FI RST DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, C. J.

, PHI PPS, P. J, and BOGGS, 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s /

Jul y 6, 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 55 8 . In re ESTATE OF THOM PSON. DO-0 2 7

D O Y LE , Ch ief J ud g e.

Ro b y n Th o m p s o n i s a d ev el o p m en t al l y d i s ab l ed ad u lt an d t h e d au gh t er o f Ben

Th o m p s o n

. J an i ce Dri gg ers

, B e n ’ s m ot h er, ap p eal s fro m an o rd er g ran t i n g

g u ard ian sh i p o f Ro b y n t o Ben

. Dri gg ers co n t en d s t h at t h e s up eri o r co urt erred b y

refu si n g h er co u n s el ’ s req u es t t o q u es t io n Ro b y n’ s g u ard ian ad l i t em (“ GAL”). Fo r

t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w, we rev ers e an d rem an d fo r a n ew h eari n g.

Th e reco rd s ho ws t h at Dri g gers fi l ed a p et i t i o n i n t h e p ro b at e c o u r t s eek i n g

ap p oi n t m en t as Ro b y n’ s g u ard i an

. 1 Ben res p o n d e d w i t h a p et i t i o n s eek i n g

g u ar d i a n s h i p o f Ro b y

n

. Dri g g ers was ap p o i n t ed t o act as em erg en cy g u ard i an

, an d

1 Dri g g ers ’ s p et it i o n was ap p aren t l y pro m p t ed b y al l eg ed i ns t ab il i t y i n t h e

h o u s eh o l d o f Ro b y n’ s m o th er, wh o h ad cu s to d y o f R o b y n an d wh o h ad s i nce

rem arri ed aft er b eco m i n g d i v o rced fro m Ben

.J o ey M arch an t

, an at t o rn ey

, was ap p o i n t ed t o rep res en t Ro b y n

. 2 Fo l l o wi n g a h eari n g,

t h e pro b at e co u rt en t ered an o rd er g r an t i ng g uard i an s hi p to Ben

, an d D ri g g ers

ap p eal ed t o t h e s u peri or co urt

. Aft er a d e n o vo rev i ew, i n cl u d i ng a h eari n g wi t h

M arch an t p art i ci p at i n g as an at to rn ey fo r Ro b y n

, t h e s u p eri o r co urt ap po i n t ed Ben as

g u ard i an

. 3 Dri g g ers n o w ap p eal s

.

1

. Dri g g ers co n t en d s t h at t h e s u p eri o r co urt erred b y d e n yi n g h er co u n sel ’ s

req u es t t o q u es ti o n M arch an t at t h e h eari n g o n h er ap peal o f t h e pro b at e co u rt ’ s o rd er

ap p oi n t i n g Ben as g u ard i an

. Th i s erro r was cau s ed by t h e p ro b at e co u rt an d s u p eri o r

co u rt t reat i ng March an t as b o t h t h e ward ’ s at t o rn ey an d t h e GAL. Du ri n g t h e s u p eri o r

co u rt h eari n g, 1 6 wi t n es s es t es t i fi ed

, i n cl ud i n g Ben an d Dri g g ers

. M arch an t was

i n v i t ed t o part i ci p at e i n t h e ex am i n at io n s

, an d h e as ked q u es t i on s o f th ree o f t h o s e

wi t n es s es

. W h en d i s cu ss i n g t h e o rd er o f cl o s i n g arg u m en t s

, Dri g g ers ’ s co u n s el as k ed

2 It i s u n cl ear wh et h er t he p ro b at e co urt i n t en d ed t o ap p o i n t M arch an t t o act as

Ro b y n ’ s at t o rn ey or h er GAL. Th e o ri g i nal ap p o i nt m en t o f M arch a n t c h a ract eri zes

i t as an “ ap p o i nt m en t o f co u n s el ” an d m ak es n o referen ce t o a GAL; y et M arch an t

ap p a r e n t l y g av e op i n i o n t es t i m o n y to t h e p ro bat e co u rt t h at Ben b e ap p o i n t ed

g u ard i an

, an d t h e p ro b at e co u rt ’ s s u b s eq u en t g u ard i an s h i p o rd er refers t o M arch an t

as t h e GAL. Al s o

, t h e s u p eri o r co u rt ’ s o rd er ap po i nt i ng an em erg en cy g u ard i an refers

t o M arch an t as t h e GAL.

3 In t h e s u peri o r co u rt p ro ceed i n g s

, M arch an t act ed as Ro b yn ’s a t t o rn ey by

p art i ci p at i n g i n o b

ject i o n s an d cro s s -ex am i n at i o n o f wi t n es s es

.

2i f M arch an t co u l d p ro v i d e t h e co u rt wi th hi s fi n d i n g s. Th e co u rt su g ges t ed t h at

M arch an t s h ou l d g iv e h i s reco m m en d at i o n aft er t h e at t o rn ey s fo r Ben an d Dri g g ers

h ad p res en t ed t h ei r cl o s i n g arg u m en ts

. At t h at po i n t

, Dri gg ers ’ s co u n s el as k ed i f t h ey

wo u l d b e ab l e t o q u es t io n M arch an t, an d t h e s u p eri or co u rt rep li ed

, “ Y es

. If we g et

t o t h at p o i n t an d y o u n eed t o, cert ai n l y .” Co un s el t h en p ro ceed ed t o g i v e t h ei r

arg u m en t s

, an d M arch an t fo l l o wed wi t h h is co n cl u s i o n s, n a m e l y t h at ei t h er p art y

wo u l d b e a s u i t ab l e g u ard i an bu t reco m m en d i n g Ben becau s e o f h i s y o u n g er ag e, h i s

t ra i n i n g i n p s y ch o l o g y

, an d hi s wo rk as a m en t al h eal t h p ro fes si o n al

. 4 W h en

Dri g g ers ’ s co u n s el so u gh t t o as k M arch an t a q u es ti o n

, t h e s u p e r ior c our t reco n s i d ered

i t s earl i er d eci s i o n

, s t at in g, “ I d o n ’ t k n o w t hat M r. M arch an t s i g n ed o n fo r cro s s

ex am i n at i o n

, i f y o u wi l l

. I do n ’ t t hi n k t h at ’ s h i s fu n ct i on as th e g u ard i an ad l i t em

. .

. He’ s di s ch arg ed h i s res p o n s i b i li t y b y re p o r t in g t o th e [c] o u rt h i s fi n d i n g s .”

Fo l l o wi ng a b en ch co n feren ce o ff t h e reco rd , t h e t ri al co u rt ru l ed o n t h e reco rd t h at

co u ns el wo u l d n o t be ab l e t o q u es t i o n March an t

, wh i ch ru l i n g D r i g g e r s n o w

ch al l en g es

.

4 Ben t es t i f

i e d t h at h e h as a b ach el or’ s d eg ree i n ps y ch o l og y an d a m as t er’ s

d eg ree i n co u n s el i n g an d s erv es as t h e di rect o r o f day s erv i ce p ro g ram s at t h e l o cal

co m m u n it y m en t al h eal t h cen t er. M arch an t was carefu l n ot to co m p a r e R o b y n ’ s

co n di t i o n t o a m en t al h eal th co n d i t i o n

, b u t h e n ev ert h el es s fo u n d Ben ’ s b ack g ro u n d

rel ev an t

.

3Co n trary to t hi s p ro ced u re, OCGA § 2 9-9 -3

, wh i ch g o vern s t h e ap p o i n t m en t

o f GALs i n g u ard i an s h i p cas es s u ch as t h i s o n e, p ro v i d es t h at

[a] p ers on wh o i s ap po i n t ed as co u n s el fo r a ward

, pro p os ed ward

, o r

al l eg ed i n cap aci tat ed p ers o n i s n o t el i g i b l e t o b e ap p oi n t ed as g u ard ian

ad l i t em fo r t h e s am e i n d i vi d u al

, an d a p e rs o n wh o i s ap p o i nt ed as

g u ard i an ad li t em fo r a w ard

, p ro p o sed ward

, o r al l eg ed i n cap aci t at ed

p ers on i s no t el ig i b l e t o b e ap p oi n t ed as co u n s el fo r t h e s am e i n d i v i d u al

.

Th u s, th e s t at u t e cl ari fi es t h at t h e GAL’ s ro l e i n a g u ard i an s h i p cas e i s t o s erv e as a

res o u rce fo r t h e co urt reg ard i n g t h e b es t i n t eres t o f t h e ward

, n o t as l eg al co un s el fo r

t h e ward

, ev en if t h o s e ro l es m ay o v erl ap s o m et i m es

. Th i s fram ewo rk av o i d s t h e

4et h i cal ri s k s t h at ari s e wh en a ward ’ s co u n s el i s req u i red t o b eco m e a fact wi t n es s

. 5

It al s o pres erv es t he p art i es ’ ri gh t t o cro s s -ex am i n at io n

. 6

5 See, e.g

., Geo rg i a R u l e s o f Pro fes s i o nal Co n du ct

, Ru l e 3 .7 (a) (“ A l awy er

s h al l n ot act as ad v o cat e at a t ri al i n wh i ch t h e l awy er is l ik el y t o b e a n eces s ary

w i t n es s ex cep t wh ere: t h e tes t im on y rel at es t o an u n co nt es t ed i s s ue; t h e t es t i m o n y

rel at es t o t he n at u r e an d v al u e o f l eg al s erv i ces ren d ered i n t h e cas e; o r

d i s q u al i fi cat i o n o f t h e l awy er wo u l d wo rk s ub s t an t i a l h a rd s h i p o n t h e cl i en t .”)

(p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ); Amwes t S u r

. In s

. Co

. v. In ter

s t a t e Co n s t r

. Co

. , 2 1 2 Ga. Ap p.

5 9 0

, 5 9 1 (4 4 2 SE2 d 7 7 2 ) (1 9 9 4 ) (“ An ad v o cat e wh o b ec o m e s a w i t nes s i s i n t h e

u n s eem l y an d i n effect i v e p o s i t i o n o f arg u in g h is o w n cred i b i l i t y

. Th e ro l es o f an

ad v ocat e an d o f a wi t n es s are i n co n s i s t en t ; t h e fu n ct i o n of an ad v o cat e i s t o ad v an ce

o r arg u e t h e cau se o f an o th er, wh i l e t h at o f a wi t n es s i s t o s tat e fact s o b ject i v el y .”),

q u o t i n g Et h i cal Co ns i derat i o n 5 -9 fro m fo rm er Can o ns o f Et hi cs

.

6 U n d e r OC GA § 24 -6 -6 1 1 (b ), “ [t ] h e ri g h t o f a th o ro ug h an d s i ft i n g

cro s s -ex am i n at i o n s h al l b el o n g t o ev ery p art y as t o t h e wi t n es s es cal l ed ag ai n s t t h e

p a r t y .” In th e d o m es t i c rel at io n s co n t ex t

, ad d res s in g a s i m i l ar d en i al o f a p a r t y’s

at t em p t t o q u es t i o n a GAL, t h i s Co u rt h as ex pl ai ned t h at

[t ] h i s ri g h t is a s u b s t an t i al ri g ht

, t h e p res erv at i o n o f wh i ch i s es sen t i al

t o a p r o p e r a d m i n i s t rat i o n o f j u s ti ce, an d ex t en d s t o al l m at t ers wi t h i n

t h e k n o wl ed g e o f t h e wi t n es s

, t h e d is cl os u re o f wh ich i s m at eri al t o th e

co n t ro vers y

. Al t h o u gh a [GAL] t ech n ical l y i s n ot a “ wi t n es s cal led

ag ai ns t” a p art y i n a cu s to d y di s pu t e,

. . . Un ifo rm Su p eri o r Co u rt Ru l e

[ 2 4

. 9 (7 )] al so pro v i de[s ] t h at a g u ard i an ad l i tem “ s h al l b e su b j ec t t o

ex am i n at i o n b y

t h e p art i es an d t he co u rt .”

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) S i mmo n s v. W i l l i a m s

, 2 9 0 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 4

, 6 4 7 (1 )

(6 6 0 SE2 d 4 3 5 ) (2 0 0 8 ). USCR 2 4 .9 (7 ), a p p l i c ab l e t o do m es t i c rel at io n s cas es

,

p ro v id es :

5In l i gh t o f t h e cl ear s t at u t o r y l an gu ag e i n OCGA § 2 9 -9 -3 p ro h i b i t i n g an

at t o rn ey fro m act i ng as b o t h an ad v o cat e an d a GAL, as wel l as t h e i m p o rt an ce o f t h e

ri gh t t o cro s s -ex am in at i o n

, w e co n cl u d e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y t reat i n g M arch an t

as b o t h t h e at t o rn ey an d th e GAL, t h ereb y pro h i b i ti n g Dri gg ers fro m q ues t i o n i n g t h e

GAL i n t h i s c a s e

. A cco rd i n g ly

, w e rem an d t he cas e t o t h e s up eri or co u rt fo r a

reh eari ng

. 7

2

. Dri g g ers al s o arg u es t h at t h e s u p eri o r co u rt erred b y fai li n g t o p erm i t Ro b y n

t o t es t ify as t o her wi s h es

. Du ri n g t h e h eari n g

, t h e r e w as t es t i m o n y fro m Ro b y n ’ s

p ers o n al p h y s i ci an ex p l ai ni n g t h at i f t h e ju dg e were t o s p e a k t o Ro b y n

, h er

m ean i n g fu l p art i ci pat i o n “ w o u l d b e p o s s ib l y u n l i k el y s i n ce s h e d o es n o t k n o w [t h e

ju d g e] an d t h i s wo u l d b e an u n fam i l i ar en vi ro n m en t t o h er.” At t h e co n cl u s i o n o f t h e

h ear i n g

, D r ig g ers ’ s co u n s el h ad n o t cal l ed Ro b y n as a wi t n es s b u t ren ewed h i s

It i s ex p ect ed th at th e GAL s h al l b e cal l ed as t h e Co u rt ’ s wi t n es s at t ri al

u n l es s o t h erwi s e d irect ed b y t h e Co u rt

. Th e GAL s h al l b e s u bject t o

ex am i n at i o n b y t he p art i es a n d t h e c o u rt

. . . T h e GAL s h al l n o t be

al l o wed t o q u es t i o n wi t n es s es o r p res en t arg u m en t , ab sen t ex cep t i o nal

ci rcu m s t an ces an d u p o n ex pres s ap p ro v al o f t h e Co u rt

.

7 See Si m mo ns

, 2 9 0 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 4 8 (1 ) (p r o h i b i t i n g ex am in at i o n o f GAL

“ res u l t ed i n th e d en i al of a s u b st an ti al ri g h t an d t h us w arran t s t h e g ran t o f a reh eari n g

o n t h e i s s u e o f cu s t o d y .”).

6“ req u es t t h at t h e Co u rt h ear fro m Ro b y n Th o m p so n .” Th e co u rt ex p l ai n ed t hat at t h at

p o i n t o f t h e h eari n g i t d i d n o t “ wan t t o p u t Ro b y n t h ro u g h i t ,” an d d ecl i ned t o cal l

Ro b yn o n i t s o wn

. Al t h o u gh Dri g g ers n ow ch al l en g es th i s ru l i n g

, we d ecl i n e to

ad d res s i t i n l i gh t o f o u r ru l in g i n Di v i s io n 1. Dri gg ers ’ s ar g u m e n t d e p en d s o n

ci rcu m s t an ces wh i ch m ay or m ay n o t recu r at t h e n ex t h eari n g

, m ak i n g an o p i n i o n o n

t h i s en u m erat i o n ad v i s o ry

. 8

Ju d g men t r ever sed a n d ca s e r ema nd

ed . Ph i pp s , P. J., a n d

Bo g g s , J., co n cu r

.

8 See Hu f f v. Ha r p a g o n Co

. , L LC

, 2 86 Ga. 8 0 9

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

(“ Geo rg i a ap p el l at e co u rt s are n o t au t h o r i z e d t o ren d er ad vi s o ry o p i n i o n s as to

p o t en t i al erro r.”).

7