ÿWPC  I·ÎFB«Þ†ü lûåûaK½  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àDavidson€CircuitÐ ,$  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àNo.€œ96D›„1850Ð   ÐLARRY€R.€WILSON,à à àà 8 àà  à)à è àà @ àà ˜ àà ð àà H! àà  # àÐ øð  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)Ìà Ø àDefendant/Appellee.à 8 àà  à)Рļ ÐÌÌà@ï ï êàAPPEALED€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€DAVIDSON€COUNTYˆÌà@#êàAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEˆÌÌà@= = êàTHE€HONORABLE€MURIEL€ROBINSON,€JUDGEˆÌÌÌÌÌJENNIFER€œOAKLEY›Ì2201€Murphy€Avenue,€Suite€202ÌNashville,€Tennessee€37203Ìà Ø àPro€œSe›/Plaintiff/AppellantÌÌEARL€J.€PORTER,€JR.Ì214€Third€Avenue€NorthÌNashville,€Tennessee€37201ÌÌTHOMAS€F.€BLOOMÌ500€Church€StreetÌNashville,€Tennessee€37219Ìà Ø àAttorneys/Defendant/AppelleeÌÌÌÌÌà@||$êàREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDˆÌÌÌÌÌà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àà è àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,Ìà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àà è àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€M.S.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌKOCH,€J.ÌCAIN,€J.ÌÐ  ´9¬28 ÐÓÓò òÔ€„<.„XXÿóÔòòÑ€ /VÑà@tt(êàO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÔ€XÿóX„„<.ԈР ÐÌà Ø àà 0 àThis€appeal€concerns€the€trial€judgeððs€authority€or€duty€to€correct€aÏdivorce€certificate€filed€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„402.€€The€appellantÏasserts€that€the€trial€judge€denied€her€a€fair€hearing€œand€any€relief€because›€of€theÏjudgeððs€bias€and€personal€animosity€toward€her.€€We€reverse€the€trial€judgeððs€orderÏconcerning€the€divorce€certificate€and€hold€that€the€œrecusal›€question€is€now€moot.ÌÌà@²²-êàò òI.ó óˆÐ d\ МÌà Ø àà 0 àOn€May€2,€1997,€the€Circuit€Court€of€Davidson€County€entered€a€divorceÏdecree€dissolving€the€troubled€marriage€of€Larry€Wilson€and€Jennifer€Oakley€Wilson.€ÏThe€divorce€involved€one€child,€a€son€born€to€Ms.€Wilson€in€a€prior€marriage€andÏadopted€by€Mr.€Wilson€in€1991.€€The€bitterness€associated€with€this€divorce€has€beenÏreported€in€a€prior€opinion€of€this€court.€€òòSee€Wilson€v.€Wilsonóó,€No.€01„A„01„9707„CV„Ð 8!0 Ð00325€(Nashville€Sept.€2,€1998),€òòappñ†ñ.ñ†ññ‡ñlicationñ‡ñ€for€perm.€to€appñˆñ.ñˆññ‰ñealñ‰ñ€ñŠñpendingñŠññ‹ñfiledñ‹ñóó.€€Ð # ÐÌ›à Ø àà 0 àThe€State€Department€of€Health€is€required€by€statute€to€establish€anÏoffice€of€Vital€Records.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„103.€€A€State€Registrar€appointed€forÏthat€purpose€acts€as€custodian€of€the€records,€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„104(b)(1)(A),Ïand€prescribes€the€forms€that€œð ðwill›€accomplish€the€purpose€of€complete€and€accurateÏregistration.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„104(b)(2).€€One€of€the€records€kept€by€the€StateÏRegistrar€is€a€divorce€certificate€issued€by€the€clerk€of€the€court€granting€the€divorce.€ÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„402(a).ÌÌà Ø àà 0 àœIn›€Davidson€County€(and€we€suspect€in€many€other€counties)€localÏâ âpractice€requires€that€the€divorce€certificate€be€filled€out€and€filed€with€the€divorceÐ Ð6È/4 Ðdecree.€€The€information€in€the€certificate,€therefore,€is€provided€by€one€of€the€lawyers.€ÏThe€clerk€then€forwards€a€copy€of€the€certificate€to€the€vital€records€office.Ìâ âÌà Ø àà 0 àMr.€Wilsonððs€lawyer€drew€the€decree€and€filled€out€the€divorce€certificate.€ÏIn€a€section€calling€for€the€ð ðNUMBER€OF€CHILDREN€EVER€BORN€ALIVE€OF€òòTHISóóÐ ˆ€ ÐMARRIAGEðð€the€lawyer€entered€the€word€ð ðone.ðð€€On€December€12,€1997,€Ms.€WilsonÏ(now€restored€to€her€maiden€name€of€œOakley›)€filed€a€motion€seeking€to€amend€theÏdivorce€certificate€to€reflect€that€òònoóó€children€were€born€in€the€marriage.€€Along€with€theÐ (  Ðmotion€to€correct€the€certificate€œDr.›€œOakley›€œfiled€a›€motion€for€the€trial€judgeððs€œrecusal›.€ÏœThe€motion›€recited€that€one€of€her€former€lawyers€had€said€that€the€judge€wasÏð ðgunningðð€for€œher›€and€œthat€other›€former€lawyers€had€seen€fit€to€withdraw€from€the€œcase,›Ïallegedly€for€political€reasons.€€Attached€to€the€motion€was€a€copy€of€a€motion€filedÏwith€the€Davidson€County€District€Attorneyððs€Office€requesting€an€investigation€of€theÏtrial€judge€for€a€host€of€allegedly€illegal€and€unethical€acts.€€œDr.›€œOakley›€subpoenaedÏthree€of€her€former€attorneys,€the€trial€judgeððs€two€stepdaughters€(her€secretary€andÏdocket€clerk)€and€the€Chairman€of€the€Board€of€Professional€Responsibility.€€The€itemsÏsought€from€the€Board€of€Professional€Responsibility€related€to€a€complaint€filedÏagainst€one€of€œDr.›€œOakley›ððs€former€attorneys.ÌÌà Ø àà 0 àThe€trial€judge€œoverruled›€the€motion€to€amend€the€certificate,€quashedÏthe€subpoenas,€and€refused€to€hear€œDr.›€œOakley›€on€the€œrecusal›€motion.ÌÌà@––-êàò òII.ó óˆÐ H0@), Ðà@¦¦#êàò òThe€Divorce€Certificateó óˆÐ (2 +. ÐÌà Ø àà 0 àThe€statutes€allow€for€œthe€amendment›€of€vital€records.€€In€order€toÏprotect€the€integrity€and€accuracy€of€the€records,€however,€the€statutes€andÏregulations€adopted€by€the€Department€of€Health€must€be€followed.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.Ð ¨9 26 Ððð€68„3„203(a).€€The€statute€itself€gives€the€State€Registrar€the€power€to€amend€aÏcertificate€when€presented€ð ðwith€evidence€which€a€reasonable€man€would€concludeÏproves€beyond€a€reasonable€doubt€that€an€original€entry€on€a€certificate€was€factuallyÏinaccurate€at€the€time€of€recordation.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„203(f).€€œIn€addition,Ïthe›€Department€regulations€provide:ÌÓÓà8 Ø àà80 Ø ü!Ø ü!àAny€item€on€a€certificate€may€be€corrected€by€an€order€ofÏa€court€of€record€with€the€exception€of€the€date€of€filingÏand€the€signature€of€the€certifier,€and€changing€the€dateÏof€birth€to€a€date€which€is€after€the€date€of€filing.€€AÏcertified€œcopy›€of€the€order€must€be€submitted€to€the€StateÏRegistrar.Ð 0 ¤0 ¤ ÐÌRule€1200„7„1„.10(2)(a)(5).ÌÌÌÌÓÓà Ø àà 0 àWe€conclude,€therefore,€that€Dr.€œOakley›€had€two€avenues€through€whichÏshe€might€have€sought€amendment€of€the€certificate.€€She€could€have€tried€toÏpersuade€the€State€Registrar€to€do€it;€or,€as€she€did€here,€she€could€have€sought€anÏorder€from€the€court€that€granted€the€divorce.ÌÌà Ø àà 0 àIn€denying€Dr.€œOakley›ððs€motion,€the€trial€judge€relied€on€Tenn.€Code€Ann.Ïðð€36„1„121(a),€a€part€of€the€adoption€law,€that€establishes€a€relationship€between€theÏadopted€child€and€the€adoptive€parents€ð ðas€if€the€adopted€child€had€been€born€to€theÏadoptive€parents.ðð€€We€are€convinced,€however,€that€the€statute€œdescribes›€a€òòlegalóóÐ ¸)°"% Ðrelationship€and€does€not€require€the€divorce€certificate€to€show€that€the€child€wasÏborn€during€the€marriage€of€the€adoptive€parents.€€The€divorce€certificate€stresses€theÏword€òòthisóó€in€seeking€information€about€children€born€during€the€marriage.€€It€seems€toÐ X/P(+ Ðus€that€the€accuracy€of€vital€records€demands€that€the€certificate€be€amended€to€showÏthat€no€children€were€born€to€the€Wilson€marriage.ÌÌà Ø àà 0 àWe€are€aware€that€an€adopted€childððs€birth€certificate€may€be€amendedÏto€show€the€adoptive€parents€as€the€birth€parents.€€òòSeeóó€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„310,Ð ¸8°15 Ð311,€312.€€We€were€informed€at€oral€argument€that€Mr.€Wilson€is€in€fact€shown€on€theÏchildððs€birth€certificate€as€the€father.€€œThus,€if€we€grant€Dr.€Oakleyððs€motion€to€amendÏthe€divorce€certificate,€the€vital€records€will€be€in€conflict.€€But,›€aside€from€sheddingÏsome€light€on€the€urgency,€or€lack€of€it,€for€the€relief€sought€œin›€Dr.€œOakley›ððs€motion,€weÏcannot€see€how€the€œlegislatureððs€policy›€decision€€in€adoption€cases€covers€a€certificateÏof€divorce.€€We€are€aware€also€that€ð ða€new€certificate€of€birth€by€adoption€shall€not€beÏprepared€if€so€requested€by€the€court€that€granted€the€adoption,€the€adoptiveÏparent(s),€or€the€adopted€person.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€68„3„311(c)(3).€€œIn›€a€caseÏwhere€the€adopted€childððs€birth€certificate€has€not€been€changed,€the€œrecords€wouldÏagain€conflict€if€the€divorce€certificate€showed€that€the€child€was€born€during€theÏmarriage.›Ìà Ø àà 0 àWe€are€of€the€opinion€that€Dr.€œOakley›€was€entitled€to€an€order€correctingÏthe€information€on€the€divorce€certificate.ÌÌà@zz,êàò òIII.ˆÐ H!@ Ðà@ii+êàœRecusal›ó óˆÐ (#  ÐÌà Ø àà 0 àHaving€decided€that€the€divorce€certificate€should€be€corrected,€theÏœrecusal›€motion€is€now€moot.€€Even€should€we€decide€that€the€record€showed€someÏmerit€to€the€motion,€the€relief€granted€would€be€a€remand€for€a€hearing€before€anÏunbiased€judge.€€œBut›€having€gained€the€object€of€the€hearing,€Dr.€œOakley›€needs€noÏfurther€relief.ÌÌà Ø àà 0 àAt€the€risk€of€being€accused€of€rendering€an€advisory€opinion,€we€thinkÏa€further€comment€is€necessary.€€To€the€extent€that€the€œrecusal›€motion€was€based€onÏmatters€that€occurred€œin›€the€original€divorce€proceeding,€we€have€now€held€that€theÏrecord€from€that€case€does€not€demonstrate€a€disqualifying€bias€or€prejudice.€€ThereÏwas€no€need€to€go€over€that€terrain€again.€€And€to€the€extent€that€the€motion€wasÐ ¨9 26 ÐÑ /VÑÑX°ÑÑ  Ñbased€on€other€alleged€improprieties€œ„„€such›€as€violating€the€nepotism€œlaws›€or€theÏCode€of€Judicial€œConduct€„„›€that€have€nothing€to€do€with€bias€toward€Dr.€œOakley›,€theÏdivorce€court€is€not€the€proper€forum€œin›€which€to€raise€those€issues.€€A€litigant€shouldÏnot€œbe›€allowed€to€drive€a€judge€off€a€case€by€making€charges€unrelated€to€personalÏbias€or€prejudice€and€then€saying€ð ðno€judge€could€be€impartial€toward€someone€whoÏmade€those€charges.ððÌÌà Ø àà 0 àTo€œthe›€extent,€however,€that€the€œrecusal›€motion€œcited€proof€that€had€notÏbeen€heard€before€or€raised›€issues€not€previously€œdetermined,›€Dr.€œOakley›€would€beÏentitled€to€be€heard.€€We€take€no€position€on€whether€the€motion€itself€or€itsÏattachments€showed€any€new€issues€or€the€necessity€for€additional€proof.€€At€oralÏargument€Dr.€œOakley›€argued€that€some€of€the€witnesses€she€subpoenaed€wouldÏtestify€about€statements€made€by€the€trial€judge€showing€bias€or€prejudice.€€We€do€notÏsee€allegations€œin›€the€motion€or€its€attachment€requiring€that€proof,€but€that€is€the€typeÏof€proof€that€might€be€proper€if€this€issue€ever€surfaces€again.€€We€suspect€that€it€will.ÌÌà Ø àà 0 àThe€lower€courtððs€order€denying€the€motion€to€correct€the€divorceÏcertificate€is€reversed€and€the€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Circuit€Court€of€DavidsonÏCounty€for€further€proceedings€œin›€accordance€with€this€opinion.€€We€pretermit€theÏœrecusal›€issue.€€Tax€the€costs€on€appeal€œequally€to€the€appellant€and›€the€appellee.ÌÌÓÓà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àà è à__________________________Ìà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àà è àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€Ìà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àà è àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€M.S.ÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌÐ  ˜:37 ÐÑ  ÑÔ€¼Çâ¼XXÙYÔò òà@êê.êàœ›œñŒñ€IN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ  Ðà@™™(êàAT€NASHVILLEñŒñó óñŒñÔ€XÙYX¼¼ÇâԈР МñŒññ„ññƒñin€the€ñƒññ„ññŒñ›ÌÌÌÌJENNIFER€œOAKLEY›€(WILSON),à 8 àà  à)Ð ô ì Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)Ìà Ø àPlaintiff/Appellant,à à àà 8 àà  à)à è àAppeal€No.Ð ÔÌ Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è à01„A„01„9802„CV„00100Рļ  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àÐ ´¬  МVS›.à Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àDavidson€CircuitÐ ¤œ  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àNo.€œ96D›„1850Ð ”Œ  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àÐ „|  ÐLARRY€R.€WILSON,à à àà 8 àà  à)à è àReversed€andà ð àà H! àà  # àÐ tl  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àRemandedÐ d\ Ðà Ø àDefendant/Appellee.à 8 àà  à)Ð TL ÐÌÔ€¼Çâ¼XXÙYÔò òòòà@uu'êàJ€U€D€G€M€E€N€Tóóó óˆÐ 4, ÐÌÓÓÔ€XÙYX¼¼ÇâÔà Ø àà 0 àThis€cause€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€on€appeal€from€theÐ `X ÐCircuit€Court€of€Davidson€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€the€parties;€uponÏconsideration€whereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€that€œñŒññ…ñis›€ñ…ññŒñin›€the€judgment€of€the€trial€courtÏthere€is€reversible€error.€Ìà Ø àà 0 àœIn›€accordance€with€the€opinion€of€the€Court€filed€herein,€it€is,€therefore,Ïordered€and€decreed€by€this€Court€that€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed.€€TheÏcause€is€remanded€to€the€Circuit€Court€of€Davidson€County€for€any€furtherÏproceedings€necessary€and€for€the€collection€of€the€costs€accrued€below.Ìà Ø àà 0 àCosts€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€œequally€against›€œJennifer€Oakley€and€Larry›ÏœWilson,›€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓÌÌà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à________________________________Ìà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€à ð àà H! àà  # àÐ ð/è(+ Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€M.S.ÌÌÌà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à________________________________Ìà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à________________________________Ìà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àWILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌñŒñ›