SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, HODGES and PI PKI 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

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. 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 ay 18, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 61 6 . IN THE INTEREST OF C. L. W ., A CHILD.

M I LLE R

, Pres i d i n g Ju d ge.

Larry W al l er, th e u ncl e o f m i n or ch i l d C. L

. W

., ap peal s fro m t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

o rd er g ran t i ng t he g u a rd ian ad l i t em ’ s (“ GAL”) m o t i o n t o m o d i fy d i s p o s i t i o n an d

award i n g t em

po rary cu s t o d y o f C. L. W . t o h i s fo st er p aren t s

, Th o m as an d Bri d g et t

Bal l ard

. W al ler co n t en d s t h at th e t ri al co urt erred in g ran t in g th e GAL’ s m o t i o n to

m o di fy d i s p o s i t i o n becau s e t he G AL l ack s s t an d i ng t o fi l e s uch a m o t i o n

. W e

co n cl u d e t h at t h e tri al co u rt co rrect l y ru l ed t h at th e GAL h as s t an d i n g b ecau se (1 ) t h e

GAL h as an i nt eres t i n t h e ch i l d u n d er OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -3 2 (e); an d (2 ) t h e GAL i s al s o

C

. L

. W .’ s at t o rn ey

, au t h o ri zi n g h er t o fi l e t he m o t io n o n C. L. W .’ s b eh al f.

Acco rd in g ly , we affi rm

t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er.Becau s e th is cas e p res en t s a q ues t i on o f l aw, o u r rev i ew i s d e no v o. See In t h e

In t er es t o f R. D. , 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p. 2 5 7 , 2 6 2 (2 ) (8 1 6 SE2 d 1 32 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

Th e reco rd s h o ws t hat , p u rs u an t t o a 2 0 12 ad ju d i cat i o n o rd er, W al l er an d h i s

t h en -wi fe h ad cu s t o d y o f C. L. W

. an d h i s ol d er b ro th er, wh o i s n o t a s ub ject o f t h i s

ap p eal

. In A u g u s t 2 0 1 8, C. L. W .’s b r o t h er w as t ak en fo r m ed ical care, an d h e h ad

s i gn i fi can t m ark s o n h is b ack wh i ch h e s ai d was t h e res u l t o f p h y si cal d i s ci p l i n e by

W al l er’ s wi fe. I n ad d i ti o n, C. L. W

. rep o rt ed t h at h e, t o o

, h ad b een p h y s i cal l y

d i s c i p l i n e d

. Th e ch i l d ren were rem o v ed fro m W al l er’ s h om e an d p l aced i n t h e

cu s t o d y o f t h e Bart o w Co u n t y Dep art m en t o f Fam i l y an d Ch i l d ren Serv i ces

(“ DFCS”). Th e ju v en i le co u rt fo u n d C.L.W

. d ep en d e nt b ecau s e o f W al l er’ s fai l u re

t o pro t ect C. L. W

. fro m p h y s i cal ab u s e. C. L. W . was p l aced i n fo s t er care wi t h t h e

Bal l ard fam i l y

. An n a J o h n so n

, an at t o rn ey

, was ap p oi n t ed b o t h as C. L. W .’ s at t o rn ey

an d GAL. 1

Th e i n i t i a l p erm an en cy pl an cal l ed fo r reu n i fi cat io n o f C. L. W

. wi t h W al l er

fo l l o w i n g W al l er’ s s u cces s fu l co m p l et i o n o f cas e p lan o b

ject iv es . Th es e o b

ject i v es

1 Th i s i s co n s i s t en t wi t h th e J u ven i l e Co d e, wh ich ex p res s l y al l o ws an at t o rn ey

t o s erv e as b o t h t h e at t o rn ey fo r an al l eg ed d ep en d en t ch i l d an d as t h at ch i l d ’ s GAL,

u n l es s t h ere i s a co n fl i ct o f i n t eres t bet ween th e at t o rn ey ’ s ro l e as t he ch i l d ’ s at t o rn ey

an d t h e at t orn ey ’ s o p i n i o n o f t h e ch i l d ’ s bes t i n t eres t s

. See OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -1 0 4 (b ).

2i n cl u d ed co m p l et i n g a p sy ch o l o g i cal ev al uat i on

, m ai n t ai n i ng s t ab l e i n c o m e a n d

h o u s in g

, co m

p le ting p a r e n t i n g cl as s es

, an d en su ri n g t h at W al l er’ s wi fe h ad n o co n t act

wi t h C. L. W

.

In Ap ri l 2 02 0

, t h e G AL fi l ed a m o t i o n t o m o di fy t h e d i s p o s i t i on o f t h e

d ep en d en cy

act i o n t o g ran t t h e Bal l ard s cu s t o d y o f C. L. W

. Th e GAL as s ert ed t h at

W al l er h ad m ad e m i n i m al p ro g res s on h is cas e p l an

, es p eci al ly as t o p aren ti ng s k i l l s

.

Th e GAL n o t ed t h at

, w h i l e Wa l l e r h ad cu s t o d y o f C. L. W

. ’ s o ld er b ro t h er, t h e

b ro t h er h ad t es t ed p os i ti v e fo r m et h am p h et am i n es an d n u m ero u s ot h er d ru g s an d t h at

W al l er h ad n o t t ak en h i m fo r co u rt -o rd ered ev al u at i o n s. Th e GAL co nt en d ed t h at

, as

d em o n s t rat ed b y h i s paren t i n g o f t h e o l d er ch i l d

, W al ler wo u l d n o t b e ab l e t o m eet

C. L. W

. ’ s s ig n i fi can t ed u cat io n al an d t h erap eu t i c n eed s. Acco rd i n g t o t h e GAL, C.

L. W .’ s ed u cat io n al

, in t el l ect u al

, an d p erm an en cy n eed s wo u l d b e bes t serv ed b y h i m

b ei n g p l aced i n t h e care of t h e Bal l ard s

. In res p o ns e, W al l er fi l ed a m o t i o n t o q u as h

t h e GAL’ s m o t i o n t o m o d i fy d i sp o s i t i o n o n t he g ro un d s t h at t h e G AL l ack ed s t an d i n g

t o fi l e t h e m o t i o n.

In J u l y 2 0 2 0, t he ju v en i l e co u rt en t ered an ord er am en d i n g d is p o si ti o n

. In i t s

o rd er, t h e ju v en i l e c o u r t co n cl u d ed t h at t h e G AL h ad s tan d i n g t o fi l e t he m o t i o n to

m o di fy an d t h at t h e fi l i n g o f t h e m o t i o n was co n si s t e n t w i t h t he ro l e o f an at t o rn ey

3g u ard i an ad l i t em

. T h e co u rt al s o fo u n d th at

, al t h o u g h W al l er g en eral ly co o p erat ed

wi t h t h e cas e p l an as t o C. L

. W

., h e h ad fai l ed t o d em o n s t rat e t h at h e wo u l d b e ab l e

t o as s i s t C. L. W

. i n ov erco m i n g h i s s i g n ifi can t ed u cat i o n a l d efi ci en ci es

. Th u s

, t h e

ju v en i l e co u rt ord ered th at C. L. W

. b e pl aced i n t h e t em p o rary cu s t o d y o f t h e

Bal l ard s an d es t ab l is h ed a n ew perm an en cy p l an o f ad o pt i o n o r p erm an en t

g u ard i an s h i p fo r t h e Bal lard s . Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

In h i s s o l e en um erat i o n o f erro r, W al l er arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in

g ran t i n g t h e GAL’ s m o t i o n t o m o d i fy d is p o s i ti o n b e c a u s e t h e GAL l ack ed t h e

s t an d i n g t o fi l e t h e m o t i o n

. W e co n cl u d e t h a t t h e G AL was au t ho ri zed t o fi l e t h e

m o ti o n as b o t h a p ers o n h av i n g an i n t eres t i n C. L. W

. an d as h is at t o rn ey

.

To b eg i n ou r an al y s is

, we are m i n d fu l t h at t h e Gen eral A s s em b l y h as p ro v i d ed

t h at t h e J u v en i l e Co d e “ s h al l b e l i b eral l y co n s tru ed t o refl ect t h at t h e p aram o un t ch i ld

wel fare p o l i cy of t h i s s t at e i s t o d et erm i n e a n d en s u re t h e bes t i n t eres t s o f i t s

ch i l d ren .” OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -1 ; s ee In t h e In t er es t o f R. M., 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 2 5

, 7 2 8 -7 2 9

(1 ) (7 66 SE2 d 1 26 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -3 2 (e), wh i ch gove r n s a j u v en i l e co urt ’ s m o d i fi cat i o n o f o rd ers

,

l i st s t h ree cat eg o ri es o f pers o n s wh o m ay p et i t io n t h e co u rt t o m o d i fy an o rd er:

(1 ) an y p art y t o t h e p ro ceed i n g ; (2 ) an y p ro b at i o n o f f i c e r ; o r (3 ) an y o t h er p ers o n

4h av in g s u p erv i s i o n o r leg al cu st o d y o f o r an i n t eres t i n t he ch il d

. W e co n cl u d e t h at

a GAL h as “ an i n teres t in t h e ch i l d ” as co n t em p l at ed b y OCGA § 1 5-1 1 -3 2 (e). In

reach i n g t h i s co n cl u s io n

, we n o t e t h at a g u ard i an ad l it em i s ch arg ed wi t h ad v o cat i n g

fo r t he ch i l d ’ s bes t i n teres t s

. See OCGA § 1 5-1 1 -1 0 5 (a) (“ A g u ard i an ad l i t em s h al l

ad v ocat e fo r a ch i l d ’ s b es t i n t eres t s i n t h e p ro ceed in g fo r wh i ch th e g uard i an ad l i t em

h as b een ap p o in ted .”). In fact

, t h e Su prem e Co u rt of Ge o r g i a h as ex p l i ci t l y

reco g n ized t h at “ [t ] h e p ro t ect o r o f a c h i l d ’ s b es t i n teres t s i s hi s g u ard ian ad l i t em .”

In t h e In t er es t o

f W

. L. H.

, 2 9 2 Ga. 5 2 1

, 5 2 4 (7 3 9 SE2 d 3 2 2 ) (2 0 1 3 ). As t h e

s t at u to ri l y -m an d at ed g u ard i an o f a ch i l d ’ s wel l -b ei n g

, a GAL cl earl y h as an i n t eres t

i n t h e ch il d t h at t hey are ap p o in t ed t o p ro t ect

. An d al t h o u g h “ [a] l ay g u ard i an s h a l l

n o t en g ag e i n act i v it i es wh i ch co u l d reas o n ab l y b e co n s t ru ed as th e p ract ice o f l aw,”

OCGA § 5 -1 1 -1 04 (e), an at t o rn ey wh o rep res en t s a m i no r i n d ep ri v at i o n p ro ceed i ng s

i s n o t s o l i m i t ed

. See In t h e In ter es t o f R. D.

, 34 6 Ga. Ap p

. 2 57

, 26 2 (2 ) (8 1 6 SE2 d

1 3 2 ) (2 0 1 8 ) (ex p l ai n i n g t h at OCGA § 5 -1 1 -1 0 4 (e) “ creat es a d i s t i n ct i o n b et ween l ay

g u ard i an s an d no n -l ay g uard i an s

, an d i t d o es n o t o n i t s face l i m i t t h e co n d u ct o f t h e

l at t er”). Co n s eq u en t l y

, J o h n s o n

, an at t o rn ey GAL, h ad s t an d i n g t o fi l e a m o t i o n to

m o di fy d i s po s i t i o n i n t h is cas e.

Ad d it i on al l y

, J o h n s o n w as au t h o ri zed t o fi l e t h e m o t i o n t o m o d i fy di s p o s i t i o n

5as C. L. W .’ s at t o rn ey

. Th e reco rd cl earl y s h ows t h at t he t ri al co urt ap p o i nt ed J o h n so n

as C. L. W .’ s at t o rn ey

. See OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -1 0 3 (a)-(c) (s t at i n g th at a ch i l d h as a ri g ht

t o an at t o rn ey in a d ep en d en cy p ro ceed i n g, t h at t h e t ri al co u rt i s req ui red t o ap p o i nt

an at to rn ey fo r an al l eg ed d ep en d en t ch i ld

, an d t h at t h e ap p o in t ed at t o rn ey o wes t h e

ch i l d t he s am e d u t i es as i n an at t o rn ey -cl i en t rel at i o n sh i p ). Al s o, i t is u nd i s pu t ed t h at

C. L. W. i s a p a rt y t o t h e d ep en d en cy act i o n

, 2 s o h e cl earl y h ad s t an d i n g t o fi l e t h e

m o ti o n t o m o d i f

y d i s p o s i t i on

. See OCGA § 1 5 -1 1 -3 2 (e) (“ An y p art y t o t h e

p ro ceed in g

, t h e p ro b at i on o ffi cer, o r an y o th er p ers o n h av i n g s u p erv i s i o n o r l eg al

cu s t o d y o f or an i n t eres t in a ch i l d m ay p et i t i o n th e co u rt fo r t h e rel i ef p ro v i d ed i n t h i s

Co d e s ect i o n .”). Becau s e C

. L. W . i s a p art y t o t h e d ep en d en cy

act io n an d t h e t ri al

co u rt ap p o in t ed J o h n s o n as C. L. W .’ s at to rn ey in t he act i o n

, t he tri al co u rt co rrect l y

d et erm i n ed t h at J o h n s o n was au t h o r i z e d t o fi l e t h e m o t i o n t o m o d i fy d i s p os i t i o n in

t h i s cas e.

Acco rd i ng l y

, fo r t h e reas o n s s t at ed ab o v e, we co ncl u d e t h at th e t ri al co u rt

co rrect ly d et erm i ned t h at J oh n s o n h ad s t an di n g t o f i l e t h e m o t i o n t o m o d i fy

d i s p o s i t i on , an d we affi rm t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g t h e m o t i o n

.

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

g es a n d Pi p ki n , JJ., co ncu r

.

2 Du ri n g o ral arg u m en t

, b o t h p art i es ag reed th at C. L

. W

. i s a p art y t o t h i s cas e.

6