ÿWPC¢ àF‘9 _žð]‘ˆò»û_JDŽeË_™5¦Ÿ=ÒÍ…EF² ­ wÀR›´™MÉÜ~“IÈ¥?¦ü*ÀEʼnIÉ ‚c ¢ %é«•úsÎO‚_ØjVÓ~Á8zfÔ÷à@«j¯Ní@ N&üû4“ uh<û4²7r™•cEÚï¸ 5¶öÄÃÛ‡Um¯Ìý¦V¤ø¾%*Òs¶êtB{ˆÈŸÞ(W>“H!–G00ù¯b€ZóÖðQ¡HŒrUí6$°@eÚsò"FK¯¾½Gv ð/I¹ð$ÓEVÒÕ®ú+À ¥%è.!›-»B4ƒ/4í gí¼&ÝÛý²* œÂû©Õ&˜Š©[ 1DŨÌìès³CAìjúFÑ.|–=7»¿ñüEQAέdòôfÚo3àN‚.B2†¹¿aø^—T ‘t⇤{b}oÎ?›»ÿ9í»Ê¹žÏ3~LâJ–ôÛô}$Œþjiò1vÍë3/â©ÉÛœ)\qâ¾£m­ýö-ë UÖË““àEú‘ÑRÐk­Ó^÷4”ûáÌ<¡ó¥q²C9nKl¡GP}ÜbÌx¥ƒŽ)×:>¬ÞH©üüo0kŽ|æ.*jxX` `€€@E ` 8ttxPD°h X tß›ñSñROBERT€LEE€ANDERSON,à 8 àà  à)Ð ° Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)ÌÓ6€ü(‚X˜‘X€Ð‡Xè“X6Óà Ø àPlaintiff/Appellee,à  à)à  àAppeal€No.Ð Ð  Ðà Ø àà  à)à  à01„A„01„9802„CH„00082Ð à0 Ðv.à Ø àà  à)Ð ð@ Ðà Ø àà  à)à  àMontgomery€ChanceryÐ  P ÐREBECCA€ANN€ANDERSON,€à  à)à  àNo.€92„71„106Ð  ` Ðà Ø àà  à)Ìà Ø àDefendant/Appellant.à  à)à  àÐ 0 € Ðà Ø àà  à)ÌÌÌÔ#†XdX¼¼<_8#ÔÔ‡»¼\»XXdÔÓ  ÓCOURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÐ pÀ  ÐÌÌAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CHANCERY€COURT€FOR€ÌMONTGOMERY€COUNTYÌAT€CLARKSVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€CAROL€A.€CATALANO,€CHANCELLORÌÓ9°,X‚Xì“X€ü(‚X˜‘X9ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓROBERT€LEE€ANDERSON,€Pro€SeÌ417€Windmill€DriveÌCopperas€Cove,€Texas€€76522ÌÔ#†XdX»»¼\è#ÔÔ‡¼<_¼XXdÔÌÌÌCARRIE€KERSHÌKennedy€Law€FirmÌ127€South€Third€StreetÌClarksville,€Tennessee€€37040Ìà Ø àATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLANTÌÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌœREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÓ  ÓÌÌñIñÑ foÑÑ7€dXXdìXXdì7ÑÑ€ ÑÑ  ÑÑ foÑÑ#€O@Xÿÿd#ÑÑ € ÑÑ  ÑñIñÌñIñÑ foÑÑ7€dXXdìXXdì7ÑÑ€ ÑÑ  ÑñIñà @ àà @ì àWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÐ à:0637 ÐÑ foÑÑ7€dXXdìXXdì7ÑÑ€ ÑÑ  ÑñIñÑ foÑÑ7€Ö'XXdìdÈ7ÑÑ€ ÑÑ  ÑñIñÓÓÓ  ÓòòÔ#†XdX¼¼<_â#ÔÔ‡°Á~°XXdÔOPINIONóóÐ ° ÐÓ  ÓÔ#†XdX°°Á~T #ÔÓ€ÓÓ9°,X°4ì“X°,X‚Xì“X9ÓÔ€¼<_¼XXdÔà  àThis€is€an€appeal€from€the€action€of€the€trial€court€in€refusing€to€set€asideÐ T¤ Ða€change€of€custody€order.ÌÌà  àRobert€Lee€Anderson€and€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson€were€divorced€on€JulyÏ17,€1993€with€joint€custody€being€awarded€of€three€minor€children€and€appellant,ÏRebecca€Ann€Anderson,€being€designated€as€primary€physical€custodian.ÌÌà  àAn€agreed€order€was€entered€in€April€of€1996€changing€custody€ofÏRobert€Lee€Anderson,€Jr.€from€his€mother€to€his€father€effective€for€the€periodÏJune€15,€1996€to€June€15,€1997.ÌÌà  àOn€June€18,€1997,€Robert€Lee€Anderson€filed€the€petition€at€issue€in€thisÏcase€seeking€permanent€custody€of€Robert€Lee€Anderson,€Jr.ÌÌà  àOn€July€9,€1997,€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson,€acting€pro€se,€filed€an€answerÏand€counter„complaint€seeking€arrearages€in€child€support.ÌÌà  àThe€record€contains€a€notice€dated€September€12,€1997€from€GregoryÏD.€Smith,€attorney€for€Robert€Lee€Anderson,€to€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson,€€pro€seÏthat€the€case€would€be€tried€on€the€merits€on€November€7,€1997€beginning€at€9:00Ïa.m.€€Apparently€no€action€was€taken€on€November€7,€1997€and€the€record€reflectsÏno€further€notice€to€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson.ÌÌà  àA€hearing€on€the€petition€was€held€November€24,€1997€with€Gregory€D.ÏSmith€appearing€for€Robert€Lee€Anderson€and€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson€appearingÏneither€pro€se€nor€by€counsel.€€At€this€hearing,€the€change€of€custody€petition€wasÏsustained€and€permanent€custody€transferred€from€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson€toÏRobert€Lee€Anderson.ÌÌà  àOn€the€following€day,€November€25,€1997,€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson,Ïacting€through€attorney€Carrie€W.€Kersh,€filed€a€"motion€to€set€aside€defaultÏjudgment"€alleging€that€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson€had€no€notice€of€any€hearing€toÐ ¼9 5@ Ðbe€held€on€November€24,€1997€and€her€first€knowledge€of€the€hearing€was€whenÏRobert€Lee€Anderson,€at€8:00€in€the€evening€of€November€24,€1997,€presented€herÏwith€a€copy€of€the€order€and€told€her€to€"read€it€and€weep."ÌÌà  àA€hearing€on€the€motion€to€set€aside€the€judgment€was€set€for€DecemberÏ16,€1997€at€which€time€all€parties€appeared.ÌÌà  àThis€hearing€resulted€in€a€final€order€of€January€5,€1998€resulting€inÏfindings€by€the€trial€court,€in€pertinent€part,€as€follows:ÌÓ€ÓÓ<€ü(€ ä è“X°,X°4ì“X<Óà  àB)à8 ä àPlaintiff€testified€that€while€Defendant€was€within€earshot€ofÐ X Ðthe€telephone,€Plaintiff€told€his€oldest€daughter€about€theÏNovember€24,€1997€hearing€on€November€23,€1997€and€saidÏdaughter€relayed€the€information€to€Defendant.€€While€at€firstÏdenying€any€knowledge€of€Plaintiff€being€in€Tennessee€untilÏafter€the€November€24,€1997€hearing,€Defendant€admittedÏbeing€told€that€Plaintiff€was€in€Tennessee€on€November€23,Ï1997.€€It€is€noteworthy€that€although€the€oldest€child€of€theseÏparties€resides€with€Defendant,€said€child€did€not€appear€inÏCourt€to€give€supporting€testimony€for€Defendant's€version€ofÏfact.€€ñEñfñEññGññFñfñFññGññHñFñHñurther,€several€weeks€after€prior€to€the€November€24,Ï1997€hearing€date€in€an€effort€to€schedule€visitation€onÏNovember€23,€1997,€Defendant€acknowledged€that€she€knewÏPlaintiff€was€coming€into€Tennessee€from€Plaintiff's€home€inÏTexas€on€November€23,€1997.€€Plaintiff€testified€that€the€onlyÏtimes€he€came€to€Tennessee€was€to€pick€up€his€son€for€long„¼term€visits€such€as€summer€visitation€and€to€come€to€court€onÏcustody€or€divorce€matters€involving€Defendant.€€PlaintiffÏtestified€that€he€specifically€and€personally€told€DefendantÏabout€the€November€24,€1997€court€date€about€three€weeksÏprior€to€court€on€November€24,€1997.Ð ä t"ä t" Ѐ€Ìà  àà8 ä à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€*€*€*Ð ä t"ä t" ÐÌà  àD)à8 ä àThe€Court€finds€that€Defendant€was€not€completely€forthrightÐ ˆ,Ø'* Ðon€several€points€in€this€hearing€and€thus€the€Court€mustÏquestion€Defendant's€credibility.€€On€the€other€hand,€theÏCourt€fully€credits€Plaintiff's€version€of€fact€regarding€actualÏor€constructive€notice€that€Defendant€had€regarding€theÏNovember€24,€1997€notice.€€Further,€at€the€November€24,Ï1997€hearing,€counsel€for€Plaintiff€checked€with€his€secretaryÏwho€specifically€remembered€sending€notice€of€theÏNovember€24,€1997€hearing€to€Defendant's€address.€ÏDefendant€confirmed€that€the€address€that€Plaintiff€had€onÏDefendant€was€correct.Ð ä t"ä t" ÐÌÓ€Óà  àÐ H9˜46 Ðà  àTimely€notice€of€appeal€was€filed€and€counsel€for€each€party€filed€aÏproposed€Rule€24(c)€Statement€of€the€Evidence€with€the€proposed€Rule€24(c)Ïstatement€of€Robert€Lee€Anderson€being€filed€March€13,€1998,Ïcontemporaneously€with€a€motion€of€Gregory€D.€Smith€to€withdraw€as€counsel.€ÏThis€motion€to€withdraw€as€counsel€was€granted€by€the€trial€court€by€order€enteredÏMarch€16,€1998.ÌÌà  àCounsel€for€the€appellant€filed€timely€brief€in€this€court€and€upon€failureÏof€Robert€Lee€Anderson€to€brief€the€case,€an€order€was€entered€in€this€court€JulyÏ13,€1998€that€decision€be€made€on€the€record€and€on€the€appellant's€brief,€pursuantÏto€Tennessee€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure€29(c).ÌÌà  àUpon€consideration€of€the€record,€it€was€noted€that€the€trial€judge€hadÏsigned€neither€of€the€proposed€Rule€24(c)€statements€and€the€case€was€remandedÏon€July€29,€1998€to€the€trial€court€with€instructions€for€compliance€with€Rule€24(c)Ïand€(f)€of€the€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure.ÌÌà  àBy€order€entered€in€the€trial€court€on€November€23,€1998,€the€trial€courtÏadopted€the€Tennessee€Rule€of€Appellate€Procedure€24(c)€statement€filed€by€theÏdefendant/appellant,€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson,€and€the€case€is€now€before€this€courtÏfor€disposition.ÌÌà  àThe€Rule€24(c)€statement€of€the€defendant/appellant,€having€beenÏadopted€by€the€trial€court€as€the€evidence€in€the€case,€the€following€represents€theÏevidence€before€the€trial€court€relative€to€the€notice€issue.ÌÓ€ÓÓ?€ü(€ ä <@’X€ü(€ ä è“X?Óà8  àà ä à4.à < àRebecca€Ann€Anderson€could€not,€at€that€time,Ð ˆ,Ø'2 Ðafford€an€attorney€to€represent€her,€as€Robert€Lee€AndersonÏwas€seriously€in€arrears€on€child€support€and€therefore€sheÏwas€supporting€the€parties'€three€minor€children€alone.€ÏTherefore,€she€filed€a€pleading€on€her€own€behalf€which€sheÏentitled€"Counter€Complaint"€on€the€9th€day€of€July,€1997.à8@2  Ð  Ð àÐ  Ð  Ð  Ðà  à€Ìà8  àà ä à5.à < àNovember€24,€1997,€the€Chancery€Court€forÐ ø3H/9 ÐMontgomery€County,€Tennessee,€held€a€hearing€on€theÏPetition€for€Change€of€Custody€filed€by€Robert€Lee€Anderson.€ÏNo€Notice€of€Hearing€was€ever€sent€to€Rebecca€AnnÏAnderson€advising€her€of€that€court€Date,€as€required€by€RuleÏ5€of€the€Tennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure,€and€Local€RuleÐ H9˜4> Ð13.01.€€At€that€hearing,€the€Chancery€Court€ordered€thatÏRobert€Lee€Anderson,€Jr.€be€placed€in€the€physical€custody€ofÏhis€father,€Robert€Lee€Anderson,€with€the€parties€still€havingÏjoint€custody.Ð  Ð  Ð  ÐÌà8  àà ä à6.à < àRebecca€Ann€Anderson€immediately€consulted€anÐ  P Ðattorney,€Carrie€W.€Kersh,€and€retained€her€to€seek€to€have€theÏabove€referenced€Order€set€aside.€€Ms.€Anderson€used€moneyÏshe€had€received€by€going€through€the€Montgomery€CountyÏDistrict€Attorney's€Office€to€secure€payment€of€past€due€childÏsupport€from€Robert€Lee€Anderson.€€Said€Motion€was€filed€onÏNovember€25,€1997,€and€was€incorrectly€styled€"Motion€toÏSet€Aside€Default€Judgment",€wherein€the€Court€was€advisedÏthat€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson€had€never€been€notified€of€theÏhearing€on€November€24,€1997.Ð  Ð  Ð  Ðà8  àà ä àà < àA€hearing€was€held€on€the€Motion€to€Set€Aside€onÏDecember€16,€1997,€at€1:30€P.M..€€Rebecca€Ann€Anderson'sÏMotion€was€denied,€even€though€there€was€no€Notice€ofÏHearing€in€the€Court€file€and€counsel€for€Robert€LeeÏAnderson€could€not€produce€one.€€The€Court€acceptedÏPlaintiff€counsel's€argument€that€Ms.€Anderson€should€haveÏknown€that€the€parties€had€Court,€because€that€was€the€onlyÏtime€Robert€Lee€Anderson€ever€came€to€Clarksville.Ð  Ð  Ð  ÐÌÓ€ÓÌà  àWe€have€an€anomaly.€€The€granting€or€denial€of€the€motion€to€set€asideÏthe€November€24,€1997€order€rested€within€the€sound€discretion€of€the€trial€judgeÏand€is€not€to€be€disturbed€on€appeal€absent€an€abuse€of€discretion.€€ò òòòEsstman€v.Ð ø"H ÐBoydó óóó,€605€S.W.2d€237€(Tenn.App.1979).Ð “$ã  ÐÌà  àThe€evidence€before€the€trial€court€may€be€preserved€either€by€aÏtranscript€of€the€proceedings€or€by€a€statement€of€the€evidence€prepared€inÏaccordance€with€Tennessee€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure€Rule€24(c).€€If€no€recordÏof€the€evidence€is€preserved€for€appellate€review€by€either€method,€we€mustÏconclusively€presume€that€the€evidence€supported€the€action€of€the€trial€judge.€Ïò òòòSherrod€v.€Wixó óóó,€849€S.W.2d€780€(Tenn.App.1992).Ð ¾/+. ÐÌà  àIn€this€case,€the€evidence€before€the€trial€court€is€preserved€by€RuleÏ24(c)€statement.€€The€findings€of€the€trial€judge€on€the€question€of€notice€asÏreflected€in€the€December€16,€1997€order,€if€supported€by€the€evidence€in€theÏrecord,€would€compel€affirmance€by€this€court€on€the€basis€that€no€abuse€ofÏdiscretion€occurred.€€The€evidence€in€the€Rule€24(c)€statement,€however,€does€notÐ Q9¡4: Ðsupport€the€findings€of€the€trial€judge€as€to€notice€set€forth€in€the€December€16,Ï1997€order.€€The€evidence€conclusively€establishes€that€no€notice€as€required€byÏTennessee€Rule€of€Civil€Procedure€5€or€Local€Rule€13.01€was€ever€sent€to€Ms.ÏAnderson.€€The€only€other€evidence€in€the€record€is€the€provision€in€the€Rule€24(c)Ïstatement€that€"the€court€accepted€plaintiff€counsel's€argument€that€Ms.€AndersonÏshould€have€known€that€the€parties€had€court,€because€that€was€the€only€timeÏRobert€Lee€Anderson€ever€came€to€Clarksville."ÌÌà  àGiven€the€state€of€the€evidentiary€record€before€this€court,€the€action€ofÏthe€trial€court€in€denying€the€motion€to€set€aside€the€November€24,€1997€order€wasÏan€abuse€of€discretion.€€ò òòòTennessee€Dep't€of€Human€Services€v.€Barbeeó óóó,€689Ð  ð ÐS.W.2d€863€(Tenn.1985);€ò òòòCampbell€v.€Archeró óóó,€555€S.W.2d€110€(Tenn.1977).Ð ;‹ ÐÌà  àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed.€€The€order€of€November€24,Ï1997€is€vacated€and€the€case€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€trial€of€the€issuesÏunder€the€petition€for€change€of€custody€filed€June€18,€1997€and€the€answer€andÏcounter„complaint€filed€July€9,€1997€and€such€other€proceedings€as€the€trial€courtÏmay€deem€appropriate.ÌÌà  àCosts€of€this€cause€are€assessed€against€Robert€Lee€Anderson.ÌÌÌÓE€ ü(€ ä <˜‘X€ü(€ ä <@’XEÓà  àà ä àà < àà  àÌÓ€Óà  àà ä àà < àà  à__________________________________Ìà  àà ä àà < àà  àWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ___________________________________Ìñ?ñCANTRELLñ?ññ@ñBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€P.J.,€M.S.ñ@ñÌÌñAñKOCHñAññBñÌ___________________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.ñBññDññBñ€ñBññDññCñ,€JUDGEñCññBñ€ñBñ