e h eari n gs wi t h o u t g i v i n g h i m an

o p p o rt u ni t y t o p res en t ev i d en ce al th o u gh h i s co u n sel at t h e t i m e w as p rep ared t o d o

s o

. As det ai l ed ab o v e, h o w ev er, i n b o t h i n s t a n c e s, co u rt w as ad j o u rn ed b efo re t h e

p et i t i o n er, Ram o s

, h ad res t ed

. N o t h i n g i n t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at th e t ri al co u rt l i m i t ed

t h e s c o p e o f B azan ’ s at t o rn ey s ’ cro ss -ex am i n at i o n o f Ram o s o r an y o th er wi t n es s

.

Becau s e Ram o s h ad no t co m pl et ed h er cas e-i n-ch i ef, t h e t ri al co u rt was n o t req u i red

t o g iv e Bazan an o p p ort un i t y t o d o m o re t h an cro ss ex am i n e Ram o s ’ s wi t n es s es an d

co n fro n t t h em wi t h ev i d en ce rel ev an t t o t h ei r t es t i m o n y

. W e d i s cern n o i m p ro p ri et y

.

4W i t h r e g a r d to t he Sep t em b er 2 0 1 6 h eari n g, d u ri n g wh i ch Ram o s res t ed

, t h e

reco rd s up p o rt s Bazan ’ s as s ert i o n t h at h e fai led t o u nd ers t a n d t h a t

, i f h e an s wered

“ n o ” wh en t h e t ri al co u rt as k ed wh et h er h e h ad an y o t h er wi t n es s es h e wi s h ed t o cal l

,

t h e t ri al co u rt wo u l d d ecl are t h e ev i d en ce cl o s ed an d h e wo u l d l os e t he ab i l i t y t o cal l

wi t n es s es an d t en der ev i d en ce. An d t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at

, wh en Bazan real i zed h i s

m i s t ak e, h e p ro m

p tl y as k ed t h e co urt t o al l o w h i m t o p res en t ad di t i o n al ev i d en ce. It

was w i t hi n t he c o u r t ’s d i scret i o n t o reo p en t h e ev i d en ce an d al l o w Bazan t o cro ss

ex am i n e Ram o s

, as h e req u es t ed

, o r t o i n t ro d u ce o t h er ev i d en ce. 2 Ho l d er v. J. F.

Kea rl ey, In c.

, 1 5 3 Ga. Ap p

. 8 43

, 8 4 5 (5 ) (2 6 7 SE2 d 2 6 6 ) (1 9 8 0 ) (Un d er Geo rg i a l aw,

wh et h er t o reo pen t h e ev i den ce aft er b o t h p art i es h av e res t ed i s a m at t er co m m i t t ed

t o th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d is cret i on .). As w e h av e ex p l ai n ed

, a t ri al co u rt s h o u l d ex erci s e i t s

d i s cret i o n t o re-o p en t h e ev i d en ce aft er t h e p art i es h av e res ted

, “ i f an d wh en i t

2 At th e h eari n g o n Bazan ’ s m o t i o n fo r a new tri al

, he t es ti fi ed t h at

, i n d ecl ari n g

t h e ev i d en ce cl o s ed

, t h e t r i al co u rt p rev en t ed h i m fro m offeri n g ev id en ce t o reb ut

Ram o s ’ s cas e-i n -ch i ef. Sp eci fi cal ly

, Bazan t es t i fi ed t h at h e wan t ed t o p re s en t t h e

fo l l o w i n g : s i x m o n t h s o f cal l lo g s fro m h i s cel l p h o n e acco u nt

, t o r e b u t t h e ch arg e

t h at h e h ad b een h aras s in g Ram o s b y cal li ng freq u en t l y ; p h o to g rap h s o f Ram o s b ei n g

aro u n d Bazan at s ch o o l act i v i t i es a n d h o l i d ay s

, t o reb u t t h e ch arg e t h at Ram o s

t h o u g h t Bazan was “ a d an g ero u s p ers o n ; ” a s creen s h o t of a co m m u n i cat io n wi t h a

cert ai n d o ct o r’ s o ffi c e

, t o s h o w t hat h i s po s ses s i o n of a p h o t og rap h o f on e o f h i s

d au gh t er’ s g en i t al s was fo r t h e i n n o cen t p u rp o s e o f m ak i n g s u re t h at h i s ch i l d h ad n ot

b een “ t o u ch ed ; ” an d p ro o f t hat h e h ad s u b m i t t ed to a co u rt -o rd ered d ru g t es t an d was

“ cl ean

. ”

5ap p ears t o [t h e c o u r t] t h at i t wo u l d b e a m an ifes t i n ju s t i ce t o refu s e i t.” Ma l o y v.

Di xo n , 1 2 7 Ga. Ap p . 1 5 1

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

Th e reco rd s u p p o r t s Bazan ’ s arg um en t t hat t h e t ri al co u rt fai l ed to

acco m m o d at e hi s p ro se s t at u s b y reo p en in g t h e ev i d en ce aft er Bazan s t at ed t h at h e

d i d n o t i n t en d t o res t wh en t h e t ri al co u rt as k ed ab o u t o t her wi tn es s es . Bu t t h i s was

n o t i m p ro p er.

Geo rg i a l aw m a k e s c l e a r t hat a l i t i g an t’ s p ro se s t at u s d o es n o t en t i t l e

h i m t o a n y d e f

e r e n t i al t reat m en t

. It i s t ru e t h at

. . . p ro s e li t ig an t s are

h el d t o l es s s t ri n gen t s t an d ard s t h an at t o rn eys w i t h res p ect t o t h ei r

p l ead i n g s

. Ot h er t h an t h i s ex cep t i o n fo r p l ead i n g s

, ho wev er, a co u rt

can n o t ap p l y d ifferen t s t an d ard s t o a p ro s e c i v i l l i t i g an t an d o ne

rep res en t ed b y

co u n s el

.

Ho wa r d v. GMAC Mo r tg ag e

, 3 2 1 Ga. A p p

. 2 85

, 28 9 ( 1 ) ( 7 3 9 SE2 d 4 53 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

“ On e w h o k n owi n g l y e l e ct s t o rep res en t h im s el f as s u m es fu l l res p o ns i b i l i t y fo r

co m p l y i n g wi t h t h e s u b s t an t i v e an d p ro ced u ral req u i rem en t s of t h e l aw.” (Ci t at i o n

an d pu n ct u at i o n om i t t ed .) Ca mp b el l v. McLa r n on

, 2 6 5 Ga. A p p

. 87

, 9 0 (3 ) (5 9 3 SE2 d

2 1 ) (2 0 0 3 ). See al s o Hi

g d o n v. Hi g d o n

, 3 2 1 Ga. Ap p. 26 0 (7 3 9 SE2 d 4 9 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (A

l i ti g an t ’ s p ro s e st at u s d id n o t rel i e v e h i m o f t h e o b l i gat i o n t o co m p ly wi t h t h e

s u b s t an t i ve an d p ro ced u ral req u i rem en t s o f t h e l aw, i n cl u d i n g co u rt ru l es

. ); Tu r n er

6v. Mi

z e

, 2 8 0 Ga. Ap p

. 2 56

, 2 5 9 (1 ) (6 3 3 SE2 d 6 4 1 ) (2 0 06 ) (A ci v i l d efen d an t ’ s p ro

s e s t at u s an d i gn o ran ce of th e co n s eq uen ces o f th e fai l u re t o t i m el y res p o nd t o t h e

p l ai n t i ff’ s req u es t s fo r ad m i s s i o n s p ro v i d ed n o b as is fo r rel i ef fro m s u ch

co n seq u en ces b ecau s e a t ri al co u rt can n o t h o ld a p ro s e l i ti g an t t o a d i fferen t s t an d ard

i n co m p l y i n g wi t h p ro ced u ral ru l es t h an a l i t i g an t rep res en t ed b y co u n s el

. ). A l t h o u g h

t h e t ri al co u rt co u ld h av e b een m o re l en i en t un d er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces

, w e can n o t s ay

t h e t ri al co urt m an i fes t l y

ab u s ed i t s d i s cret i o n i n refu s i n g t o reo p en t h e ev id en ce o r

g ran t a n ew t ri al

. H

o w a r d v

. G

M AC Mo r t g a g e

, 3 2 1 Ga. Ap p

. at 28 9 (1 ); Hi g d o n v.

Hi g do n

, 3 2 1 G a. Ap p

. at 2 6 0 ; s ee Br u n er v. Br u ner

, 2 40 Ga. 1 5 9 (1 ) (2 4 0 SE2 d 4 8 )

(1 9 7 7) (A t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n t o d en y a p art y perm is s i o n t o reo p en t h e ev i d en ce wi l l

n o t b e rev ers ed b y an ap p el l at e co urt “ ab s en t a m an i fes t ab us e o f d i s cret i o n .”); Ma l o y

v. Di xo n

, 1 2 7 G a. Ap p

. at 1 6 2 (4 ) (It was fo r th e pl ai nt i ff an d hi s co u n s el t o d eci d e

wh en t o cl o s e hi s cas e, an d wh et h er t o cl o s e i t befo r e cal l i n g th e op p o s i t e part y fo r

cro s s -ex am i n at i o n. H av i n g m ad e t h e d eci s i o n t o res t an d hav i n g an n o u n ced i t t o t h e

co u rt

, t he p l ai n t i ff was b o u n d b y i t an d co ul d b e rel eas ed fro m i t on l y i n t h e ju d g e’ s

d i s cret i o n .).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Bet h el a n d

Go b ei l , JJ., co n cu r

.

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