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.

https ://w w w

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

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

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

.

M ar ch 4, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A2 05 0 . COUSIN v . TUBBS. HO-0 6 9

H O D G E S , J u d g e.

In t h e s eco n d ap p earan ce o f th i s do m es t ic r e la ti o ns act io n in t h i s Co u rt

, Herb ert

C o u s in

, J r. n o w co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y in g h i s req u es t f o r

rei m b u rs em en t o f cert ai n ch i ld s u pp o rt p ay m en t s m ad e wh i l e t h e fi rs t ap p eal i n t h i s

cas e was p en d i n g

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, we are as k ed t o d et erm i n e wh et h er a part y m ay s eek

rei m b u rs em en t or a cred i t ag ai ns t fu tu re o b l ig at io n s fo r ch i l d s u p p o rt o v erp ay m en t s

o n ce t h e o ri g i n al s u p p o rt o rd er i s v acat ed o n ap p eal

. In v i ew o f th e p art ies ’ co n s en t

ju d g m en t

, h o w ev er, we d o n o t reach t h i s s p eci fi c i s s u e. Th erefo re, fo r t he fo l l o wi n g

reas on s , we affi rm

.

In Co u s i n v. Tu b b s

, 3 53 Ga. Ap p. 8 7 3 (8 4 0 SE2 d 8 5 ) (2 0 2 0) (“ Co u s i n I ”), we

n o t ed t h atK. T

. was b o rn i n No v em b er 2 0 1 1 an d h as l iv ed wi t h Tu b bs h i s en t i re

l i fe; t h e part i es n ev er m arri ed

. In 2 0 1 2

, Co us i n was ord ered t o p ay $ 2 1 7

p er m o n t h i n ch i l d s u pp o rt

, p ro v i d e h eal t h i ns u ran ce fo r K. T., an d p ay

a p o rt io n o f K. T.’ s u n rei m b u rs ed m ed i cal ex p en s es . In J u n e 2 0 1 3, t he

p a r t i es ag reed t o a “ Paren t i n g Pl an ” t h at was m em o ri al i zed i n a co u rt

o rd er

. U n d e r t h e Paren t i n g Pl an

, Tu b b s ret ai n ed l eg al an d p ri m ary

p h y s i cal cu s t o d y o f K. T., an d Co u s i n w a s e n t i t led to v is it at i o n ev ery

o t h er week en d

, as w el l as ad d i t i o nal ti m es d u ri ng h o li d a y s an d

v acat i o ns

.

. . .

[Aft er s ev eral i s s ues fes t ered b et we e n t he p art i es

, i n cl u d i ng Co u s i n ’ s

fai l u re t o ex erci s e v i si t at i o n 1 2 8 t im es o ut o f 1 4 0 o p po rt u n i t ies an d a

fai l u re t o ex erci s e v i s i t at io n b et ween J u l y 2 0 1 6 an d M arch 2 0 1 7 ,] T ub b s

i n i t i at ed t h i s act i o n b y fi l i n g a p et i t i o n t o m o d i fy ch i l d s up p ort i n M arch

2 0 1 7

. . . . Fo l l o wi n g a h eari ng , t h e t ri al co u rt i s s ued a “ Fi n al O rd er” i n

J u l y 2 0 18

, i n wh i ch it g ran t ed

. . . T u b b s ’ s req u es t t o m o d i fy ch i l d

s u p p o rt b y rai s i n g Co u s i n ’ s ob l i g at i o n t o $ 1 1 ,4 39 m o n t h l y ,[ 1 ] bas ed o n

1 Th e t ri al co urt “ cal cu l at ed Co u s i n ’ s p res u m p ti v e m o n t h l y ch i l d -s u p p o rt

o b l i g at i o n t o b e $ 2 ,0 8 7 .0 5

. Th e co u rt t h e n co n cl u d ed t hat a h i g h-i n co m e d ev i at i o n

[was ] i n K. T.’ s bes t in t eres t in l i g h t o f Co u s i n’ s h ig h in co m e an d t h e d is pari t y i n t h e

p art i es ’ i n co m e s

. . . . Ul t i m at el y

, t h e co u rt d et erm i n ed t h at an u pward d ev i at i o n o f

$ 9 ,3 5 2 m o nt h l y

— fo r a t o t al m o n t h l y o b l ig at i o n o f $ 1 1 ,4 39

. . . — was in t h e b es t

i n t eres t o f K. T.” Co u s i n I , 3 5 3 Ga. Ap p. at 8 8 8 (3 ) (b ).

2a g ro s s m o n t hl y in c o m e o f o v er $ 60 ,0 0 0 (i .e., t o t al i n co m e o f

$ 7 6 2 ,6 0 2.1 3 i n 2 0 1 7 ).[ 2 ]

Id . at 8 7 3 -8 7 4 . Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s J u l y 2 0 1 8 o rd er p ro vi d ed , i n p art

, t h at

[i ] n th e ev en t o f an ap p eal o f t h i s o rd er, t h e p ro v i s io n s o f t h i s o rd er sh al l

co n s t i t ut e a n ew t em

p o rary o rd er (s up ers e d i n g a ll p ri o r t em p o rary o r

fi nal rel ief t o t h e co n t rary ) d u ri n g th e p en d en cy o f t h e ap p eal

. Th is is t o

en s u re th at t h e ch i l d s u p p o rt o bl i gat i o n creat ed h erei n s hal l rem ai n i n

fo rce an d effect d u ri n g an y s u ch ap p eal

. Fai lu re to co m p l y wi t h an y s u ch

t em p o rary o rd er co u l d s u b

j ect t h e o ffen d i n g p art y to a fi n d i ng o f

co n t em p t o f co u rt

. Fr a n kl i n v. Fr a n kl i n

, 2 9 4 G a. 2 04 [(7 5 1 SE2 d 4 11 )]

(2 0 1 3 ).

Fo l l o wi ng t h e d en i al o f h is m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

, Co u s i n fi l ed a no t i ce o f ap peal fro m

t h e J u l y 2 0 1 8 o rd er o n M arch 7 , 2 0 1 9

.

Du ri n g th e p en d en cy o f Co u s i n ’ s ap p eal

, Tu b bs fi l ed t h r e e s ep arat e m o t i on s

fo r co nt em

p t

, al l eg i ng t h a t C o u s i n fai led t o s at i s fy t h e ch i l d s u p po rt p ay m en t s

req u i red by t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s J ul y 2 0 1 8 ord er. In res p o ns e, Co u s in cl ai m ed t h at h e was

“ f ina nc ia l ly u n ab l e to m ai n t ai n t h e m o n th l y ch i l d s u p p o rt o b l ig at i o n ” b ecau se t h e tr i a l

co u rt “ i m p u t ed t o o m

u ch co m pan y i n co m e t o h i m p e r s o n al l y ” an d b ecau s e h e was

2 In res p o n se to Tu bb s ’ s m o d ifi cat i o n pet i ti o n

, Co u s i n rai s e d s e v e ral

co u nt ercl ai m s wh i ch are n o t rel ev an t t o t h i s ap peal

. Si m i larl y

, th e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i ng s

i n o t h er p o rt i on s o f i t s J u l y 2 0 1 8 o rd er are n o t rel ev an t t o t h i s ap p eal

.

3“ t h e fat h er t o fi v e (5 ) o t her m in o r ch i l d ren

. . . .” Tu b bs ’ s m u lt i pl e co n t em

p t pet i t i on s

c u lm i n at ed i n a co n s en t ju d g m en t ex ecu t ed b y t h e p art i es

, an d en t ered by t h e t ri a l

co u rt , o n Feb ru ary

1 4, 2 02 0 . Th e co n s en t ju d g m en t p ro v id ed , i n i t s en t i ret y :

1

. Th e p art i es h av e ag r e e d t h a t [Co u s i n ] h as a cu rren t arrearag e o f

. . .

$ 8 2 ,2 73 [.]

2

. Th e p art ies h av e ag reed t h at [Co u si n ] s h al l m ak e an i n i t i al arrearag e

p ay m en t o f

. . . $ 4 0,0 0 0 on or b efo re J an uary 2 9

, 2 0 2 0 at 1 0 : 0 0 a.m

. T he

p art i es h av e fu rt h er ag reed t h at [Co u s i n] s h al l p ay t he rem ai n i n g

arrearag e b al an ce o f . . . $ 4 2 ,2 7 3 o n o r b efo re Ap ri l 2 8, 2 0 2 0

.

3

. T h e p a r t i es h av e ag reed t h at [Co u s i n ] s h al l pay [Tu b b s’ ] at to rn ey ’ s

fees an d ex p en s es i n t h e am o u n t o f

. . . $ 4,1 37 .9 0

. [Co u s i n ] s h al l p ay

s ai d am o u n t t o [Tu bb s ] o n o r b efo re Ap ri l 2 8 , 2 0 2 0

.

4

. No t h i n g i n t hi s Ord er s h al l b e co ns t ru ed t o al t er [Co u s i n ] ’ s co n t i n u i n g

Co u rt Ord ered ch i ld s up p o rt o b l ig at i o n

. [Co u s i n ] s h al l co n t i n u e t o m ak e

ch i l d s u p p o rt p ay m en t s t o [Tu b b s ] , as o rd ered

.

In a Feb ru ary 2 6

, 2 0 2 0 o p i n i o n

, th i s Co u rt affi rm ed t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s J u l y 2 0 1 8

o rd er i n al l res pect s s av e fo r t h e u p ward h i g h -i n co m e d ev i at i on

, wh i ch “ ap p ear[ed ]

t o h av e a p ri m ary p un i t i v e p u rp o s e[.] ” Co u si n I

, 3 5 3 Ga. Ap p. at 88 7 -8 9 1 (3 ) (b ). As

a res u l t

, we v acat ed t h at p o rt i o n o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d ed t h e cas e t o t h e

4t ri al co u rt fo r fu rt her p ro ceed i n g s

. Id

. at 89 1 (3 ) (b ). Th e t ri al co u rt fi l ed t h e rem i t t it u r

o n March 1 9

, 2 0 2 0 an d

, th e n ex t d ay

, en tered an o rd er i m po s in g a n ew u p ward h i g h

i n co m e d ev i at io n in t he am o u n t o f $ 2,5 9 1

, res u l ti n g i n a t o t al m o n th l y ch i l d s u p p o rt

o b l i g at i o n o f $ 4

, 6 7 8

. 3

Th ereaft er, Co u s i n fi l ed a “ Cert i fi cat e o f C o m p l i an ce wi t h Ch i l d Su p p o rt

Ob l ig at i o n an d No t i ce o f Ov erp ay m en t o f Ch i l d Su pp o rt ” o n M arch 30

, 2 0 2 0 in

wh i ch he as s ert ed th at h e o verp ai d Tu bb s $1 1 1,7 42 .5 7 d u ri n g t h e p en d en cy o f t h e

ap p eal i n Co u s i n I an d t h at t h e am o un t “ s h o u l d ei t h er b e rep ai d

. . . or ap p l i ed t o ward s

[h i s ] fu tu r e c h i l d s u p p o rt o b l i g at i o n

. . . .” Co nt em p o ran eo u s l y

, Co us i n fi l ed a

“ M ot i o n t o Set As i de Co n s en t Ord er,” s t at i n g t h at t h e p art i es neg o t i at ed t he co n s en t

ju d g m en t “ i n rel i an ce o n t he J u l y 1 1

, 2 0 1 8 Fi n al O rd er, wh i ch

, h av in g b een v acat ed

,

t h u s ren d ers t h e Co n s en t Ord er v o i d .” In t h e m o t i o n t o s et as i d e, Co us i n ag ai n s o u g ht

ei t h er rei m

b u rs em en t o r cred i t ag ai n s t fu t u re p ay m en t s

.

Th e t ri al co u rt d i sag reed

, fi n d i n g t h at “ [a] t em p o rary o rd er i s i n effect d u ri n g

t h e p en den cy o f [an ] ap p eal an d i s en fo rceab l e u p t o t h e d a t e o f en t ry o f t h e

[rem i t t i t u r]

, an d o n l y fro m t hat d at e fo rward d o es an y p erm an en t award h av e effect .”

3 Th e reco rd d o es n o t d em o n st rat e t h at Co u si n ap p eal ed t he t ri al co u rt ’ s rev i s ed

u p ward h i g h -i n co m e d ev i at i o n

.

5As a res u l t

, t h e t ri al co urt co n cl ud ed t h at Co us i n was n o t en t i t l ed “ t o cred i t h i s fu t u re

ch i l d s u pp o rt o b l i g at i on s wi t h p ay m en t s m ad e u n d e r t h e t em p o rary o rd er” o r “ t o a

refu nd o f t h e am o u n ts p ai d u n d er t h e t em p o rary ord er.” Si m i l arl y

, t h e t ri al co u rt

o b s erv ed t h at t h e co n s en t ju d g m en t in cl u d ed “ arrearag e am o u n t s i n cu rred wh i l e t h e

t em p o rary o rd er w as i n fu ll fo rce an d effect ” an d t h at t h e t em p o rary o rd er was

“ en fo rceab l e u n t i l t h e en t ry of t h e [r] em i t ti t ur.” A cco r d i n g ly

, t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

Co u s i n ’ s m o t i o n t o s et as i de an d req u es t fo r rei m b urs e m e n t

, b u t g ran ted Co u s i n a

ce r t i f i c at e o f i m

m ed iat e rev i ew. W e g ran t ed Co us i n ’ s ap p l icat i o n fo r d i s cret i o n ary

ap p eal , an d t h i s ap p eal fo l l owed

.

1

. Fi rs t

, Co u s i n as s ert s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d ecl i n in g to rei m b u rs e h i m

fo r ov erp ay m en ts m ad e i n rel i a n c e u p o n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s J u l y 2 0 18 ch i l d s u p p o rt

o rd er, wh i ch t h i s Co urt part i al l y v acat ed o n ap p eal

. 4 W e are n o t p ers u ad ed

.

At t h e o ut s et

, we n o t e t h at t h e am o u n t s fo r wh i ch Co u si n no w s eek s

rei m b u rs em en t were i m

p o s ed b y a co n s en t j u d gm en t. See g en eral l y Hu r t v

. N o r t h wes t

Mo r t g a g e

, 2 6 0 Ga. Ap p

. 65 1

, 6 5 6 (1 ) (c) (5 8 0 SE2 d 5 8 0 ) (2 0 03 ) (ci t i ng Gr a ys o n v.

Gr a ys o n , 2 1 7 G a. 1 3 3 , 1 3 5 (1 ) (1 21 SE2 d 3 4 ) (1 9 61 )) (“ no l i t i g an t wi l l b e h eard t o

4 Co m p are Aceved o v. Ki m

, 2 84 Ga. 6 2 9

, 6 3 0 (1 ), n

. 4 (6 69 SE2 d 12 7 ) (2 0 0 8 )

(“ Acev ed o d o es no t s eek a refu n d o f t h e o v e r p ay m en t s

, g i v en t h at t h e m o n ey was

i n t en d ed , an d act u al l y u s ed , fo r t h e s u p p o rt o f h i s t wo ch i ld ren .”).

6co m

p l ai n o f an o rd er o r ju dg m en t o f t h e co u rt wh i ch h e p ro cu res o r as s i s t s in

p ro cu ri n g

, u n l es s it b e m ad e p l ai n l y t o ap p ear t h at t h e co n s en t o f t h e p art y s eek i n g to

co m p l ai n was ob t ai n ed b y frau d o r m i s t ak e”) (p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ). Th erefo re, as a

g en eral m at t er, wh ere, as h ere,

n o s u ch co m

p l ai nt o f frau d o r m i s t ak e was m ad e, an d

. . . wh ere

. . . th e

p art i es reach ed an ag reem en t o n al l qu es t io n s at i s s u e, w h i ch ag reem en t

wa s r e d u c e d t o w ri t i n g, was s t y l ed an “ o rd er,” an d reci t ed t h at i t w as

s i gn ed

. . . b y t h e ju d g e, an d was ag reed to b y co un s el o f t he p art i es

, an d

was u n q u es t i o n ab l y co n s i d ered by al l p art i es t h e ret o

, as wel l as th e

ju d g e, t o b e an o rd er of t h e co u rt s et tl i n g t he q u es t i o n s i n v o l v e d

, t he

p art i es co n s en t i n g t h eret o wi l l n o t b e h eard t o q u es t i o n i t s v al i d it y

.

(Pu n ct u at i on o m i tt ed .) Id

. at 6 5 6 -6 5 7 (1 ) (c). Acco rd i n g ly

, we fi n d n o rev ers i b l e erro r

i n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al of Co u s i n ’ s req u es t fo r rei m b u rs em en t or fo r a cred it ag ai n s t

fu t u re o b l i g at i on s

. 5

5 By n o t h i n g w e h av e h el d h ere d o we d i s co u rag e p art i es f r o m u t i l i zi n g a

co n sen t ju dg m en t t o res o l ve th e i r d i fferen ces i n t h e s p i ri t of co m pro m i s e. To t h e

co n trary

, we s i m

p l y n o t e t h at s uch ag reem en t s s h o u l d b e d raft ed w i t h care to p ro t ect

each p art i es ’ i nt eres t s. See W h i t eh ea d v. Pea vy

, 29 1 G a. A p p

. 3 9 1

, 39 3 (6 6 2 SE2 d

1 9 9 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (rev ers i n g t ri al co u rt ’ s o r d er fi n d i n g t h at p art y was n ot en t i t l ed to

rei m b u rs em en t wh ere p art i es ’ co n s en t ju d g m en t “ cl earl y an d u n am b i g u o u s l y

p ro v id ed t h at W h i t eh ead was en t i tl ed to b e rei m bu rs ed i n t h e ev en t t h at Peav y

recei v ed p ay m en t s fro m bo t h W h i t eh ead an d t h e S o ci al Secu ri t y A d m i n i s t rat i o n

res u l ti n g i n an o verp ay m en t o f ch i l d s u p po rt as pro v i ded i n t h e [co n sen t ju dg m en t] ”).

72

. In h i s n ex t en um erat i o n o f erro r, Co u s in co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred

i n d en y i n g h i s m o t i o n t o s et as i d e t h e Feb ru ary 2 0 2 0 co n s en t ju d g m en t b ecau s e t h e

p ri m ary fact o r u po n wh i ch t h e ju d g m en t was b as ed

— t h e J u l y 2 0 18 ch i l d s u p p o rt

o rd er

— h ad been p art i al l y v acat ed

. W h at fo l l o ws i n t h e arg u m e n t s ect i o n o f h i s

o p en in g b ri ef, h owev er, i s a g en eral at t ack o n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd ers fi nd i n g h i m in

co n tem p t o f i ts J u ly 2 0 1 8 o rd er. Sp eci fi cal l y

, Co us i n arg u es t h at “ [a] n o rd er o f

co n tem p t ca n n o t b e b as ed o n n o n co m p l i an ce wi t h a v oi d ord er” an d t h at

“ [d ] i s o b ed i en ce o f a v o id m an d at e, o rd er, o r ju d g m en t i s n o t co n t em p t o f co u rt .”

No n e o f t h es e arg u m en t s were rai s ed i n th e t ri al co u rt

, an d “ i t i s wel l es t ab li s h ed t h at

t h i s Co urt can no t h ear arg u m en t s rai s ed fo r th e fi rs t t i m e o n ap p eal .” (Ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) Sa r a vi a v. Men d o z a

, 3 0 3 Ga. Ap p

. 7 58

, 7 63 (3 ) (6 9 5 SE2 d 4 7 )

(2 0 1 0). M o reo ver, “ [e] n u m erat i o ns m ay n o t b e en l arg ed b y b ri ef o n ap p eal t o co v er

i s su es n o t co nt ai n ed i n th e o ri g in al en u m erat io n .” (Ci tat i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t te d.)

Th o ma s v. St at e

, 25 3 Ga. Ap p

. 5 8

, 6 2 (3 ) (5 5 7 SE2 d 4 8 3) (2 0 0 1). Acco rd i n g l y

, t h i s

en u m erat i o n p res en t s n o t h in g fo r o u r rev i ew. 6

6 Des p i t e Co u s i n ’ s rel i an ce u po n OCGA § 9-1 2 -1 6 i n h i s o p en i n g b ri ef, Co u s in

d o es n o t ch al len g e j u ri s d i ct i on an d

, i n an y ev en t, we n eed n o t co ns i d er wh et h er t h at

s t at u te pro v i d es Co u s i n wi t h a b as i s fo r rel i ef b ecau s e h e d i d n ot rai s e t h at arg u m en t

i n t h e t ri al co u rt

. See O CGA § 9 -1 2 -1 6 (“ Th e ju d g m en t o f a co u rt h av i n g n o

ju ri s d i ct i o n o f t h e p ers o n o r t h e s u b ject m at t er o r wh i ch i s vo i d f o r a n y o t h er ca u s e

8In su m

, we fi n d n o rev ers i b l e erro r i n t h e tri al co urt ’ s o rd er d ecl in i n g Co u s i n ’ s

req u es t fo r a rei m

b u rs em en t of t h e ch i l d s u p po rt p ay m en t s m ad e wh il e h i s ap p eal to

t h i s Co u rt was p en d i n g . M o reo v er, Co u s i n ’ s b ri efi n g i n t h i s Co u rt fai led t o s u p p o rt

h i s arg u m en t t o s et as i d e t h e part i es ’ co n s en t ju d g m en t

. Th erefo re, we affi rm t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s o rd er d en y i n g Co u si n ’ s req u es t fo r rei m bu rs em en t an d m ot i o n to set as i d e t h e

co n sen t ju d g m en t

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McFa d

d en , C. J., a nd

Do yl e, P. J., co n cu r

.

i s a m ere n u l l i t y an d m ay b e s o h el d i n an y co urt wh en i t b eco m es m a t e r i a l t o t h e

i n t eres t o f t h e p art i es t o co n s i d er i t .”) (em p h as i s su p pl i ed ); S

a r avi a

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