THI RD DI VI SI ON

DI L LA RD, P. J.

, GOBEI L and HODGES, 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

Septem ber 12, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9A1 5 2 3

. IN THE INTEREST OF A. L. et al

. , m i n o r ch i l d ren

.

G O B E I L

, J u d g e.

Th i s ap p eal was fi l ed b y t h e ap p el l an t -m o t h er, Al l i so n M ad o u ri e, t o ch al l en g e

t h e ju v en i l e co u rt ’ s o rd er d i s m i s s i n g h er m ot i o n s eek i n g reu n i fi cat i o n an d ch an g e o f

c h i l d c u s t o d y b as ed o n t h e co u rt ’ s d et erm i nat i o n t h at Geo rg i a i s an i n co nv en i en t

fo ru m fo r ad

ju d i cat in g t he cl ai m s

. Becau s e th e ju v en i l e co u rt fai l ed t o m ak e s p eci fi c

fi nd i ng s on t h e reco rd d em o n s t rat i n g t h at i t co n s id ered t h e ei g h t fact o rs in OCGA §

1 9 -9 -6 7 (b ), an d al s o erred b y d i s m i s s i n g t h e m o t i o n, we v acat e t he ju v en i l e co urt ’ s

o rd er an d rem an d t h e cas e fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i n gs co n s i s t en t wi t h t h e req ui rem en t s

o f OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 7 (b ) an d (c).

Th e reco rd s ho ws t h at Ap p el l an t i s t h e m o t h er o f t wo m i n o r ch i l d r e n

, A. L.

( b o rn o n No v em

b er 1, 2 0 1 0 ) an d J

. L. (b o rn on Oct o b er 2

, 2 0 0 8 ). In J an u ary 2 0 1 5

,wh i le t h e ch i l d ren res i ded i n Geo rg i a, t h e Hen ry Co u n t y Dep art m en t o f Fam i l y

an d

Ch i ld ren Serv i ces (“ DFCS”) fi led a d ep en den cy act i o n i n t h e Hen ry Co u n t y J u v en i l e

Co u rt an d t h e ch i ld ren were rem o v ed fro m Ap p el l an t ’ s cu st o d y

. 1 On J u n e 1 7

, 2 0 1 5,

t h e j u v en i l e co u rt award ed t em p o r ary cu s t o d y o f t h e ch i l d ren t o t h ei r bi o l o g i cal

fat h er. 2 Sh o rt l y t hereaft er, th e ch i l d ren an d t h ei r fa t h e r m o v ed t o an d b ecam e

res i den t s o f Fl o ri d a. 3

Pu rs uan t t o t h e p art ies ’ ag re e m e n t

, A p p el l an t ex erci s ed v i s i t at i o n wi t h t h e

ch i l d ren at h er res i d en ce i n Geo rg i a fo r t wo m o n t h s du ri n g su m m ers an d two week s

d u ri n g th e Ch ri s t m as h ol i d ay s. On J u n e 1 9

, 2 0 1 7

, wh i le t h e ch il d ren were v i s i t i n g in

Geo rg i a, Ap p el l an t fi l ed a “ M o t i o n fo r Reu ni fi cat i o n an d Ch an g e o f Cu s t od y ” i n t h e

1 Th e do cu m en t s fro m t h e d ep en d en cy p ro ceed i n g h av e n o t b een i ncl u d ed in

o u r ap p el l at e reco rd

. A cco rd i n g l y

, w e are u n ab l e t o d eci p h er t he u n derl y i n g fact s an d

s t at u s of t h e d ep en d en cy p ro ceed i n g

. W e accep t Ap p el l an t’ s s t at em en t of fact s t o t h e

ex t en t t h at t h ey are u n co n t ro v ert ed b y Ap p el lee’ s b ri ef. See Co u r t o f Ap p eal s Ru l e

2 5 (b ) (1 ) (“ E x cep t as co n t ro v ert ed

, ap p el l an t ’ s st at em en t o f f a c t s m ay b e accep t ed

b y t h i s Co u rt as t ru e.”).

2 Aft er tem

po rary cu s t o d y was award ed t o t h e fat h er, DFCS cl o sed i t s cas e.

DFCS was n o t i n v o l v ed i n t h e ad ju d i cat i o n o f Ap pel l an t ’ s m o t io n , an d t h e Geo rg i a

Dep art m en t o f Hu m an Serv i ces fi l ed a No t i ce o f No n -Part i ci p at i o n i n t h i s ap p eal

.

3 Th e reco rd ev i d en ce i n d i cat es t h at t h e ch i l d ren t em p o rari l y res id ed wi t h t h ei r

p at ern al au n t s in New Yo rk fo r a p eri o d o f fi v e m o n t h s

, fro m l a t e S e p t em b er 2 0 1 6

u n t i l Feb ru ary

2 0 17 . In Feb ru ary

2 0 1 7 , t h e ch i l d ren ret u rn ed t o Fl o ri da, wh ere t h ey

co n ti n u ed t o l i v e wi t h t h e fat h er.

2ju v en i l e co u rt dep en den cy cas e. In s u p po rt o f t h e m ot i o n, Ap pel l an t req ues t ed t h at

s ev eral fact wi t nes se s b e al l owed t o t es t i fy rem o t el y b y t el ep h o ne o r o t h er v i d eo

co n feren ci ng m et ho d s s in ce th ey were o u t o f s t at e an d u n ab le t o ap p ear p ers o n al l y

at t he h eari n g

.

Du ri n g th e h eari n g on Ap p el l an t ’ s m o t i o n

, th e ju v en i le co u rt i n q u i red i n t o i t s

o wn ju ri sd i ct i on an d u l t i m a t el y d ecl i n ed to ex erci s e j u ri s d i ct i o n b as ed u p o n i t s

co n cl u s i o n t h at G eo rg i a n o l o n g er was a co n v en i en t fo ru m to res o l v e t h e i s s u e. Th e

co u rt n o t ed t h at th e ch il d ren hav e l i v ed

, at t en d ed sch o o l

, an d recei v ed co u n s el i n g in

Fl o ri da fo r m o re t h an t w o y ears ; m o s t o f t h e wi t n es s es l iv ed o u t s i d e o f Geo rg i a; an d,

DFCS an d t h e g u ard ian ad l i tem i n Geo rg i a d i d n o t h av e d i rect acces s t o rev i ew t h e

ch i l d ren ’ s s ch o ol o r co u ns el i n g reco rd s an d h o m e en v i ro n m en t i n Fl o ri d a.

Fo l l owi n g en t ry of t h e d i s m i s s al o rd er, t h e in s t an t ap peal en s u e d

. Ap p el l an t

as s ert s t h at t h e ju v en il e co u rt erred i n ru l i ng t h at Geo rg i a i s n o l on g er a co n v en i en t

fo ru m an d erred i n d i s m i s s i n g h er m o t i on o n t h at b as i s

. 4

4 In h er en u m erat io n s of erro r, Ap p el l an t al s o qu es t i o ns wh et h er t he ju v en i l e

co u rt ret ai n ed ju ri s di ct i o n i n th e d ep en d en cy p ro ceed i n g

, wh en t h e cu s t o d i al p aren t

an d ch i l d ren n o lo n g er res i d ed i n Geo rg i a. No t ab ly

, ho wev er, t h e ju v en i l e co u rt d id

n o t ru le t h at i t lack ed ju ri s d i ct i o n ov er t he m at t er. To t h e co n t rary

, t h e co urt i n d i cat ed

t h at i t co u l d ex erci se ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er th e d ep en d en cy ca s e u n t i l t h e i s s u e o f

d ep en d en cy

was res o l v ed o r t h e ch i l d ren b ecam e 1 8 y ears o f ag e. See OCGA § 1 5

-

1 1 -2 14 (a)-(c) (p ro vi d i n g t h at a d i s p o s i ti o n o rd er i n a d ep en d en cy p ro ceed i n g s h al l

3Ap p el l an t ’ s m ot i o n rel at i n g t o ch i l d c u s t o d y fel l wi t h i n t h e p urv i ew o f t h e

Un i fo rm Ch i l d Cu s t o d y J u ri s di ct i o n an d En fo rcem en t A ct (“ UCCJ E A”). See OCGA

§ 1 9 -9 -4 1 (4 ) (t h e d efi n i t i o n o f a “ ch i l d cu st od y p ro ceed i n g ” u n d er t h e UCCJ E A

i n cl u d es a ch i ld d ep en d en cy p ro ceed i ng i n wh i ch t h e i s s u e o f ch i l d cu s t o d y m ay

ap p ear); In t h e In t er es t o

f J. S

. J.

, 25 3 Ga. Ap p. 1 7 4

, 1 7 7 (1 ) (5 58 SE2 d 76 3 ) (2 0 0 2 )

(ap p l y i ng fo rm er defi n i t i o n s s t at u t e an d ru l i n g t h at t h e UCC JEA g ov ern s a

p ro ceed in g reg ard in g ch il d d ep en d en cy i n wh i ch ch i l d cu s t o dy is one of m an y i s s u es ).

co n ti n u e i n fo rce u nt i l t h e pu rp o s es o f t h e o rd er h av e b een acco m p l i s h ed o r wh en a

ch i l d ad ju di cat ed as a d ep en d en t c h i l d reach es 1 8 y ears o f ag e). Th e co u rt

n ev ert h el es s d ec l i n e d t o ex erci s e i t s ju ri s d ict i o n b as ed o n t h e i n co n v en i en t fo ru m

d et erm i n a t i o n

. Becau s e Ap p el l an t d i d n o t o bt ai n an ad v ers e ru l i n g o n t h e al l eg ed

ju ri s d i ct i o n al q ues ti on

, an d t h e ap p el la t e reco rd d oes n o t co nt ai n d o cu m en t s

es t ab l i s h in g t h e st at u s of t he d ep en d en cy ad ju d i cat i o n, we can no t rev i ew Ap p el l an t ’ s

cl ai m o f erro r. See S

mi t h v. S t acey , 2 8 1 Ga. 6 0 1

, 6 0 2 (1 ) (6 42 SE2 d 2 8 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (“ It

i s ax i om at ic t h at on e can n o t co m p l ai n o f t h at wh i ch i s fav o rab l e t o h i m .”) (ci t at i o n

an d pu n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ); A q u a S u n In ves tmen t

s

. v. Ken d r i ck

, 2 4 0 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 1

, 6 7 2

(1 ) (5 24 SE2 d 5 19 ) (1 9 9 9 ) (“ Th e p art y ap p eal i n g bears t h e b urd en o f p ro v i n g erro r

b y t h e r e c o r d

. . . .W h en an ap p el l an t fai l s to co m p i l e a co m

p l et e reco rd o f wh at

t ran s pi red at t he t ri al l ev el

, a p p el l at e rev i ew is effect i v el y p recl u d ed .”) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ).

4Th e ju v en i le co urt ’ s d eci s i o n t h at i t was an i n co nv en i en t fo ru m i s t hu s g o v ern ed by

OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 7 o f t h e UCCJ EA.

Un d er OCGA § 19 -9 -6 7 (a), “ [a] co u rt o f t h i s st at e wh i ch has ju ri sd i ct i o n u n d er

[t he UCCJ EA] m ay d ecl i n e t o ex erci s e i t s ju ri s d i ct i o n at an y t i m e i f i t det erm i n es t h at

i t i s an i n co n v en i en t fo ru m u n d er t h e ci rcu m s tan ces an d t h at a co u rt o f an o t h er s t at e

i s a m o re ap p ro p ri at e fo ru m .” Su b s ect i on (b ) o f t he s t at ut e fu rt h er p ro v i d es :

Befo re d et erm i n i n g w h et h er i t i s an i n co n v en i en t fo ru m

, a co u rt of t h i s

s t at e s h al l co n si d er wh et h er i t i s ap p ro p ri at e fo r a co u rt o f an o t h er s t at e

t o ex erci s e ju ri sd i ct i o n

. Fo r t h i s p u rp o se, t he co u rt s h al l al lo w t h e p art i es

t o s u b m i t i n fo rm at i on an d s h al l co n s i d er al l rel ev an t fact o rs

, i n cl u d i n g :

(1 ) W h et h er fam i l y v i o l en ce h as o ccu rred an d is l i k el y t o co nt i n ue

i n th e fu tu re an d wh i ch s tat e co u l d b es t p ro tect t he p art i es an d t h e ch il d ;

(2 ) Th e l en gt h o f t i m e t h e ch i l d h as res i d ed o ut s i d e t h i s s t at e;

(3 ) Th e di s tan ce b et ween t h e c o u r t i n th i s s tat e an d t he co u rt i n

t h e s t at e t hat wo u ld as s u m e ju ri s di ct i o n ;

(4 ) Th e rel at i v e fi n an ci al ci rcu m s t an ces o f t h e p art i es ;

(5 ) An y ag reem en t o f t h e p art i es as t o wh i ch s t at e sh o ul d as s u m e

ju ri s di ct i o n ;

5(6 ) Th e nat u re an d l o cat i o n o f t h e ev i d en ce req u i red t o res o l v e th e

p en d i n g l i t i g at i o n , i n cl u d i n g t es t i m on y o f t h e ch i ld ;

(7 ) Th e ab il it y o f t h e co u rt o f each s t at e t o d eci d e t h e i s s ue

ex p ed i t i o us l y an d t h e p ro ced u res n eces s ary t o p res en t t h e ev i d en ce; an d

(8 ) Th e fam i l i a r i t y o f t he co u rt of each s t at e wi t h t h e fact s an d

i s su es i n t he p en d i n g l i t i g at i o n

.

OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 7 (b ). A t ri a l c o u rt ab u s es i ts d i s cret i on i n d eci d i n g t o d ecl i n e i t s

ju ri s d i ct i o n u n d er t he UCCJ EA wh en i t fai l s t o m ak e s p eci fi c fi n di n gs o n t h e reco rd

d em o n s t rat i n g t hat i t co n s i d ered al l rel ev an t fact o rs i n acco rd an ce wi t h t h i s s t at u te.

Mu r i l l o v. Mu r i ll o , 3 00 Ga. Ap p . 6 1 , 6 4 (6 8 4 SE2 d 1 2 6 ) (2 0 0 9).

Here, t h e ju ven i l e co u rt fai l ed t o m ak e s peci fi c fi n d i ng s d em o n st rat i n g i t s

co n si d erat io n o f al l o f th e fact o rs i n OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 7 (b ) ( 1 ) t h ro u g h (8 ).

Co n s eq u en t l y

, we m

us t v acat e t h e ju v e n i l e co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d t h e cas e fo r

fu rt he r p r o ceed i n g s t h at wi l l al l o w t h e p art i es to p res en t ev i d en ce an d t h e co u rt to

en t er s p eci fi c fi n d i n g s o n t h e reco rd as t o t h e ei g h t s tat u t o ry fact ors

. See Mu r i l l o

, 3 0 0

Ga. Ap p. at 6 4 (v acat i n g th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d in g t he cas e fo r t h e t ri al

co u rt t o m ak e sp eci fi c fi n d i n g s o n t he reco rd

, ei t her in w ri t i n g or o ral l y

,

d em o n s t rat i n g co n s i d erat i o n o f t h e fact o rs l i s t ed i n OCGA § 1 9 -9 -6 7 (b )).

6M or e ove r

, the j uve n il e co u rt ’ s ord er erro n eo us l y d i s m i s s ed Ap pel l an t ’ s m otion

b as ed o n i t s co n cl us i o n th at Geo rg ia i s an in co n ven ien t fo ru m

. A cco rd i n g t o OCGA

§ 19 -9 -6 7 (c), “ [i ] f a co urt o f t h is s t at e d et erm i nes t h at it is an i n co n v en i en t fo ru m an d

t h at a co u rt o f an o t her s t at e i s a m ore ap p ro p ri at e fo ru m

, i t s h al l s t ay t h e p ro ceed i ng s

u p o n co n d i t i o n t h at a ch i l d cu s t o d y p ro ceed i n g b e p ro m

p t ly co m m en ced i n an o t h er

d es i g n at ed s t at e an d m ay i m p o s e an y o t h er co n d it i o n t h e co u rt co ns i d ers ju s t an d

p ro p er.” Acco rd i n g l y

, i n t h e ev en t t h at t h e ju v en i le co urt d et erm i n es t h at i t i s an

i n co n v en i en t fo ru m

, aft er ev al u at i n g t he req u i s i t e e i g h t s t at u to ry fact o rs

, t h e

p ro ceed in g s m

u s t b e s t ay ed

, rat h er t h an d i s m i s s ed

, p en d in g t h e c o m m en cem en t o f

p ro ceed in g s i n an o th er d es i g n at ed s t at e.

In l i gh t o f t h e afo rem en t i o n ed p ro ced u ral erro rs

, we m u st v a c a t e t h e t ri al

co u r t ’s o rd er an d rem an d t he cas e fo r fu rt h er pro ceed i n gs co n s i s t en t wi t h t h e

i n s t ru ct i o n s s et fo rt h h erei n

.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a nd ca s e r ema nd ed wi t h i n s tr u ct i o n

. Di l l ar d

, P

. J., a n d

Ho d g es , J., co n cu r

.

7