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GG*/ÚoóQä é Ê=$; ¤Ÿ æ#^…#ÌÍС?·õ6Q?pݬÝ!ÉÚ…ôi.Š›î<å,ãâTò*ß{»zã¯N ßѽW«ˆ—ÄÝZU†›â?aN(s\D¶ž¸:ä0bõo ‚´b¶U2¹;Q¦v/ Zé¤c÷ôE ìþ¬F\Ahg×(mc' [ý⼚M”·Nêì§S”Ub´X‘¶áÿ4¦DZŽcXQíVdì!Dú{ZÍ€&ïJèŒÃ¶™ & Ö`oë¾ÔJ†ÎÊØîÙ(Ç«ƒÿ >/Ï´|Â`n_Dwÿ¹-«ÆòlLw»R ¢®f4)HIÛïò›{Â8pXCê¥åy¦BŒaRË à`£*›ÙÙšd€…ôFgsI~Swœª—Øpl‡n4? vâ¡“îmþkþå Ùõ–w…޼2üõײIäÄgý&—dÞPëÅš EfO¨¥Uá[gÅCÉÛbõ9Ú+,}»!vÌíkßïh¤ û¬ãø( 0¹}Ò›ݘ•Ñ?Æ`6¹óÏ/%½•<Ïk0¨ÿìÎ Ò_R£2®²»ß’lt‚—ìm>ÙÑDB/# ’UH %å 0¿ëªw@­4í  ð 0 0D U:O ï‰ UHx x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x AQÀ Æ 0D× 0D 0D__ D/££ BÒ D3ïïïïï B"˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ<à09Z 0Courier (W1) RegularX(—;d$¡¡Ô€X|XXXÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÑ  ÑÑTRY(3Ø' LetterY(3Ø' Letter3Ø' Letter3Ø' LetterTÑ ùÝ ƒ"¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ X*'XXXÔÔ€ uEX X*'ÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€ X*'X uEÔÐ  ÐÌJanuary€20,€1999ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAhÔó ó …†e‡eˆ‰DŠ‹ŒÓ€—Ö~-&urier 3|x— æÝ ƒ §$ÝÔ€XLPXXXÔÓ  ÓÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòMr.€Hedgepath€was€appointed€by€the€court€to€inspect€the€parties'€respectiveÐ ¸  Ðhomes.óó(³(3¶$¤¤Ý ƒ;d!ÝÔ€X¨XXXÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÑ  ÑÑTRY 3Ø' Letter3Ø'3Ø' Letterÿ3Ø'TÑÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular åÝ ƒ §$ÝÔ€XüOXXXÔÓ  ÓÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòMr.€Hedgpath€was€appointed€by€the€court€to€inspect€the€parties'€respectiveÐ ¸  Ðhomes.óó<à09Z 0Courier (W1) Regular!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd....'ÿÿdxd dÝ ƒ;d!ÝÔ€X¨XXXÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÑ  ÑÑTRY 3Ø' Letter3Ø'3Ø' Letterÿ3Ø'TÑÝ  Ýññ›ññѰÑѸ °ÑÑTR[¤ AØ'ÿ LegalY 3Ø' Letter AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' LetterTÑÑ  ÑÑ7€¨XXdÈdÈ7Ññ—ñññßr€ )<,(j 8` `€€@Eȼ ` 8ttxP¸ ð  rßñññ—ññ—ññ—ññ—ñññ›ñññ—ññ—ñßt€ )>.*jxÐÿº` `€€@E˜r ` 8ttxPи ð º tß›ñ—ñ€€€à@ˆˆìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSˆÐ ¸  Ðà@$ìàAT€NASHVILLEˆÌÌÌÌÌÌTHOMAS€A.€KNIGHT,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àDAVIDSON€CIRCUITÐ 0x Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€C.€A.€NO.€01A01„9710„CV„00609Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€)€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àHON.€MARIETTA€SHIPLEYÐ p¸  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àJUDGEÐ 8€  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌNATALIE€KNIGHT€(NOW€AMBROSE),€€€)à  àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÐ è0 Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant€€€)ÌÌÌÌÌÌKATHY€A.€LESLIE,€Nashville,€for€Appellant.ÌÌÌCLARK€LEE€SHAW,€Nashville,€for€AppelleeÌÌÌÓÓà@àà$ìàòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóˆÐ Ø' $ ÐÌà€ˆˆ?(#àMcMurray,€J.ˆÌÌà  àThis€is€a€post€divorce€proceeding€regarding€custody€of€theÏparties'€minor€children.€€After€a€bench€trial,€the€trial€court€madeÏan€extensive€finding€of€fact€and,€among€other€things,€found€thatÏthere€had€been€a€change€of€circumstances€sufficient€to€warrant€aÏchange€in€custody.€€The€trial€court€changed€custody€from€the€motherÏand€awarded€joint€custody€to€œbothñ…ñ€parentsñ…ñ›€with€the€husbandÏâ âdesignated€as€custodian.€€On€appeal,€the€mother€challenges€theÐ x7À+8 Ðsufficiency€of€the€evidence.€€We€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trialÏcourt.Ìâ ââ âÌà  àNo€verbatim€transcript€of€the€proceedings€was€available.€€TheÏappellant€filed€a€statement€of€the€evidence€to€which€the€appelleeÏobjected€for€incompleteness.€€The€appellee€then€filed€a€statementÏof€the€evidence€containing€additional€material.€€In€ruling€upon€theÏappellee's€objection€to€the€appellant's€statement€of€the€evidence,Ïthe€court€ordered€that€both€statements€should€be€consideredÏtogether.ÌÌà  àWe€should€first€note€that€the€burden€of€proof€which€rests€uponÏthe€party€seeking€a€modification€of€a€joint€custody€order€or€decreeÏis€a€"preponderance€of€the€evidence"€standard.€€òòSeeóó€T.C.A.€ðð€36„6„Ð  P Ð101(a)(2).€€Therefore,€it€is€necessary€in€this€case€that€the€fatherÏestablish€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€that€the€child's€bestÏinterests€will€be€served€by€changing€the€previous€custodyÏarrangement.ÌÌà  àIn€òòAdelsperger€v.€Adelspergeróó,€970€S.W.2d€482€(Tenn.€App.Ð h)°& Ð1997),€this€court€made€the€following€observation:ÌÌÓÓà8  àà ` àNotwithstanding€the€importance€of€stability€andÏcontinuity,€intervening€changes€in€a€child's€circum…¼stances€may€require€modifying€an€existing€custody€andÏvisitation€arrangement.€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€36-6-101(a)(1)Ï(Supp.€1997)€empowers€the€courts€to€change€custody€"asÏthe€exigencies€of€the€case€may€require,"€and€courts€willÏchange€custody€when€the€party€seeking€to€change€custodyÏproves€(1)€that€the€child's€circumstances€have€materiallyÏchanged€in€a€way€that€could€not€have€been€reasonablyÏforeseen€at€the€time€of€the€original€custody€decision,Ïsee€òòSmith€v.€œHaase›óó,€521€S.W.2d€49,€50€(Tenn.€1975);Ð è50*6 ÐòòMcDaniel€v.€McDanielóó,€743€S.W.2d€at€169,€and€(2)€that€theÐ °6ø*7 Ðchild's€best€interests€will€be€served€by€changing€theÏexisting€custody€arrangement.€òòSeeóó€òòHall€v.€Hallóó,€1995Ð @8ˆ,9 ÐTenn.€App.€LEXIS€350,€App.€No.€01€œA01›-9310-œPB›-00465,€1995ÏWL€316255,€at€*2€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€May€25,€1995)€(No€Tenn.ÏR.€App.€P.€11€application€filed).Ð Ð Ð  ÐÌòòà8  àà ` àóóCustody€decisions€are€factually€driven€and€requireÐ 8"€ Ðthe€careful€consideration€of€numerous€factors.€òòSeeóóÐ (#p Ðòòñ}ñœñ}ññ}ñœñ}ñHollowayñ}ñ›ñ}ññ}ñ›ñ}ñ€v.€Bradleyóó,€190€Tenn.€565,€571,€230€S.W.2d€1003,Ð $` Ð1006€(1950);€òòñ}ñœñ}ñScarbroughñ}ñ›ñ}ñ€v.€ñ}ñœñ}ñScarbroughñ}ñ›ñ}ñóó,€752€S.W.2d€94,€96Ð %P Ð(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1988).€Since€these€decisions€often€hingeÏon€the€parties'€credibility,€appellate€courts€areÏreluctant€to€second-guess€trial€judges€who€have€observedÏthe€witnesses€and€assessed€their€credibility.€òòSeeóó€òòñ}ñœñ}ñGilliamñ}ñ›ñ}ñÐ È( Ðv.€ñ}ñœñ}ñGilliamñ}ñ›ñ}ñóó,€776€S.W.2d€81,€84€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1988).Ð ¸)  ÐAccordingly,€we€decline€to€disturb€custody€decisionsÏunless€they€are€based€on€a€material€error€of€law€or€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€them.€òòSeeóó€òòñ}ñœñ}ññ}ñœñ}ñHassñ}ñ›ñ}ññ}ñ›ñ}ñ€v.Ð ˆ,Ð # Ðñ}ñœñ}ññ}ñœñ}ñKnightonñ}ñ›ñ}ññ}ñ›ñ}ñóó,€676€S.W.2d€554,€555€(Tenn.€1984);€òòñ}ñœñ}ñGaskillñ}ñ›ñ}ñ€v.Ð x-À!$ Ðñ}ñœñ}ñGaskillñ}ñ›ñ}ñóó,€936€S.W.2d€626,€631€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1996);Ð h.°"% ÐòòGriffin€v.€Stoneóó,€834€S.W.2d€at€301.ÐX/ #&Ð Ð  ÐÌòòIdóó.€page€485.Ð 81€%( ÐÌÓÓÌà  àWhile€conceding€that€the€change€in€circumstances€shown€by€theÏparties'€respective€statement€of€the€evidence€is€not€strong,€weÐ Ø6 +. Ðdeem€it€sufficient€to€warrant€a€change€in€the€custody€arrangement.€ÏAt€the€time€of€the€original€decree,€neither€party€appeared€to€haveÏa€stable€home€environment.€€Since€the€original€decree,€however,€theÏhome€environment€of€the€husband€has€improved€considerably€while€theÏhome€environment€of€the€mother€has€not€and,€while€limited€in€ourÏreview€by€the€sparseness€of€the€record,€it€seems€reasonable€toÏinfer€that€the€mother's€home€environment€has,€in€fact,€deterio…¼rated.ÌÌà  àThe€evidence€reflects€that€at€the€time€of€the€original€decreeÏthe€husband€was€on€active€duty€with€the€military.€€He€has€nowÏreturned€to€civilian€life.€€Both€parties€have€remarried.€€TheÏfather€and€his€wife€have€established€a€ñ}ñœñ}ñwhichñ}ñ›ñ}ñ€ñ}ñœñ}ñappears€to€beñ}ñ›ñ}ñÏinestimably€superior€to€that€of€the€mother.ÌÌà  àWith€regard€to€the€œmother'sñŒñ,ñŒññ‹ñ€homeñ‹ñ›€the€trial€court€made€theÏfollowing€observations:ÌÌÓÓà8  àà ` àMs.€Knight's€life€either€remained€the€same€orÏdeteriorated.€€She€admitted€she€had€been€a€ñŒñœñŒññ‡ññ‡ñcocainñ†ñeñ†ññ‡ñ›ñ‡ñ€addictÏuntil€three€years€ago.€€She€admitted€regularly€smokingÏmarijuana€until€the€time€she€was€served€with€the€reƒ¼straining€order.€€She€has€married€once.€€That€husband€wasÏnow€incarcerated.€€She€had€one€child€by€him.€€She€hadÏanother€child€by€another€man,€who€had€been€shot€recently,Ïmaking€him€a€quadriplegic.€€œSheñˆñ€hasñˆñ›€no€official€legitima…¼tion€by€that€person.€€Since€the€divorce€she€has€beenÏunable€to€work,€primarily€due€to€the€four€children€[onlyÏtwo€of€which€are€involved€in€this€œlitigationñ‰ñ.ñ‰ñ],›€but€alsoÏdue€to€her€lack€of€education.€€She€declined€to€requestÐ È7,/ Ðhelp€from€the€government,€with€the€exception€of€foodÏstamps,€relying€solely€on€her€child€support€and€aboutÏ$500€per€month€from€her€generous€mother.€€She€did€notÏwant€to€live€in€public€housing,€so€she€lived€in€a€fireÏtrap€trailer€for€awhile.€€In€1996,€her€mother€purchasedÏa€decent€trailer€for€her€in€Dickson,€œTennesseeñŠñ.ñŠññŠñ,ñŠñ›€€She€nowÏpays€the€rental€payment€to€her€mother.€€Her€mother€alsoÏpays€the€utilities.Ð Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àà ` àRichard€œññHedgpathññññHedgepathññ›€visited€the€families.ñ‚ñœ×ƒ ×ñ‚ññ‚ñ׃×ñ‚ñÝ ƒ %ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×›€€He€wasÐ (p  Ðable€to€make€arrangements€ahead€of€time€with€the€fatherÏand€his€wife.€€The€Knights€(father€and€his€present€wife)Ïhave€two€children€from€his€wife's€first€marriage.€€TheÏhouse€was€neat€and€clean,€although€they€have€only€twoÏbedrooms.€€Both€the€father€and€his€wife€have€good„payingÏjobs.€€They€seem€to€be€quite€settled€in€a€fairly€normalÏhousehold.€€Mr.€œñ„ñHedgpathñ„ññ„ñHedgepathñ„ñ›€€was€not€able€to€call€theÏmother€and€came€to€her€home€unannounced.€€The€trailer€hadÏfour€bedrooms.€€The€trailer€was€really€a€mess€with€justÏstacks€of€things€all€around€the€house.€€There€was€a€largeÏassortment€of€animals€inside€the€trailer€and€a€litter€boxÏin€the€kitchen.€€The€food€choice€for€the€children€seemedÏat€best€limited.€€The€children€had€poison€ivy€all€overÏthem.€€There€was€an€assortment€of€persons€who€had€livedÏin€the€trailer,€including€her€present€boyfriend€[husbandÏis€in€prison.],€at€times€a€15€year€old€boy€she€wasÏbefriending€and€a€paraplegic€friend.€[Brackets€inÏoriginal.]Ð Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àà ` àThe€court€realizes€that€one€cannot€compare€resi…¼dences€when€comparing€announced€and€unannounced€resi…¼dences€and€by€comparing€incomes,€one€cannot€expect€theÏsame€level€of€environment.€€However,€there€are€otherÏtelling€facts€that€show€the€level€of€care€that€Ms.€KnightÏcan€muster€at€this€time.€€The€court€was€primarilyÏconcerned€about€the€school€records.€€Cory,€the€youngestÏchild,€had€to€repeat€the€first€grade,€partly€because€"heÏcouldn't€see€the€teacher,€since€he€was€behind€someÏcompartment€in€the€room."€€Cory€had€potentially€beenÏdiagnosed€as€having€ñ€ñœñ€ñADHDñ€ñ›ñ€ñ,€but€there€has€as€yet€been€no€M„¼Team€meeting€at€his€school€in€Dickson.€€Both€children€hadÏexcessive€absences.€€Cory€missed€35€days,€Joseph€missedÏâ â28€days.€€Both€had€18€days€tardy,€for€reasons€such€asÐ 3`'* Ð"overslept",€"missed€bus",€"power€off",€"lice."€€JosephÏhad€about€a€"c"€average.Ð Ð Ð  Ðâ âÌÓÓÌà  àThe€record€also€reflects€that€the€mother,€since€the€originalÏdecree,€and€approximately€one€month€prior€to€the€trial€in€thisÏcase,€was€arrested€for€possession€of€drug€paraphernalia.€€She€pledÏguilty€to€the€charge€and€received€probation.ÌÌà  àWe,€like€the€trial€court,€believe€that€there€has€been€aÏsufficient€change€in€circumstances€established€by€a€preponderanceÏof€the€evidence€to€warrant€a€change€in€the€custody€arrangements.ÌÌà  àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€all€respects.€ÏCosts€are€assessed€to€the€appellant€and€this€cause€is€remanded€toÏthe€trial€court.ÌÌÓÓ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€________________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌSamuel€L.€Lewis,€Special€JudgeÌÐ  è50*- Ðñ€ñœñ€ñÑ  ÑÑ7€LPXXdðXXdð7Ñ€€€à@ˆˆìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSˆÐ ¸  Ðà@$ìàAT€NASHVILLEˆÌÌñ|ñÌñ|ñÌÌÌTHOMAS€A.€KNIGHT,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àDAVIDSON€CIRCUITÐ X  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€C.€A.€NO.€01A01„9710„CV„00609Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€)€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñ{ñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñ{ñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àHON.€MARIETTA€SHIPLEYÐ ø@  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à  àJUDGEÐ è0  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñzñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìñzñ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌNATALIE€KNIGHT€(NOW€AMBROSE),€€€)à  àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÐ ¨ð Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant€€€)ÌÌñzñ›ñzñà@  &ìàò òòòJUDGMENTóóó óˆÐ h° ÐÌÌÓÓà  àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Davidson€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÏUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€that€thereÏwas€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà  àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€all€respects.€ÏCosts€are€assessed€to€the€appellant€and€this€cause€is€remanded€toÏthe€trial€court.ÌÓÓÌà€88)(#à______ñuñ__ñuñ__________________________ˆÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à€ñvñ€€ñvñDon€T.€McMurray,€JudgeÌÌà€88)(#àñsññrñà€@°°(#àñrññsññtñ__ñtññsññrñ__Ìñrññsñ________________________________ˆÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à€€Houston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeñxññwñÌÐ ¨9ð-1d Ðà‚(#(#K(#.°° àñwññxññyñÌÌà€88)(#à__________________________________ˆÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à€Samuel€L.€Lewis,€Special€JudgeÌñyñ