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RI CKM A N, C. J.

, M cFA DDEN, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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M ar ch 11, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 48 6 . ROTH v . CRAFTON.

M C F A D D E N , Pres id i n g J u d g e.

J es s e Ro t h ch al l en g es a t ri al co u rt o rd er d en y i n g h i s m ot i o n t o m o d i fy ch i ld

s u p p ort

, g ran t i ng a co u nt ercl ai m t o h o l d h i m i n co n t em p t

, an d award i n g at t o rn ey fees

t o hi s fo rm er wi fe Al l i s o n Craft o n

. 1 Becau s e t h ere i s n o tran s cri p t o f t h e h eari n g o n

t h e m ot i o n an d co u n t ercl ai m

, we p res u m e t hat t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en ial o f t h e m o t i o n

an d fi n d i n g o f co nt em

p t were s u p p o rt ed b y t h e ev i d en ce. W e al s o fi n d t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt d id n o t ab u se i ts d i s cret i on i n a w ard i n g at t o rn ey fees u nd er OCGA § 1 9 -6 -2

.

W e t hu s affi rm

t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er.

1

. Fa ct s a n d p r o ced

ur a l p o s t u r e.

1 Th e reco rd refl ect s t h at Craft o n ’ s l as t n am e was Ro t h d u ri n g t h e m arri ag e, t h at h er

m ai d en n am e o f Fau l k n er was res t o red b y t h e d i v o rce d ecree, an d t h at t h e n am e Craft o n

i s u s ed b y t h e p art ies an d t ri al co u rt i n t h i s cas e.Ro t h an d Craft o n were m arri ed an d h ad t wo ch il d ren

— a s o n b orn i n M arch

2 0 0 0 an d a d au g h ter b o rn i n No v em b er 2 00 1

. Th e co u p l e d i v o rced i n 2 0 0 5

, wi t h t h e

d i v orce d ecree award i ng p ri m ary cu st o d y o f t h e ch il d ren t o Craft o n an d req u i ri n g

Ro t h t o p ay $ 20 0 p er week i n ch i l d s u p p o rt

. Th e d ecree fu rt h er p ro v i d ed th at t h e ch i ld

s u p p ort p ay m en ts

wi l l co n t i n ue u n t il s u ch t i m e as t h e o l d es t ch i l d g rad uat es h i gh s ch o o l

(n o t t o ex ceed t wen t y (2 0) y ears o f ag e), j o i n s t h e arm ed s erv i ces

, di es

,

m arri es o r b eco m es s e l f-s u p p o rt in g wh i ch ev er fi rs t o ccu rs

. Up o n th e

o l d es t ch il d reach i n g an y o f t h e ab o v e co n di t i o n s t h e ch i l d s up p o rt

o b l i gat i o n wi ll b e cal cu l at ed at t h e rat e o f twe n t y ( 2 0 %) p ercen t o f

[Ro t h’ s ] g r o s s in co m e o f $4 2 ,0 0 0 .0 0 p er y ear. Sai d p ay m en t s wi l l

c o n t i n u e t o b e m ad e th ro u g h an In co m e Ded uct i o n Ord er an d sh al l

co n t in u e u n t i l su ch t i m e as t h e y o u n ges t ch i ld grad u at es hi g h s ch oo l (n o t

t o ex ceed t w e n t y ( 2 0) y ears o f ag e), j o i n s t h e arm ed s erv i ces

, di es

,

m arri es o r b eco m es s el f-s u p p o rt i n g [.]

In 2 0 0 9

, t h e s u p eri o r co u rt i s s u ed an o rd er fi n d i n g t h at Ro t h ’ s ch i l d s u p p o rt

p ay m en t s w ere $ 15 ,9 5 9 i n arrears

. Th e o rd er p ro v id ed t h at Ro t h a n d C raft o n h ad

ag reed t o red u ce Ro t h ’ s ch i l d s u p p o rt am o u n t t o $ 1 5 0 p er week wi t h an ad d i t i o n al

p ay m en t o f $ 3 0 p er week t o b e m ad e t o ward t h e arrearag e. In 2 0 1 1, t h e s u p eri o r co u rt

en t ered an o t h er o rd er fi n d i n g t h at Ro t h ’ s ch i l d s u p p o rt arrearag e h ad ri s en t o $ 1 6 ,4 5 9

an d di rect i ng t h at h e co n t i n u e t o p ay ch il d s u p p o rt i n t he am ou n t o f $ 6 50 p er m o n t h,

2t h at h e p ay a l um p s u m o f $ 4

, 2 0 0 t o w ard th e arrearag e, an d t h at h e p ay an ad d i t i o n al

$ 5 0 p er m o n t h t oward t h e arrearag e.

In No vem

b er 2 0 2 0, Ro t h fi l ed a m o t i o n t o m o d i fy ch i l d s u p p ort

. Th e m o t i o n

al l eg ed t h at h i s an d Craft o n’ s o l d es t ch i l d h ad g rad u at ed fro m hi g h s ch o ol an d jo i n ed

t h e m i l i t ary i n 2 0 1 8

, s o hi s ch i l d s u p p o rt o b li g at i o n s h o u l d h a v e b een red u ced

p u rs u an t t o t h e t erm s of th e d i v o r c e d ecree. T he m o t i o n fu rt her al l eg ed t h at t h ei r

y o u n g es t ch i l d h ad g rad u at ed fro m h i g h sch o o l i n M ay 2 0 20

, t h ereb y en di n g h i s ch i ld

s u p p ort o b l i g at i o n s u n d er t h e d i v o rce d ecree. Ro t h cl ai m ed t h at h e had p ai d t h e ch i ld

s u p p ort arrearag e i n fu ll an d h e s o u g h t an ord er req ui ri n g Craft o n t o rei m b u rs e h i m

fo r al leg ed o v erp ay m en t s an d award i n g h i m at to rn ey fees

.

Craft o n fi l ed an an s wer d en y i ng Ro t h ’ s cl ai m s fo r rel ief. S h e a l s o fi l ed a

co u nt ercl ai m seek i ng t o h o l d Ro t h in co n t em p t fo r h is co n ti n ued fai l u re t o m eet h i s

ch i l d s u p p o rt o b l i g at io n s . Craft o n fu rt h er s o u g ht an award o f at t o rn ey fees

.

On M arch 3, 2 0 2 1

, t h e t ri al co u rt h el d a h eari n g o n Ro t h ’ s m ot i o n t o m o d i f y

ch i l d s u p p o rt an d Craft o n ’ s co u n t ercl ai m fo r co n t em

p t. Th ereaft er, t h e co u rt i s s u ed

an o rd er d en y i n g Ro t h ’s m o ti on t o m o di fy an d h o ld i n g h i m i n co n t em p t fo r n o n

p ay m en t o f $ 3

, 8 5 8 i n ch i l d su p po rt

. Th e co u rt gav e Ro t h 9 0 d ay s t o p ay t h e arrearag e

i n fu l l an d award ed $1 ,0 00 i n at t o rn ey fees t o Craft o n p u rs u an t t o OCGA § § 9 -1 5 -1 4

3an d 19 -6 -2

. Ro t h fi l ed an ap p li cat i o n fo r di scret io n ary rev i ew o f t h e o rd er, wh i ch was

g ran t ed , an d t h i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

2

. Den i a l o f mo t i o n t o mo d i

f y a n d f in d i n g o f co n t emp t

.

In a s i ng l e en u m erat io n o f erro r, Ro t h co n ten d s t h a t t h e t ri al co u rt erred in

d en y i n g h i s m o t i on t o m o di fy ch i l d s u p p o rt an d i n g ran t i ng Craft o n ’ s co u n t ercl ai m

t o h o ld h i m i n co n t em

p t. Th is en u m erat i on req u i res a re v i e w o f t h e ev i d en ce

s u p p ort i n g t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t

, an d as Ro t h co rre c t l y n o t es

, i n rev i ewi n g a

ju d g m en t aft er a ben ch t ri al “ t h i s [c] o u rt wi l l n o t s et as i d e t h e t ri al co urt ’ s fact u al

fi nd i ng s u n l es s t h ey are cl earl y erro n eo u s, an d we p ro perl y gi v e d u e d eferen ce t o t h e

o p p o rt u n i t y o f t h e t ri al co u rt to ju d ge t h e cred i b i li t y o f th e wi t n es s es .” Ja cks o n v

.

S t a t e

, 33 3 Ga. Ap p

. 5 4 4

, 5 4 8 ( 2 ) ( 7 7 3 SE2 d 8 35 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). Bu t we can n o t p ro p erl y co n d u ct s u ch a rev iew o f t h e ev i d en ce b ecau s e t h ere

i s n o t ran s cri pt o f t he h eari ng h el d b efo re t h e t ri al co u rt

. 2 W h i l e i t ap p ears fro m t h e

b ri efs t hat t h e part i es ’ el d es t ch i l d d i d i n fact grad u at e fro m h i g h s ch o o l an d jo i n t h e

m i l i tary

, we d o n o t k n o w wh at ev i d en ce o r t es t i m o n y was p res en t ed at t he h eari n g,

2 Th e cl erk o f th e t ri al co u rt i n d i cat es t h at t h ere i s n o t ran scri p t an d Ro t h ’ s am en d ed

n o t i ce o f ap p eal d o es n ot req u es t t h at a t ran s cri p t b e t ran s m i t t ed to t hi s co urt

. See W es t v.

Au s t i n

, 2 7 4 Ga. Ap p. 7 2 9, 7 3 0 (6 1 8 SE2 d 6 6 2 ) (2 0 05 ) (ex p lai n in g th at u n der OCGA § 5 -6

-

3 7 t h e n o t i c e o f ap peal m u s t “ s t at e wh et h er o r n o t an y t ran s cri pt o f ev id en ce an d

p ro ceed i n g s i s to b e t ran s m i t t ed as a p art o f th e reco rd o n ap p eal ”) (p u n ct u at i on o m i t ted ).

4i n cl u d i n g an y ev i den ce reg ard i n g t h e am o u n t of ch i l d s u p p o rt t h at was act ual l y p ai d

an d an y arrearag e t hat s t i l l rem ai n s . Ro th

b ears t h e b u rd en o f s h o wi n g h arm fu l erro r o n a p p e a l

, an d (h e) m u s t

s h o w t h i s b y t h e reco rd

, n o t m erel y b y as s ert io n s ap peari n g i n (h i s )

b ri efs o r en um erat i o n s o f erro r. T h erefo re, i n t h e ab sen ce o f a t ran s cri pt

,

we m us t as s u m e th e t ri al co u rt ’ s f i n d i n g s were s u p p o rt ed b y th e

ev i d en ce an d t he t ri al co u rt ’ s act io n s du ri n g t h e t ri al w ere ap p ro p ri at e.

Fu rt her, a p res u m

p t i o n of reg ul ari t y o f al l p ro ceed i n g s i n a co urt o f

co m p et en t ju ri s d i ct io n ex i s t s.

Co l ber t v. Co l ber t , 3 21 Ga. A p p

. 8 4 1

, 8 42 -8 4 3 (1 ) (7 4 3 SE2 d 5 0 5 ) (2 0 1 3) (ci t at i o n

an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Becau s e Ro t h h as fai l ed t o carry h i s b u rd en o f sh o wi n g t h at

h arm fu l “ erro r i s d em o n s t rat ed b y t h e reco rd b efo re th i s [c] o u rt

, t h e co n t em p t o rd er

[an d d en ial o f th e m o t i o n to m o d i fy are] affi rm ed .” Ga l l emo r e v. W hi t e

, 3 03 Ga. 2 0 9,

2 1 0 (1 ) (8 1 1 SE2 d 31 5 ) (2 0 1 8 ) (p res u m in g ev id en ce s u p p o rt ed t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i ng s

wh ere t h ere was n o h eari n g t ran s cri p t ).

3

. At t o r ney f

ees

.

In s e p a rat e en u m erat i on s o f erro r, Ro t h arg ues t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred in

award i n g at t o rn ey fees t o Craft o n p u rs uan t t o OCGA § § 9 -1 5 -1 4 an d 1 9 -6 -2

. Th e t ri al

co u rt ’ s fi n al o rd er p ro vi ded :

Th e Co u rt fi nd s t h at [Craft o n ] h as i n cu rred reas on ab le an d n eces s ary

at t o rn ey ’ s fees i n t h e am o u nt o f $ 1

, 0 0 0

. Th e i n co m e fo r th e p a rt ies as

s t at ed in [Ro t h ’ s] m o t i o n s h o ws t hat [Ro t h ] m ak es s u bs t an t i al l y m o re

5t h an [Craft o n]

. As s u c h p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 1 9 -6 -2

, [Ro t h ] sh al l

rei m b u rs e [Craft o n ] $ 1

, 0 0 0 o n or b efo r e J u n e 3

, 2 0 2 1

. Ad d it i on al l y

, [Ro t h’ s ] m o t i o n w a s fri v o l o u s an d l ack ed s u bs t an ti al ju st ifi cat i o n an d

as s uch p urs u an t to OCGA § 9 -1 5 -1 4 an award of at to rn ey ’ s fees t o

[Craft o n ] i s warran t ed

.

W h i l e t h is ord er d id n o t i n cl u de s u ffi ci en t fi n d i n gs t o au t ho ri ze an award o f at t o rn ey

fees u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 5-1 4, t he award was au t h o ri zed u n d er OCGA § 1 9 -6 -2

.

(a) OCGA §

9 -1 5 -1 4

.

“ W h en a t ri al co u rt ex erci s es it s d i scret i o n i n as s es s in g at t o rn ey fees an d co s t s

o f l i t i gat i o n u nd er OCGA § 9 -1 5 -1 4

, i t i s i n c u m b en t u po n th e co u rt t o s p eci fy t h e

co n du ct u p o n wh i ch t h e award i s m ad e.” Ga

. Dep t

. o f Tr a n sp

. v

. Do u g l a s As

p h a l t

Co

. , 2 95 Ga. Ap p

. 4 2 1

, 4 2 4 ( 1 ) (6 7 1 SE2 d 89 9 ) (2 00 9 ) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). “ [T] h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er can n o t b e t o o vag ue an d co ncl u s ory

, su ch as wh ere

i t fai l s t o ci t e ex am

pl es of co n du ct t h at au t ho ri ze th e award .” Rei d v. R ei d

, 3 4 8 Ga.

Ap p

. 5 50

, 5 5 3-5 5 4 ( 2 ) ( 8 2 3 SE2 d 8 6 0 ) (2 0 1 9) (ci t at i on o m i t t ed ). “ Fu rt h erm o re, an

o rd er award i n g at t o rn ey fees p urs u an t t o t hi s s t at u te m u s t s p eci fi cal l y st at e wh et h er

t h e award i s m ad e u n d er OCGA § 9-1 5 -1 4 (a) or (b ).” W o o ds v. H a l l

, 3 15 Ga. Ap p.

9 3

, 9 7 (2 ) (7 2 6 SE2 d 5 9 6 ) (2 01 2 ) (ci t at io n an d p u n ct u at i on o m i t t ed ). H ere, t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s o rd er d i d n o t s p eci fi cal l y s t at e wh i ch s u b sect i on t h e award was m ad e u n d er

6an d i t fai l ed t o s p eci fy t h e co n du ct u p on wh i ch t h e award was b as ed

. Th e at t o rn ey

fees award t h erefo re can n ot b e u p h el d u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 5 -1 4

.

(b ) OCGA §

1 9-6 -2

.

“ If OCGA § 9 -1 5 -1 4 was t h e o n ly b as i s s t at ed fo r t he fee award , we m i g h t at

t h i s ju n ct u re s im

p l y v acat e t h e a w a r d an d rem an d t o t h e t ri al co u rt

. Vacat i o n an d

rem an d are un warran t ed i n t h i s cas e, h o w ev er, b ecau s e t h e fu l l am o u n t o f t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s award can b e i nd ep en d en t l y su s t ai n ed u n d er OCGA § 1 9 -6 -2 (a).” Ho a rd v.

Bever i d g e , 2 9 8 Ga. 7 2 8 , 7 3 0 (2 ) (7 8 3 SE2 d 6 2 9 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (ci tat i o n s o m i tt ed ).

OCGA § 1 9 -6 -2 au th o ri zes a co u rt

, w i t h i n i t s d i s cret i o n

, t o award

at t o rn ey fees i n a co n t em

p t o f co u rt act i o n ari s i n g o u t o f a di vo rce cas e;

h o wev er, t h e co u rt i s t o co n s i d er t h e fi n an ci al ci rcu m s t an ces of b o t h

p art i es i n as s es s i ng s u ch an a w a r d

. S ee OCGA § 1 9 -6 -2 (a) (1 ). An

award un d er OCGA § 1 9-6 -2 dep en d s o n t h e fi nan ci al ci rcu m s t an ces o f

t h e p art i es , n o t t hei r wro n g d o i n g [.]

Ca s o n v. Ca so n

, 2 8 1 Ga. 29 6

, 2 9 9 -3 0 0 (3 ) (6 3 7 SE2 d 7 1 6 ) (2 0 0 6) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n om it t ed ). “ Th e p u rp o s e o f an award o f at to rn ey fees p u rs u an t to OCGA

§ 1 9

- 6

- 2 i s t o en s ure effect i v e rep res en t at i o n o f b o th [p art i es ] s o t h at al l i s s u es can

b e fu l l y an d fai rl y res o l v ed

. An award u nd er t hi s s t at u te i s n o t p red icat ed u p o n a

fi nd i ng o f m i s co n d u ct o f a p art y .” Rei d

, s u p ra at 5 5 2 (1 ) (ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

7Here, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er p ro p erl y “ co n s i d er(ed ) t h e [rel at i ve] fi n an ci al

ci rcu m s t an ces o f b o t h p art i es .” La n d r y v. W al s h

, 3 4 2 Ga. Ap p

. 28 3

, 2 8 8 (3 ) (8 0 1

SE2 d 5 5 3 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (p u nct u a t i o n o m i t t ed ). Th e co u rt was n ot req u i red “ t o m ak e an y

f i n d i n g s as t o th e reas on ab l en es s o f fees .” Rei d

, s up ra at 5 5 3 (1 ). An d as d i s cu s s e d

ab o ve, i n t h e ab s en ce o f a t ran s cri p t o f t h e h eari n g, w e m u s t p r es u m e t h at t h e

ev i d en ce s u p p o rt ed t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s. See Co l b er t

, s u p ra. “ [T] hu s

, t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s award p u rs u an t t o OCG A § 1 9

- 6 -2 was n o t an ab u s e o f i t s d i s cret i o n.

Acco rd in g ly

, t he award of fees u n d er OCGA § 1 9 -6 -2 i s affi rm ed .” O d u m v. Ru s s el l

,

3 4 2 Ga. Ap p

. 3 9 0

, 3 9 5 (2 ) (a) (8 0 2 SE2 d 8 2 9) (2 0 1 7 ) (u p h o l d i ng $ 1 ,0 0 0 at t o rn ey fees

award i n act i o n i n v o l v i n g ch il d s u p p o rt m o di fi cat i o n an d co n t em p t).

Ju d g men t a f f i rmed

. R i ckma n

, C. J., a n d S en i or Ap p el l a t e Ju d

g e H er b er t E.

Ph i p ps co n cu r

.

8