Opinion ID: 1494070
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Mother's Attention to Her Child's Interests

Text: Finally, Mr. Kendrick asserts that a material change in circumstances has occurred because Mrs. Shoemake has demonstrated that she tends to subordinate the interests of her children to her own interests. In support of this proposition, Mr. Kendrick introduced a letter written by Mrs. Shoemake and published by a Chattanooga newspaper alleging that Ms. Schulten has hurt [the Shoemakes'] family. More specifically, the letter (1) alleged that Ms. Schulten sought temporary custody of her children in violation of Tennessee law; (2) accused Ms. Schulten of using Jordan and Kelli to promote her campaign for circuit court judge; and (3) alleged that Mr. Kendrick stopped paying child support after Ms. Schulten, as Mr. Kendrick's lawyer and wife, told him to stop paying. Mr. Kendrick argued that Mrs. Shoemake ignored Kelli's pleas not to send this letter, thereby evidencing Mrs. Shoemake's tendency to disregard the interests of her children in favor of her own. We disagree that this incident shows that Mrs. Shoemake has a general tendency to subordinate the interests of her children to her own. While the testimony does show that Kelli suffered much embarrassment as a result of the publication of this letter, the record does not show how this incident affected Jordan's well-being. One incident of poor judgment on the part of Mrs. Shoemake is insufficient to support Mr. Kendrick's broad proposition. We cannot conclude, therefore, that the preponderance of the evidence shows a material change in circumstances. Having determined that no material change in circumstances has occurred in this case, we need not address whether a change in custody is in Jordan's best interests.