ÿWPC6 …# VUNa %¯ 0(µbÝw.å4 ' 6 0J> 0Tˆ 0^Ü 0h: 0r¢ 0| 0† 0 1u¦ 0d U > B)½ DCæ AM)U*v v~° B.vÓK D3 0@Q AO‘Æà 0D¦ D/ê B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù-š›Dœ{žŸÓ€©DÒ x93|x©2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌOctober€25,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHPð€ÿÜÿìô”(üHPð€P € €' dStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€¦SXXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñò òÔ€¼Ô›à@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÔ€XÔÌÌIN€THE€MATTER€OF:à àà àà à€€)ÌAMANDA€JEAN€OððDANIEL,à àà à€€)à àSumner€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àNo.€€11214„CÌJOHN€JULIAN€OððDANIEL€and€wife€à à€€)ÌLAQUITTA€GAIL€OððDANIEL,à àà à€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appellees,à àà àà à€€)à à01A01„9604„CV„00180ÌÙ€€ÙœßL€!# ;+'h|æ` ç `€€Lß›à àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àÌJEANETTE€MARIE€MESSIER,à àà à€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àÌà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à€€)à àó óÌÓÓò òÌÓÓÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€SUMNER€COUNTYÌÓ  ÓAT€GALLATIN,€TENNESSEEÌÓ  ÓÌà@ àHONORABLE€THOMAS€GOODALL,€JUDGEÌÓÓó óÌÌÓÓJOHN€R.€BRADLEYÌHendersonville,€TennesseeÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFFS/APPELLEESÌÌÌœJEANETTE€MARIE€MESSIERÌ790€Green€Wave€Drive€#403ÌGallatin,›€œTennessee€37066›ÌœPRO€SE›€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLANTÌÓÓÌÓ  Óò òÔ€¼ÔREVERSED€AND€REMANDED.ó óÔ€XÔÌÓ  ÓÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌœBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€›€JUDGEÌÌò òœÌÌÌIN›€THE€MATTER€OF:à àà àà à€€)ÌAMANDA€JEAN€OððDANIEL,à àà à€€)à àSumner€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àNo.€€11214„CÌJOHN€JULIAN€OððDANIEL€and€wife€à à€€)ÌLAQUITTA€OððDANIEL,à àà àà à€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appellees,à àà àà à€€)à à01A01„9604„CV„00180Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àÌJEANETTE€MARIE€MESSIER,à àà à€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€)à àÌà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à€€)à àó óÌÌÓ  ÓÓÓÌÔ€„Ôà@ àòòò òO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÔ€XÔÌÌà àThe€captioned€defendant€has€appealed€from€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€denying€her€petitionÏfor€visitation€with€her€minor€child,€now€in€the€custody€of€the€plaintiffs€as€foster€parents.ÌÌà àOn€November€11,€1988,€Amanda€Messier€was€born€to€defendant,€Jean€Messier,€unmarried.ÌÌà àIn€1992,€the€Juvenile€Court€œfinding›€Amanda€to€be€dependent,€neglected€and€abused,€removed€herÏfrom€the€custody€of€her€œmother.€€The€Court›€placed€her€in€the€custody€of€plaintiffs,€John€Julian€andÏLaquitta€Gail€OððDaniel.ÌÌà àOn€June€24,€1993,€the€Circuit€Court€ordered€œthe€adoption›€of€the€child€by€the€OððDaniels,€but€theÏmother€appealed€to€this€Court.€€ÌÌà àOn€April€5,€1995,€this€Court€reversed€the€œadoption,›€and€remanded€to€the€Circuit€Court€for€furtherÏproceedings.€€The€OððDaniels€applied€to€the€Supreme€Court€for€permission€to€appeal.ÌÌà àIn€May,€1995,€the€defendant€mother€petitioned€the€Juvenile€Court€for€visitation.€€The€OððDanielsÏmoved€for€dismissal€because€jurisdiction€was€in€Circuit€Court€by€the€adoption€proceedings.ÌÌà àOn€June€7,€1995,€the€Juvenile€Court€overruled€the€motion€to€dismiss,€and€set€a€hearing€on€theÏpetition€for€June€21,€œ1995.€€The›€OððDaniels€appealed€œto›€the€Circuit€Court€from€the€June€7,€1995,€ruling€ofÏthe€Juvenile€Court.ÌÌà àOn€June€30,€1995,€the€mother€moved€the€Circuit€Court€to€restrain€the€OððDaniels€from€removingÏthe€child€from€the€jurisdiction€of€the€Court.ÌÌà àOn€July€3,€1995,€the€Circuit€Court€entered€an€order€reading€as€follows:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€This€cause€€came€on€€to€€be€heard€on€the€19th€day€of€June,Ìà àà à1995,€before€€the€Honorable€Thomas€€Goodall,€Judge€of€€theÌà àà àCircuit€Court€for€€Sumner€County,€Tennessee,€on€€the€appealÌà àà àof€€John€€Julian€€OððDaniel€€and€€Laquitta€Gail€OððDaniel€€fromÌà àà àthe€€Juvenile€Court€€for€€Sumner€County,€Tennessee,€seekingÌà àà àto€reverse€the€ruling€of€that€court€that€it€had€jurisdiction€withÌà àà àwith€respect€to€issues€of€custody€and€visitation€for€the€minorÌ€à àà àchild,€€Amanda€€Jean€€OððDaniel€€(ð ðAmandaðð).€€Based€on€€the€Ìà àà àstatements€of€counsel,€pertinent€statutes,€and€the€record€as€aÌà àà àwhole€in€this€matter,€the€Court€determined€as€follows:ÌÌà àà à€€€€1.€€By€judgment€entered€in€1993,€in€òòOððDaniel€v.€Messieróó,Ìà àà àNumber€11214„C,€this€Court€€awarded€€an€€adoption€€of€€the€Ìà àà àminor€€child,€€Amanda,€to€€the€OððDaniels;€this€judgment€was€Ìà àà àreversed€€by€€the€€Court€of€€Appeals€€in€€April,€1995,€and€€anÌà àà àapplication€€for€€permission€€to€€appeal€is€pending€before€the€Ìà àà àSupreme€Court€of€Tennessee.€ÌÌà àà à€€€€2.€€In€May,€1995,€Jeanette€Marie€Messier,€the€€biological€€Ìà àà àmother€of€€the€€minor€€child,€€Amanda,€€filed€€a€€petition€€€in€€€Ìà àà àthe€Juvenile€Court€for€Sumner€County,€€œTennessee,€seeking›€€Ìà àà àœvisitation›€with€Amanda.ÌÌà àà à€€€€3.€€The€OððDaniels€€moved€for€dismissal€of€the€petition€in€Ìà àà àJuvenile€€Court,€€€arguing€€€that€€T.C.A.€€ðð€36„1„123€€€givesÌà àà àjurisdiction€to€this€Court,€rather€than€€to€the€Juvenile€CourtÌà àà àupon€€dismissal€€of€€the€€action€€for€€adoption;€œ€the€›€œJuvenile›€œÌà àà àCourt›€denied€the€motion,€and€this€appeal€followed.ÌÌà àà à€€€€4.€€Given€the€dismissal€of€the€action€for€adoption,€T.C.A.Ìà àà àðð€36„1„123€€€grants€€€this€€€Court€€exclusive€€jurisdiction€€tơ̜à àà àdetermine€€issues€€of€€custody€€and€visitation€with€respectÌà àà àto€€the€€minor€€child,€€Amanda;€€the€contrary€ruling€of€the€Ìà àà àJuvenile€Court€is€reversed,€and€the€petition€for€visitationÌà àà àprivileges€will€be€heard€in€this€Court.ÌÌÓÓÌà àOn€August€28,€1995,€the€Supreme€Court€denied€the€OððDaniels€application€for€permission€toÏappeal€in€the€adoption€proceedings,€and€mandate€was€issued€to€the€Trial€Court€to€implement€the€April€5,Ï1995,€opinion€and€judgement€of€this€Court.€€On€the€same€date,€the€Circuit€Court€issued€an€orderÏrestraining€the€OððDaniels€from€removing€the€child€from€the€jurisdiction€of€the€Court.ÌÌà àOn€August€30,€œ1995,€the›€mother€moved€the€Circuit€Court€for€visitation.ÌÌà àOn€December€7,€1995,€pursuant€to€the€April€5,€1995,€order€of€this€Court€mandated€on€AugustÏ23,€1995,€the€Trial€Court€dismissed€the€petition€of€the€OððDaniels€to€adopt€the€child.ÌÌà àOn€December€29,€1995,€the€Circuit€Court€entered€an€order€stating:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€1.€€Custody€€of€Amanda,€who€€is€now€œseven›€(7)€years€old,Ìà àà àhas€been€retained€by€John€Julian€OððDaniel€and€Laquitta€GailÌà àà àOððDaniel€(ð ðthe€OððDanielsðð)€throughout€€these€€proceedings,€Ìà àà àbeginning€€several€€months€€prior€€to€the€action€for€adoption€à àÌà àà àfiled€€by€€the€€OððDaniels€€against€Ms.€Messier€in€1992€in€this€Ìà àà àcourt,€Case€Number€11214„C.ÌÌà àà à€€€€2.€€The€€petitioner,€€Ms.€Messier,€has€had€no€contact€with€Ìà àà àAmanda€in€more€than€three€years.ÌÌà àà à€€€€3.€€During€€the€€period€€in€€which€custody€of€Amanda€has€Ìà àà àbeen€€retained€€by€€the€€OððDaniels,€Amanda€has€thrived,€has€Ìà àà àbecome€€a€€well„adjusted€€and€€happy€child,€€and€is€€now€€an€Ìà àà àexcellent€student€in€the€first€grade€of€school.ÌÌà àà à€€€€4.€€Based€€œ€on›€œ€€›€Ms.€€€€Messierððs€€œ€€›€history,€€€the€œ€€›€€past€Ìà àà àrelationship€€between€€Ms.€€Messier€€and€€Amanda,€and€the€Ìà àà àchildððs€€current€€status,€€visitation€at€€this€time€would€likely€Ìà àà àendanger€Amandaððs€emotional€health.ÌÌà àà à€€€€ACCORDINGLY,€€IT€€IS€€ORDERED,€€ADJUDGED,€Ìà àà àAND€DECREED€THAT,€consistent€with€the€guidelines€Ìà àà àset€forth€in€T.C.A.€ðð€36„6„301,€visitation€of€Amanda€byÌà àà àMs.€Messier€shall€not€be€allowed€at€this€time.ÌÌà àFrom€this€order,€the€mother€has€appealed€and€presented€a€single€issue€as€follows:ÌÌà àà à€€€€Did€the€Trial€Court€correctly€determine€that€APPELLANTððsÌà àà àvisitation€with€APPELLANTððS€minor€child€should€be€€Denied?à àà àÌà àà àà àÌÌÓÓà àPrior€to€addressing€appellantððs€issue,€it€is€necessary€for€this€Court€to€resolve€a€preliminary€issueÏrelating€to€the€jurisdiction€of€the€Circuit€and€Juvenile€Courts€under€the€unusual€circumstances€of€this€case,Ïwhich€are,€in€summary€as€œfollows:Ì›Ìà àœ1.›€€The€€€Juvenile€€Court€€€first€€€acquired€€€and€€€€exercised€œjurisdiction›€€€over€€the€€subject€€child€€Ïin€€1992,€€placing€€€the€œchild›€with€foster€€parents.€€At€that€€time,€€T.C.A.€€ðð€37„1„103€Ìœcontained›€the€following€provisions:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€€(a)€€The€€juvenile€€court€has€òòexclusive€original€jurisdictionóó€Ìà àà àof€the€following€proceedings€which€are€governed€by€this€part.ÌÌà àà à€€€€€œ(1)›€€€Proceedings€€in€€which€€a€€child€€€is€€alleged€to€œbe›€œ.€.€.›Ìà àà àdependent€and€neglected€œ.€.€.€.›ÌÌà àà à€€€€(c)€€When€œ€›€jurisdiction€€€has€€€been€€€acquired€€€under€€€the€Ìà àà àprovisions€€of€€this€€part,€€except€€as€provided€in€ðððð€37„1„136€Ìà àà àand€€€37„1„137,€€€òòsuch€€jurisdictionó󀀜shall€›€€continue€€€for€€€the€Ìà àà àpurposes€of€this€part€until€the€child€€has€œ€attained›€€the€€age€of€Ìà àà ànineteen.€€(In€1994,€the€section€€was€€amended€€to€œ€substitute›€Ìà àà à37„1„137€and€37„1„147€œ€for›€€37„1„136€and€37„1„137.€€These€Ìà àà àchanges€do€not€affect€the€present€œcase.)€€(Emphasis€supplied)›ÌœÌ›ÌÓÓœà à2.›€€On€June€24,€1993,€when€the€Circuit€Court€ordered€the€œadoption€›€œof€›€œthe€›€child,€œ€T.C.A.›€œ€ð𛀜36„1„105€›€œprovided€that›€œpetitions€for›€œadoption›€œmay€be›€œfiled›€œ€in›€œ€Circuit€›€œor€›€Chancery€œCourt.›€œ(In›€1995,€œthis€›Ïœprovision€›€was€moved€to€ðð€36„1„115.)€€€ðð€36„1„123€contained€the€following:ÌÓÓÌà àà à€€€€(c)€€Upon€€dismissal€€of€€an€€adoption€€€proceeding,€€the€Ìà àà àcustody€€of€€the€child€€shall€€revert€€to€€the€€department€€ofÌà àà àchild„placing€€agency€€having€custody€€immediately€beforeÌà àà àthe€€filing€€of€€€the€€petition.€€òòIn€€€all€€other€€cases,€€when€€aÌà àà àpetition€is€dismissed,€non„suited,€or€withdrawn,€€the€€childÌà àà àremains€a€ward€of€the€court€with€jurisdiction€to€adjudicateÌà àà àthe€childððs€guardianship€according€to€the€best€€interest€€ofÌà àà àof€the€childóó;€€and€€the€court€shall€order€the€department€€or€Ìà àà àor€licensed€child„placing€agency,€to€make€further€€investi„Ìà àà àgation€and€report€to€the€court€regarding€€a€€suitable€€planÌà àà àfor€€any€€child€€who€€may€€be€€in€€the€custody€of€unrelatedÌà àà àpersons.€€(By€Public€Acts€of€1995,€Chapter€532,€ðð€1,€thisÌà àà àsection€œ€€€was€€€›€œrepealed€€›€effective€œ€€January›€œ€€1,€€›€œ1996.)€Ìà àà à(Emphasis€supplied)›ÌÓÓà àœIn›€May€1995,€when€OððDaniels€appealed€from€the€interlocutory€order€of€the€Juvenile€CourtÏoverruling€their€motion€to€dismiss,€and€in€July€1995,€when€the€Circuit€Court€ruled€on€their€appeal,ÏT.C.A.€ðð€37„1„159€provided:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€(a)€The€Juvenile€Court€shall€be€a€court€of€record€and€Ìà àà àany€appeal€from€any€òòfinal€œ€order›€œ€or€›€judgmentó󀜀in€›€a€œ.€.€.€›Ìà àà àdependent€and€œ€neglect›€œproceeding›€œ.€.€.›€may€be€made€toÌà àà àthe€€Circuit€Court€€which€shall€hear€the€testimony€of€the€Ìà àà àwitnesses€and€try€the€case€de€œnovo€.€.€.€Ìà àà à(Emphasis€supplied)›ÌÓÓà àÌà àNo€statutory€authority€is€found€for€an€appeal€to€the€Circuit€Court€from€an€interlocutory€œ(non„final)›€order€of€the€Juvenile€Court.€€The€appeal€to€the€Circuit€Court€was€from€an€order€overruling€a€motionÏto€dismiss€and€setting€the€cause€for€hearing€leading€to€a€final€judgment€upon€the€merits€of€the€controversyÏat€which€stage€an€appeal€to€the€Circuit€Court€would€have€the€above€statutory€authority.ÌÌà àIt€appears€from€the€judgment€of€the€Circuit€Court,€quoted€above,€that€the€Circuit€Court€exercisedÏsua€sponte€a€ð ðreach€downðð€authority€œto€remove›€pending,€undecided€litigation€from€the€Juvenile€Court€toÏthe€Circuit€for€trial€and€disposition€as€a€matter€of€original€jurisdiction€rather€than€to€await€the€finalÏjudgment€of€the€Juvenile€Court€upon€the€merits€of€the€controversy€and€exercise€the€appellate€jurisdictionÏauthorized€by€statute.ÌÌà àNo€statutory€authority€is€found€for€the€exercise€of€such€ð ðreach€downðð€jurisdiction€by€a€CircuitÏCourt,€except€the€writ€of€certiorari€which€was€not€œinvoked,›€or€exercised€in€the€present€case.€ÌÌà àIn€òòHall€v.€Honeycutt,óó€Tenn.€App.€1972,€489€S.W.2d€œ37,€39,›€this€Court€held€that,€when€theÏdismissal€of€an€adoption€proceeding€left€the€appellantððs€custody€petition€pending,€the€Trial€Court€hadÏjurisdiction€to€try€the€issue€of€custody.ÌÌœà àIn›€the€cited€case,€it€does€not€appear€that€the€child€had€ever€been€the€subject€of€a€œJuvenile›€CourtÏproceeding;€but€a€custody€proceeding€was€pending€before€the€Circuit€Court€at€the€time€of€the€dismissal€ofÏthe€adoption€petition.€€On€these€grounds,€the€cited€authority€is€distinguishable.ÌÌà àIf€it€be€said€that€the€two€quoted€statues€ðððð€36„1„123€and€37„1„103€confer€concurrent€originalÏjurisdiction€upon€the€Circuit€and€Juvenile€Court,€than€priority€of€inception€would€determine€priority€ofÍjurisdiction.€€Where€suit€on€the€same€subject€matter€is€pending€between€the€same€parties€before€a€court€ofÏthis€state€having€jurisdiction€of€the€subject€matter€a€second€suit€before€another€court€is€subject€toÏœabatement.€›€œòòCockburn›€v.€Howard€Johnson,€Incóó.,€215€Tenn.€254,€385€S.W.2d€œ101,€102›€(1964).ÌÌà àOn€this€basis,€the€Circuit€Court€proceeding€for€visitation€was€subject€to€dismissal€because€of€theÏpreviously€filed€suit€in€Juvenile€Court€on€the€same€subject.ÌÌà àFor€all€the€foregoing€reasons,€this€Court€concludes€that€it€was€error€for€the€Trial€Court€œto:Ìà à1)€€entertain›€an€appeal€from€the€interlocutory€order€of€the€Juvenile€Court€overruling€the€œÌmotion›€to€œdismiss;›€œÌà à2)€€to›€assume€jurisdiction€of€and€rule€upon€the€petition€for€visitation€filed€in€the€Juvenile€œÌCourt;Ìà à3)€€to›€accept€and€rule€upon€the€motion€for€visitation€filed€in€Circuit€Court.ÌœÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ›à àThe€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€reversed€and€vacated.€€All€costs€including€costs€of€this€appealÏare€taxed€against€the€appellees.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Trial€Court€for€entry€of€an€order€remandingÏthe€cause€to€the€Juvenile€Court€for€further€proceedings.à àÌà àà àÌÓ  Óò òÔ€¼ÔREVERSED€AND€REMANDED.Ô€XÔó óÌÓ  ÓÓӜ̛à àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌ̛̜ÌCONCUR:ÌœÌÌ____________________________›ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÌÌ____________________________ÌœBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGE›