FOURTH D I VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, RA Y and M CM I LLI A N, 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 ls .us /r ule s /

June 9, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A0 12 0 . ANDERSON ANESTHESIA, INC. v . ANDERSON.

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

An d ers o n An es t h es i a, In c. (“ AA”), an Al ab am a co rp o rat i o n

, ap peal s t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s o rd er d i s m i s s i n g i t s p et i t i o n fi l ed p u rs u an t t o t h e Un i fo rm In t ers t at e Fam i l y

Su p p o rt Act (t he “ UIFSA”), OCGA § 1 9

- 1 1

- 1 0 0 e t s eq

. , to s t ay en fo rcem en t o f an

“ In c o m e As s i gn m en t Ord er” (t h e “ In co m e-W it h h o l di n g Ord er”) i s s u ed b y a

Lo u is i an a co u rt a n d s erv ed o n Prem i er An es t h es ia, LLC (“ Prem i er”), a Geo rg i a

l i m i ted l i ab i li t y co m

p an y

, s eek i n g to wi t h h o l d a p o rt i o n o f AA’ s i n co m e. 1 W e affi rm

fo r t h e reas o n s s et fo rt h b el ow.

1 Th i s i s t h e s eco n d ap p earan ce o f t h is cas e b efo re t h i s Co u rt

. T h i s Co u rt

d i s m i s s ed an e a r l i er ap p eal b y AA b ecau s e t h e Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt h ad n o t i s s u ed a

fi nal o rd er i n t h e cas e an d AA h ad fai l ed t o fo l lo w th e p ro ced u res fo r an i n t erl o cu t o ry

ap p eal ; t h u s

, t h i s Co u rt l ack ed ju ri s d i ct io n t o co n s i d e r t h e a p p eal

. See Ord er d at ed

M ay 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 , Cas e No . A1 4 D0 3 4 4

.“ On ap p eal

, w e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’s d eci s io n t o g ran t o r d en y a m o t i o n to

d i s m i s s de n o v o .” Li b er t

y Co u n t y S ch o o l Di s t

. v. H

a l l i b ur t o n

, 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p

. 4 2 2

, 4 2 3

(7 6 2 SE2 d 1 38 ) (2 0 1 4 ). A n d “ [ i ]n r ev i ewi n g t h e g ran t o f a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

, an

ap p el l at e co u r t m

u s t co n s t ru e t h e p l ead i n g s i n t h e l ig h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e

ap p el l an t wi t h al l d o u bt s res ol v ed i n t h e ap p el l an t ’ s fav o r.” (Ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed .) Ewi n g

v. Ci t y o f At la n t a , 2 8 1 Ga. 6 5 2, 6 5 3 (2 ) (6 4 2 SE2 d 1 0 0 ) (2 0 0 7 ). 2

Th i s m at t er ari s es ou t o f t h e d i v o rce o f A n n e E

. (“ An n e”) an d W arren J eff

A n d ers o n (“ W arren ”). 3 Th e In co m e-W i t h h o l di n g Ord er reci t es t h at An n e was

award ed su p po rt i n th e di v o rce an d t h at W arren becam e d el i n q u en t i n m ak i n g s u p p o rt

p ay m en t s. T h e o rd er d i rect s t h at Prem i er wi t h h o l d 50 % of an y d i s p os ab l e i n co m e,

i n cl u d i n g b u t n o t l i m i t ed t o

, wag es

, s al ary

, co m m i s si o n

, [ a n d ] co m

p en sat i o n as an

2 Al t ho u g h t h e p art i es s u bm i t t ed affi d av i t s an d o t h er d o cu m en t at i o n i n b ri efi n g

t h e m o t i o n t o d i s m is s

, t he Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d o es n o t in d i cat e t h at i t

co n si d ered s u ch ev i den ce i n ru l i n g on t h e m o t i o n ; r a t h e r, i t s t at es t h at i t b as ed i t s

ru l i n g o n t h e pl ead i n g s an d arg u m en t s o f t h e p art i e s

. Th u s

, we rev i ew t h e Geo rg i a

t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er as a ru l i n g o n a m o t i o n t o d is m i s s

.

3 Fo r cl ari t y

, w e wi l l refer t o t h e An d ers o n s, in d iv i du al l y

, b y t h ei r fi rs t n am es

.

2i n d ep en den t co n t ract o r,” fro m t h e i n co m e Prem i er owes t o W arren o r AA 4 t o s at i s fy

W arren ’ s o n g oi ng s u p p ort o b l i g at i o n s an d s u p p ort arrearag es

.

Aft er t h e In co m e-W i t h h o l d i n g Ord er was s erv ed on P rem i er, AA fi l ed a

p et i t i o n t o st ay i ts en fo rcem en t

, as s ert i n g t h at th e Lo u i s i an a co u rt lack ed au t h o ri t y o r

a l eg al b as i s t o i s s u e an o rd er s ei zi n g i ts in co m e b e c au se t h e co u rt n ev er o b t ai n ed

p ers o n al ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er AA. In res p o n s e, An n e, a Lo u is ian a res i den t

, fi led a s p eci al

ap p earan ce an s wer, d en y i n g t hat t h e Geo rg ia tri al co u rt h ad p ers on al ju ri s d ict i o n o v er

h e r

. An n e a l s o m o ved t o d is m i s s t h e p et it i on o n t h e g ro u n d t h at i t fai l ed t o s t at e a

cl ai m u p on wh i ch rel i ef can b e g ran ted an d arg u ed i n h er b ri efi n g i n s u p p o rt o f t h e

m o ti o n t o d i s m i s s t h at t he Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt l ack ed b ot h s u b ject m at ter j u ri s d i ct i o n

o v er t h e m at t er an d p ers on al ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er h er.

Fo l l owi n g a h eari n g, t h e Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt i ss u ed an ord er o n F e b ru ary 2 1,

2 0 1 4

, i n wh i ch i t q u es ti o ned wh et h er AA m et t h e UIFSA’ s req u irem en t s fo r

co n tes t i ng t h e In co m e-W i t h h o l d i n g Ord er i n Geo rg i a (t he “ Fi rs t Ord er”). 5 Un d er t h e

4 Th e r e c o r d i n d i cat es th at W arren fo rm ed AA fo r t ax pu rp o s es to recei v e

i n co m e h e earn ed as an i n d ep en d en t co n t ract or.

5 Th e Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt al s o fo u n d t h at t h e m ere fi l i n g b y An n e o f an i n co m e

a s s i g n m en t ord er i n Geo rg i a d i d n o t g i v e t h e co u rt p ers o n al ju ri s d i ct i on o v e r h e r

, ci t i n g OCGA § 1 9 -1 1 -1 3 3 (a). Th at p ro v i s i o n s t at es t h at “ [p ] art i ci pat i o n b y a

p et i t i o n er i n a pro ceed i n g u nd er t h is art i cl e b efo re a res p o nd i n g t ri b u n al

, w het h er in

3UIFSA, “ [a] n o b l i g o r m ay co n t es t t h e v al i di t y o r en fo rcem en t o f an i n co m ewi t h h o l d i n g o rd er i s s u e d i n a n o t h er s tat e an d recei v ed d i rect l y b y an em p l o y er in

Geo rg i a

. . . i n t he s am e m an n er as i f t h e o rd er h ad b e e n i s s u ed b y a t ri b u n al o f

Geo rg i a.” (Em

p has is s u pp l i ed .) OCGA § 1 9 -1 1 -1 5 5 (a). Fo r pu rp o s es o f th e UIFSA,

t h e t erm

“ [o ] b l ig o r” m ean s an i n d i vi d u a l o r t h e es t at e o f a d eced en t t h at :

(A) Owes o r i s al l eg ed t o o we a d u t y o f s u p p o rt ;

(B) Is al l eg ed b ut h as n o t b een ad ju d i cat ed t o b e a p aren t o f a ch i ld ;

(C) Is l i ab l e u n d er a s u p p o rt o rd er; o r

(D) Is a d eb t or i n a p ro ceed i n g u nd er Part 7 o f t h i s art i cl e.

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .) OCGA § 1 9 -1 1 -1 01 (1 7). Th e Geo rg i a tri al co u rt n ot ed t h at “ t h e

en t i t y co n t es t i n g t he v al i di t y o f t h e i n co m e as s i g nm en t o rd er i s an A l ab am a

[ c ] o rp o rat i o n [,] n ot an i nd i v i d ual ,” an d st at ed t h at b ecau s e n o cas es had ad d re s s e d

p ers o n

, b y p ri v at e at t o rn ey

, o r t h ro u g h serv ices p ro v i ded b y t h e s u p p o rt en fo rcem en t

ag en cy

, d o es n o t co n fer p ers o n al ju ri s d i ct i o n o v e r th e p et i t io n er i n an o t h er

p ro ceed in g .” Bu t g i v en o ur h o l d i n g i n t hi s cas e, we n eed n o t reach t h i s i s su e.

4t h i s i s s u e, i t w a s “ r el u ct an t to ex p an d t h e d efi n i t i o n o f an o b l i g o r t o al s o i n cl u d e

co rp o rat i o ns .”

Th e Fi rs t O rd er al s o s t at ed t h at t h e Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt n ev ert h el es s at t em p t ed

to c onf e r w ith t h e Lo u i s i an a co u rt t h at i s s u ed t h e In co m e-W it h h ol d i n g Ord er p u rsua nt

t o t h e p ro v i si o n s o f t h e UIFSA, OCGA § 1 9 -1 1 -1 3 6, b u t was u n ab l e t o reach t h e

Lo u is i an a ju d g e p res i d i ng o v er t h e m at t er. As a res u lt

, th e Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt ch o s e

t o s t ay th e cas e fo r a p eri o d o f two week s to al l o w A A t o fi l e “ ap p ro p ri at e [m ] o t i on s

i n t h e L o u i s i an a [c] o urt t o h av e t h e [In co m e-W it h h o l di n g Ord er] s et as id e s i n ce i t

cl ai m s t h at t h e Lo u i s i an a [c] ou rt was wi t h ou t ju ri s d ict i on t o en t er th e ord er ag ai n s t

i t in t h e fi rs t i n s tan ce.” Bu t i f AA fai l ed t o fi l e s u ch m o t i o n s wi t h i n t h at p eri o d , t h e

Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt s t at ed i t wo u l d d i s m i s s AA’ s p et i t i o n t o s t ay en fo rcem en t o f t h e

In co m e-W i t h h o l d in g Ord er.

Fo u r m o nt h s l at er, on J u n e 1 9

, 2 0 1 4

, t h e Geo rg i a tri al co u rt is s u ed a fi n al o rd er

d i s m i s s i n g AA’ s p et it i o n

, n o t i n g t h at AA h ad fai led t o p ro v i d e t h e co u rt wi t h an y

ev i d en c e “ t h at i t h as i n i t iat ed an y m o t i on o r m ad e an y t y p e of s u b m i s s i on t o t h e

Lo u is i an a [c] o u rt s eek i n g t o h av e t h e [I n c o m e

- W it h ho l di n g Ord er] s et as i d e” (t h e

“ Fi nal O r d e r ” ). In reach i n g th is ju d g m en t

, t h e Geo rg ia t ri al co u rt m ad e n o fu rt h er

fi nd i ng s o f fact o r co n cl u si o ns o f l aw.

5On ap p eal

, AA as s ert s th at th e Geo rg ia t ri al co u rt erred (1 ) i n co n cl ud i n g t h at

i t h ad n o s ub

j ect m at t er ju ri s di ct i o n t o i n q u i re wh et her a L o u i s i an a i n co m e s u p p o rt

o rd er q u a l i f

i e d f o r fu l l fai t h an d cred i t i n Geo rg i a; (2 ) in co ncl u d i n g t hat i t h ad n o

p ers o n al ju ri s d i ct io n o v er a Lo u i s i an a res i d en t at t em p t ing to e nf

or c e a n i l l eg al fo rei g n

s u p p o rt o rd er i n Geo rg i a; an d (3 ) i n en t eri n g a fi n al o rd er wi th ou t an y s u p p o rt i n g

ev i d en ce.

W e n o t e, h owev er, th at t h e Geo rg i a t ri al co urt n ev er ex p res sl y co n cl u d ed t h at

i t l ack e d s u b

ject m at t er ju ri s d i ct i o n t o co n s i d er wh et her t h e In co m e-W it hh o l d i n g

Ord er was en t it l ed t o fu l l fai th an d cred i t i n Geo rg ia. Rat h er, i n th e Fi rs t Ord er, t h e

G e o r g ia t ri al co u rt q u es ti o ned wh et h er A A h ad s tan d i n g t o co n t es t t h e In c o m e

W i th h o l d i n g Ord er i n G eo rg i a u n d er t h e UIFSA, an d i n t he Fi n al Ord er, t h e Geo rg i a

t ri al co u rt d i s m is s ed AA’ s p et it i o n aft er i t fai led t o es t ab l i s h t h at it h ad tak en act i o n

i n Lo ui s i an a t o co n t es t t h e In co m e-W i th h o l d i n g Ord er.

W e fi n d t h at t h e Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt was co rrect t o q u es t i on AA’ s st an d i n g to

fi le t h e p et i t i o n i n t h i s cas e. Un d er Geo rg i a’ s UIFSA, o n l y an i nd i v i d u al o r an es t at e

m eet i n g t h e s tat ed cri t eri a m a y p et i t i o n a G eo rg i a co u rt t o co nt es t an i n co m ewi t h h o l d i n g o rd er i s su ed by an o t h er s t at e. AA ex pres s l y fi l ed i t s pet i t i o n u n d er t h e

UIFSA, b u t t h e al l eg at i o n s o f th e p et i t i o n d em o ns t rat e t h at AA d o es n ot fal l wi t h in

6t h e st at u t o ry d efi n i t i o n of an o b l i g or u n d er t h e A ct

. Th at d efi ni t i o n s p eci fi cal l y u s es

t h e t erm “ i n d i v id u al ” an d i n co n st ru i n g t h e s t at u t e, “ we m u s t p res u m e t h at t h e

l e g i s l a t u re’ s u s e of t h at t erm was a m at t er of co n si d ered ch o i ce.” (Ci t at i o n a n d

p u n ct u at i o n om it t ed .) La kevi ew Beh a vi o r a l H ea l t h Sys t em, LLC v. UHS P ea ch f o r d,

LP

, 3 2 1 Ga. Ap p

. 82 0

, 8 2 3 (1 ) (7 4 3 SE2 d 4 9 2 ) (2 0 1 3 ). If t h e l eg i s l at u re had i n t en d ed

t h e term “ o b li g o r” t o i n c lu d e s o m et h i ng o t her th an an i n d i v i d u al h u m an b ei n g

, i t

co u ld h av e u s ed t h e t e r m “ p ers o n

, ” wh i ch t he UIFSA defi n es as “ an i n d i v i d u al

,

co rp o rat i o n, b u s i n es s t ru s t, es t at e, t ru s t, p art ners h i p

, l i m it ed l i ab i l i t y co m p an y

,

as s o ci at io n

, jo i n t v en t u re, p u b l i c co rp o rat i on

, g o v ern m en t o r go v ern m en t al

s u b d iv i s i o n

, ag en cy

, o r i ns t ru m en tal i t y

, o r an y o th er leg a l o r co m m erci al en t i t y .”

OCGA § 1 9 -1 1 -1 0 1 (1 9 ). A cco rd i n g l y

, we f i n d t h at t h e t erm “ o b l i go r” u n d er t h e

UIFSA d o es n o t i n cl u de a co rp o rat i o n

.

AA as s ert ed i n i t s ori gi nal p et i t i o n t o s tay an d th e t w o s u b seq u en t am en d m en t s

t o t h at p et i t i o n t hat it i s an A l ab am a co rp o rat i o n an d “ an i n d ep en d en t l eg al en t i t y

. ” 6

An d

, i n fact

, AA as s ert ed i n i t s “ 2 n d Am en d ed Pet i t i o n to St ay En fo rcem en t o f

6 AA al s o s u b m i t t ed affi d av i t s s i g n ed b y W arren

, av erri ng th at i t i s a “ b u s i n es s

co rp o rat i o n, w i t h a s e p a r at e i d en t i t y an d ex is t en ce” an d t hat it has n o arrearag e o f

ch i l d s u p p o rt t o A n ne. Ho w ev er, t h e G eo rg i a tri al co u rt n eed n o t h av e co n s i d ered t h i s

affi d av i t i n d is m i ss in g AA’ s p et i t i o n

.

7Fo rei g n Ord er an d Set As i d e Fo rei g n Ord er” t h at i t “ i s n ei t h er th e ‘ ob l i g o r’ n o r h i s

‘ es t at e,’ ” ci t i n g O CGA § 1 9 -1 1 -1 0 1

. Th erefo re, al t h o ug h W arren wo u l d q ual i fy as an

“ o b l i g o r” u n d er t he Act , wi t h s t an d i n g t o co nt es t t h e In co m e-W i t h h o l d i n g Ord er i n

t h i s cas e, AA, a s el f-s ty l ed “ in d ep en d en t ” co rp o rat i on

, d o es n o t

. Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e

Geo rg i a t ri al co urt di d n o t err i n d i s m i s s i ng AA’ s p et i ti o n becau s e ev en wh en t ak en

as t ru e, th e al l eg at i on s i n th e pet i t i o n, as am en d ed

, es t ab li s h t h at AA lack s s t an d i n g

t o co n t es t t h e In co m e-W it h h o l d i n g Ord er u n der t h e UIFSA. S e e

, e.g

. , Ju r d en v. HS BC

Mo r t g a g e Co r p

. , 3 3 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 9

, 1 8 0 (1 ) (7 6 5 SE2 d 4 4 0 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (d i s m is sal p ro p er

wh ere al leg at i o n s o f co m p l ai n t s h o w p l ai n ti ff lack ed st an d in g) (p hy s i cal p reced en t

o n l y ); W yl i e v. Den to n

, 32 3 Ga. A p p

. 1 6 1

, 1 67 -1 6 8 (1 ) (7 4 6 SE2 d 6 8 9 ) (2 0 1 3 )

(s am e). 7

AA arg u es t h at t he G eo rg i a t ri al co u rt n ev ert hel es s s h o u l d h av e co n s id ered t h e

v a l i d i t y o f t h e In co m e-W i t h h o l d i n g O rd er u nd er OCGA § 9 -1 2 -1 6 an d / o r t h e

p ro v is i o n s o f t h e Un i fo rm E n fo rcem en t o f Fo rei g n J ud g m en t s Law (“ UEFJ L ”),

7 Al t h o u g h An n e’ s bri efi n g in s u p p ort o f h e r m o t i o n t o d i sm i s s d o es n ot

ex p res s l y rai s e t he i s su e of s tan d i n g u n d er t he UIFSA, t h e t ran s cri pt o f t h e h e a ri n g

o n t h at m o t i o n i n d i cat es t h at t h e i s s u e was rai s ed b y t he Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt an d

ad d res s ed b y t h e part i es at t hat t i m e. Ad d i t i o n al l y

, i n an affi rm at i v e defen s e, An n e

as s ert ed t h at AA fai led t o co m p l y wi t h t h e req u i rem en t s o f t h e UIFSA i n b ri n g i n g t h e

act i on

.

8OCGA § 9 -1 2 -1 3 0 et s eq

. Ho wev er, AA ex p res s l y i n v o ked t h e p ro v is io n s o f t h e

UIFSA i n fi l i n g al l t hree v ers i o n s o f i t s p et i t i o n

. An d b ecau s e AA fi l ed t h e pet i t i on s

wi t h o u t s t an di n g

, t h e Geo rg i a t ri al co u rt h ad n o j u ri s d i ct io n o ver t h em an d n o b as i s

t o c o n s id er th e val i d i t y o f t h e In co m e-W i t h h o l d i n g O rd er. Cf. Per d u e v. La ke

, 2 8 2

Ga. 3 48

, 34 8 (a) & 3 4 9 (2 ) (a) (6 4 7 SE2 d 6 ) (2 00 7 ) (“ As a g en eral ru l e, s t an di n g m u s t

b e d et erm i n ed at t h e t i m e at wh i ch t h e pl ai n t i ff’ s co m p lai n t i s fi l ed i n o rd er t o p l ace

an act u al cas e o r co n t ro v ers y wi t h i n t h e p urv i ew o f th e co u rt ,” an d t h e G eo rg i a t ri al

co u rt h ad n o ju ri s d i ct io n o v er co m p l ai n t f i l e d wi t h o u t s t an di n g ); Ju l i a n v. Br o o ks

,

2 6 9 Ga. 1 6 7

, 1 6 7 (4 9 5 SE2 d 5 69 ) (1 9 9 8 ) (wh ere ap p el lan t s l ack s tan d i n g t o i n v o k e

t h e ju ri s d i ct i o n o f t h e co u r t

, d i s m i s s al was pro p er). M o reo v er, we n o t e t h at An n e

n ev er so u g h t t o en fo rce th e In c o m e-W i t hh o l d i n g O rd er u n d er t h e p ro v i s i o ns o f t h e

UEFJ L, b u t rat h er s erv ed t h e o rd er o n Prem i er u n der t h e p ro v i s i o n s o f t h e UIFSA.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ba r nes , P. J., a n d

Ra y, J., co n cu r

.

9