S.J.S. v. H.M.

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REL: 08/24/2012 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS SPECIAL TERM, 2012 2110335 S.J.S. v. H.M. Appeal from R u s s e l l J u v e n i l e Court (JU-09-56.01, .02, .03, .04, .05, .06, .07, and .08) MOORE, J u d g e . S.J.S. Russell ("the f a t h e r " ) Juvenile Court d i s p u t e w i t h H.M. ("the appeals from a judgment ("the j u v e n i l e c o u r t " ) ina of the custody mother"). Procedural History On F e b r u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 0 9 , t h e m o t h e r f i l e d a p e t i t i o n i n t h e juvenile court t o modify custody of thep a r t i e s ' c h i l d ; the 2110335 petition was assigned a l l e g e d t h a t the been entered by Georgia, provided case no. custody order the JU-09-56.01. t h a t was Superior Court The in effect, of mother which Muscogee had County, t h a t t h e p a r t i e s were t o a l t e r n a t e custody of the c h i l d weekly, w i t h each p a r t y h a v i n g p h y s i c a l custody of the child week. She 1 f o u r d a y s one alleged that week and the her s i n c e November 2008 and the child. She primary p h y s i c a l f a t h e r had had requested that custody of three the following k e p t the child to allow refused the days the her and to see award j u v e n i l e court child from her award the father weekend v i s i t a t i o n . On February requesting, 12, among o t h e r 2009, the father filed a petition t h i n g s , t h a t the j u v e n i l e c o u r t him p e n d e n t e l i t e c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d , i s s u e an o r d e r the mother i n contempt p r e v i o u s l y o r d e r e d , and and for m o t h e r had 2008, t h e not p a i d her t o pay m o d i f y c u s t o d y by p h y s i c a l custody of the s i n c e J u l y 4, failing child. c h i l d had The child finding support as a w a r d i n g him legal father alleged that, r e s i d e d w i t h him, court-ordered award that c h i l d s u p p o r t , and the that The j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d by t h e S u p e r i o r C o u r t o f Muscogee C o u n t y , G e o r g i a , d e s i g n a t e d t h e f a t h e r as t h e p r i m a r y p h y s i c a l c u s t o d i a n of the c h i l d . 1 2 2110335 t h e m o t h e r h a d n o t v i s i t e d t h e c h i l d s i n c e November 2008. He further alleged: "[The] Mother i s currently i n an abusive r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h h e r b o y f r i e n d . [ T h e ] Mother has been e v i c t e d f r o m h e r l a s t two r e s i d e n c e s . [ T h e ] M o t h e r h a s no m o t o r v e h i c l e . [ T h e ] M o t h e r h a s v e r b a l l y t h r e a t e n e d [ t h e ] F a t h e r . [ T h e ] Mother has t h r e a t e n e d t o t a k e t h e m i n o r c h i l d and l e a v e t h e P h e n i x C i t y , Columbus a r e a . [ T h e ] M o t h e r h a s l o s t custody of [ t h e ] Mother's f i r s t c h i l d . [ T h e ] Mother i s m e n t a l l y i l l . [ T h e ] Mother i s pregnant a g a i n . " The f a t h e r a s s e r t e d t h a t he was "fearful for [the] child's s a f e t y " u n l e s s t h e c o u r t r e s t r a i n e d t h e mother from removing the c h i l d from h i s custody o r from removing the c h i l d from the a r e a i n w h i c h t h e f a t h e r was l i v i n g On May denying 28, 2009, t h e mother's the j u v e n i l e petition denying the f a t h e r ' s p e t i t i o n custody. previous The juvenile custody "specifically[,] that time. court entered f o r a change a judgment of custody and f o r c o n t e m p t a n d f o r a change o f court judgment at that further was to p h y s i c a l custody provided remain that in the effect, of the c h i l d shall a l t e r n a t e weekly, w i t h each p a r t y having p h y s i c a l custody of s a i d c h i l d f o r f o u r d a y s o f one week a n d f o r t h r e e d a y s o f t h e f o l l o w i n g w e e k " ; t h a t t h e m o t h e r was t o c o n t i n u e t o c o n t r i b u t e $40 p e r week to a savings account f o r the c h i l d ; 3 that the 2110335 f a t h e r ' s name was t o be a d d e d t o t h a t a c c o u n t ; a n d t h a t t h e money i n t h e s a v i n g s private-school a c c o u n t s h o u l d be u s e d t o p a y t h e c h i l d ' s tuition. The j u v e n i l e c o u r t also found that t h e m o t h e r was n o t i n a r r e a r s on h e r c h i l d - s u p p o r t o b l i g a t i o n . On S e p t e m b e r 15, 2009, t h e m o t h e r f i l e d a document with the j u v e n i l e c o u r t a l l e g i n g t h a t t h e f a t h e r had kept t h e c h i l d from her i n v i o l a t i o n judgment. of the j u v e n i l e court's May 2009 On O c t o b e r 13, 2009, t h e f a t h e r f i l e d a r e s p o n s e t o the mother's a l l e g a t i o n s , s t a t i n g t h a t t h e mother's b o y f r i e n d had to p o s s i b l y abused t h e c h i l d add t h e f a t h e r ' s ordered and t h a t t h e mother had f a i l e d name t o t h e c h i l d ' s s a v i n g s i n t h e May 2 00 9 j u d g m e n t . juvenile court entered provided that neither the support t o the other, addition account, unsupervised that name the t h e mother t o custodial contact with the c h i l d , of a l t e r n a t i n g c u s t o d i a l p e r i o d s . facilitate to the c h i l d ' s mother's 4 greater things, t h a t n e i t h e r p a r t y was t o p a y ordered of the father's ordered among o t h e r was t o have r i g h t s than the other, provided child On November 24, 2 009, t h e a judgment t h a t , party a c c o u n t as boyfriend savings have no and s e t f o r t h a s c h e d u l e 2110335 On January 11, 2010, t h e mother filed a motion f o r contempt a l l e g i n g t h a t t h e f a t h e r had withdrawn funds from t h e savings account judgments. to hold in violation of the juvenile court's On M a r c h 3, 2010, t h e m o t h e r f i l e d a n o t h e r m o t i o n the father i n contempt for h i s alleged failure to a l l o w t h e m o t h e r t o e x e r c i s e h e r c u s t o d i a l r i g h t s s i n c e on o r a b o u t December 25, 2009. court entered On July juvenile child On M a r c h 3 1 , 2010, t h e j u v e n i l e a judgment f i n d i n g t h e f a t h e r i n contempt. 7, court, 2011, t h e mother requesting and p e r m i s s i o n primary filed a letter physical to relocate with with custody the c h i l d of the to F l o r i d a . On J u l y 12, 2 0 1 1 , t h e f a t h e r f i l e d a r e s p o n s e , r e q u e s t i n g t h e m o t h e r n o t be a l l o w e d the that t o r e l o c a t e t o F l o r i d a a n d t h a t he be a w a r d e d s o l e l e g a l a n d p h y s i c a l c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d "until t h e [ m o t h e r ] c a n show f i n a n c i a l s t a b i l i t y t o p r o p e r l y c a r e f o r the minor child and a s u i t a b l e a p p r o v e d by t h e C o u r t . " 2 environment for visitation On S e p t e m b e r 23, 2011, t h e j u v e n i l e On A u g u s t 4, 2 0 1 1 , t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t stating, i n pertinent part: 2 entered an " T h i s m a t t e r comes b e f o r e t h e C o u r t on t h i s d a t e f o r a h e a r i n g i n .07 f o r m o d i f i c a t i o n o f c u s t o d y a n d f i r s t c a l l i n .08 f o r c u s t o d y . ... 5 order 2110335 c o u r t e n t e r e d a judgment a w a r d i n g the mother p r i m a r y p h y s i c a l custody of the c h i l d , awarding the f a t h e r v i s i t a t i o n , o r d e r i n g the father to pay child support, permission to relocate to Florida. On November 3, 2011, from a l l the Alabama had and lacked judgments and the mother orders entered by the juvenile 1, 2009, t h e e f f e c t i v e d a t e o f t h e c u r r e n t Juvenile Justice s e q . , A l a . Code 1975, granting the f a t h e r f i l e d a motion f o r r e l i e f judgments court a f t e r January and Act ("the AJJA"), § 12-15-101 et b e c a u s e , he a s s e r t e d , t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t subject-matter orders. On jurisdiction December c o u r t e n t e r e d a judgment s t a t i n g , 21, to 2011, enter the juvenile in pertinent part: " T h i s c a u s e comes b e f o r e t h e C o u r t on December 5, 2011, f o r a h e a r i n g on [ t h e f a t h e r ' s ] M o t i o n f o r R e l i e f f r o m Judgment o r O r d e r . Present at this hearing a r e : Hon. Jo Anna C h a n c e l l o r Parker, G u a r d i a n ad l i t e m f o r t h e m i n o r c h i l d ; [ t h e ] f a t h e r ... and h i s a t t o r n e y Hon. F. P a t r i c k L o f t i n . The G u a r d i a n ad L i t e m w a i v e d t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e m i n o r c h i l d . The m o t h e r was n o t p r e s e n t . "The c o u r t h a v i n g e x p l a i n e d t h e n a t u r e o f t h e proceeding as w e l l as t h e r i g h t s o f t h e m i n o r [ c h i l d ] , i t does p r o c e e d t o r e c e i v e t e s t i m o n y o r e tenus r e l a t i v e t o s a i d minor [ c h i l d ] . The Court n o t e [ s ] t h a t the f a t h e r oppose[d] the p e t i t i o n f i l e d by t h e p e t i t i o n e r [ i . e . , t h e m o t h e r ] i n .07 and e n t e r e d an a n s w e r t o t h e p e t i t i o n r e q u e s t i n g c u s t o d y w h i c h w i l l be l i s t e d as .08. ... " 6 those 2110335 "The C o u r t , h a v i n g c o n s i d e r e d t h e p l e a d i n g s , e v i d e n c e , t e s t i m o n y and arguments o f a l l p a r t i e s ; IT I S THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED: "1. T h a t t h e r e c o r d does n o t r e f l e c t i f t h e m o t h e r ... was s e r v e d a n d h a d n o t i c e t o be p r e s e n t for the hearing. " 2 . The C o u r t f i n d s t h a t t h e m o t i o n f i l e d b y t h e f a t h e r i s c o r r e c t on i t s f a c e as t o t h e m a t t e r o f law r e g a r d i n g s u b j e c t m a t t e r j u r i s d i c t i o n , b u t i n the p a s t t h e C o u r t h a s o r d e r e d t h e [ m o t h e r ] t o p a y the c o s t s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a D o m e s t i c R e l a t i o n s c a s e and p r o c e e d e d t o h e a r t h e m a t t e r as Judge M i c h a e l B e l l a m y w o u l d be a s s i g n e d t o t h e c a s e r e g a r d l e s s o f i t s d e s i g n a t i o n o f a J u v e n i l e C o u r t number o r a D o m e s t i c R e l a t i o n s number. "3. Therefore, the P e t i t i o n e r [ i . e . , the f a t h e r ] in the previous case number designation of JU-09-56.08 i s h e r e b y o r d e r e d t o p a y t h e c o s t s associated with the f i l i n g fees in Domestic R e l a t i o n s c a s e s a n d t h e J u v e n i l e c a s e number be i n c o r p o r a t e d w i t h t h e new D o m e s t i c R e l a t i o n s c a s e number. " 4 . The m o t h e r ... was t h e P e t i t i o n e r i n [ c a s e number J U - 0 9 - 5 6 . 0 7 ] a n d i s h e r e b y o r d e r e d t o p a y t h e a d d i t i o n a l c o s t f o r t h i s m a t t e r t o be d o c k e t e d as a DR. " 5 . The p r i o r s h a l l be amended incorporated into a proper Domestic o r d e r o f c u s t o d y and c h i l d s u p p o r t t o r e f l e c t t h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d and a new D o m e s t i c R e l a t i o n s c a s e w i t h R e l a t i o n s c a s e number." On J a n u a r y 4, 2012, t h e f a t h e r f i l e d a p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t o f mandamus i n t h i s court; this c o u r t has e l e c t e d p e t i t i o n as an a p p e a l . 7 to t r e a t the 2110335 Discussion On a p p e a l , the f a t h e r argues t h a t , pursuant t o the AJJA, the j u v e n i l e c o u r t l a c k e d s u b j e c t - m a t t e r j u r i s d i c t i o n t o e n t e r any j u d g m e n t s and o r d e r s i n any a c t i o n s f i l e d b y t h e p a r t i e s a f t e r J a n u a r y 1, 2009, t h e e f f e c t i v e d a t e o f t h e A J J A , b e c a u s e those a c t i o n s were n o t d e p e n d e n c y a c t i o n s b u t , i n s t e a d , were custody d i s p u t e s b e t w e e n two p a r e n t s . See R.T. v. B.N.H., 66 So. 3d 807, 811 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 1 1 ) ("'The c l e a r i n t e n t o f t h e L e g i s l a t u r e [ i n e n a c t i n g t h e ... A J J A ] was t o p r o v i d e that t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t s o f t h i s s t a t e s h o u l d no l o n g e r be d e c i d i n g custody disputes except insofar d i r e c t l y i n c i d e n t a l t o core parte also T.C., 1975, § We resolution i s ( A l a . C i v . App. 12-15-114(a) s h a l l not i n c l u d e a custody their juvenile-court jurisdiction.' 63 So.3d 627, 630-31 A l a . Code as ('A 2010); dependency see action d i s p u t e between p a r e n t s . ' ) . " ) . agree w i t h the f a t h e r t h a t the j u v e n i l e c o u r t subject-matter Ex jurisdiction to enter a l l the lacked orders and j u d g m e n t s i n any a c t i o n s t h a t were f i l e d by t h e p a r t i e s a f t e r J a n u a r y 1, 2009. after the mother Thus, a l l t h e o r d e r s filed her initial and j u d g m e n t s entered custody-modification p e t i t i o n on F e b r u a r y 11, 2009, i n c a s e no. J U - 0 9 - 5 6 . 0 1 , were 8 2110335 entered by the jurisdiction. juvenile The subject-matter court jurisdiction, absence of s u b j e c t - m a t t e r subject-matter recognized j u v e n i l e court without that i t lacked but, after recognizing the j u r i s d i c t i o n , i t a t t e m p t e d t o remedy t h a t d e f e c t by o r d e r i n g t h e f a t h e r , t h e p e t i t i o n e r i n c a s e no. JU-09-56.08, " t o p a y t h e c o s t s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e f i l i n g fees in "the Domestic Juvenile Relations case Relations assigned number be case retroactively cases" case no. the by incorporated number." change and The directing with juvenile t h e new court into a Domestic attempted juvenile-court action, JU-09-56.08, that which j u v e n i l e - c o u r t a c t i o n w o u l d have a l s o p r e s i d e d a c t i o n h a d i t been f i l e d In T.B. 2009), t h i s v. court T.H., 30 i n the c i r c u i t So. 3d 429, over over the court. 433 ( A l a . C i v . App. reasoned: "In t h i s case ... t h e j u d g e a t t e m p t e d t o e x e r c i s e h i s p o w e r s as a c i r c u i t - c o u r t j u d g e t o decide a custody case in a juvenile-court proceeding. However, ... the judge had no j u r i s d i c t i o n to a d j u d i c a t e custody of the c h i l d i n t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t once he d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e c a s e was n o t a d e p e n d e n c y c a s e . A l t h o u g h c l o a k e d w i t h t h e a u t h o r i t y t o a c t as a c i r c u i t - c o u r t j u d g e , t h a t a u t h o r i t y d i d not enable the judge t o enlarge the j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t and r u l e on 9 was domestic-relations a c t i o n b e c a u s e , i t s a i d , t h e same j u d g e who h a d p r e s i d e d the to 2110335 matters outside that court's jurisdiction. T h e r e f o r e , t h e f i n a l j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d i n c a s e number J U - 0 7 - 4 2 0 . 0 1 , as w e l l as any p e n d e n t e l i t e order e n t e r e d by t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t a f f e c t i n g t h e c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d and a l l t h e p r o c e e d i n g s a f t e r t h e c o u r t e l e c t e d t o t r e a t t h i s c a s e as a c u s t o d y c a s e and n o t a dependency case, are v o i d . " Similarly, in the present case, the fact that j u v e n i l e - c o u r t judge a l s o p r e s i d e d over d o m e s t i c - c o u r t "did not enable juvenile court jurisdiction." matters the judge to e n l a r g e the j u r i s d i c t i o n and rule Id. on matters Thus, we outside conclude that the of court's that a l l orders j u d g m e n t s e n t e r e d by t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t a f t e r t h e m o t h e r her custody-modification petition void. R.T., support Civ. 3d 807 an a p p e a l . " App. albeit 66 So. 2010). We, M.H. a t 812. on 3 February and filed 2009, are "A v o i d j u d g m e n t w i l l not v. Jer.W., 51 So. 11, the 3d 334, 335 (Ala. t h e r e f o r e , d i s m i s s the f a t h e r ' s appeal, w i t h i n s t r u c t i o n s to the j u v e n i l e c o u r t to vacate a l l Any enforcement or m o d i f i c a t i o n proceedings w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e G e o r g i a c u s t o d y j u d g m e n t must be commenced i n t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t . A l t h o u g h we r e c o g n i z e t h a t t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t has j u r i s d i c t i o n t o e n f o r c e i t s own j u d g m e n t s , D.C.S. v. L.B., 84 So. 3d 954, 958 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2 0 1 1 ) , i n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e a l l t h e j u d g m e n t s e n t e r e d by t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t r e g a r d i n g t h e c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d a r e v o i d , so t h e r e a r e no v a l i d j u v e n i l e c o u r t judgments t o e n f o r c e . 3 10 2110335 the judgments 2009. Id. and o r d e r s e n t e r e d by i t after February 11, 4 APPEAL DISMISSED WITH Thompson, P . J . , and INSTRUCTIONS. Pittman, Bryan, and Thomas, J J . , concur. B e c a u s e t h e s e c a s e s were f i l e d i n a c o u r t lacking s u b j e c t - m a t t e r j u r i s d i c t i o n , we n e e d n o t d i s c u s s w h e t h e r t h e requirements set forth i n the Uniform Child Custody J u r i s d i c t i o n and E n f o r c e m e n t A c t , § 30-3B-101 e t s e q . , A l a . Code 1975, were c o m p l i e d w i t h i n t h i s c a s e . 4 11

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