ÿWPCI …# VUNa %¯ 0(µbÝw@å4% 9 H 0JP 0Tš 0^î 0hL 0r´ 0|& 0†¢ 0( 1u¸ 0d- U>‘ B)Ï DCø AM;U*ˆ²v~à BAvÓ^ D31 0@d AO¤Æó 0D¹ D/ý B,˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù- & U' U( U) * + E, - Ó€7 8 DÒ 3|x8 2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌDecember€11,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'h dStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  inion Geneva ÒÒ  inion Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€fKXXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñò ò›Þ ÞÌWILLIAM€J.€PICKETT,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)à àGiles€County€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€8919ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01A01„9607„CH„00287̜ـ€ÙÙ€€ÙßR€!# A1-j|oU` ç `€€@ÿRß›LANA€NEWTON€PICKETT,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌÓÓà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)Ìó óÌÓÓÌò òà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CHANCERY€COURT€OF€GILES€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€PULASKI,€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àHONORABLE€WILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGEÌó óÌÌÌHon.€Joe€W.€Henry,€Jr.ÌAttorney€at€LawÌP.O.€Box€458ÌPulaski,€TN€38478ÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFF/APPELLEEÌÌÌHon.€Andrea€HuddlestonÌAttorney€at€LawÌP.O.€Box€787ÌLawrenceburg,€TN€38464ÌATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLANTÌÌÌò òÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÇò òWILLIAM€J.€PICKETT,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)à àGiles€County€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€8919ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01A01„9607„CH„00287ÌLANA€NEWTON€PICKETT,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌÓÓà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)Ìó óÌò òà@ àòòÔ€¼ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€XÔóóó óÌÓ  Óà àIn€this€divorce€case,€the€defendant€œcounter„claimant›€€wife€hasÏappealed€œfrom›€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€declaring€the€parties€toÏbe€divorced€ð ðpursuant€to€the€statute,ðð€dividing€the€marital€estate,Ïgranting€custody€of€a€minor€child€to€the€plaintiff„father,€and€orderingÏthe€mother€to€pay€child€support.ÌÌà àIn€this€Court,€the€wife€presents€the€following€issues:ÌÓÓà àà àI.à àWhether€€the€€Trial€Court€erred€in€utilizing€aÏprocedureÌà àà àin€€lieu€€of€a€trial€which€provided€no€true€hearing€to€theÏparties,Ìà àà àadmitted€€no€€evidence€€or€testimony,€and€potentiallyÏprecludesÌà àà àthe€parties€from€judicial€review€due€to€the€absence€of€aÏrecord?ÌÌà àà àII.à àWhether€€the€€Trial€€Court€€erred€in€granting€custody€to€Ìà àà àthe€€father/appellee€€based€€on€€the€€record€€in€€this€€case€Ïwhich€ÌÓÓà àà àcontains€no€evidence?ÌÌà àœThe€wife€was€represented€by€different€counsel€at€various€stagesÏof€the€proceedings.€€The›€initial€counsel€of€record€for€the€wife€signedÏand€filed€an€ð ðAmended€Answer€and€Counterclaim.ðð€€€(The€record€doesÏnot€contain€the€original€answer.)ÌÌÓÓÓÓà àThe€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€recites€that€the€cause€was€œheard:€Ïð ðupon›€the€testimony€of€both€parties€by€agreement€in€chambers,€œthe›Ïœstatement€of›€œcounsel›€œfor€both›€œparties,€and›€upon€the€entire€œrecord›€€„„„.ððÌÓÓÓÓÌà àThe€record€does€not€identify€counsel€for€the€wife€at€the€trial€.€ÏThe€judgment€contains€a€certificate€of€service€upon€the€wife,€herself,Ïrather€than€her€counsel.€€The€record€contains€no€leave€to€wifeððs€œinitialÏcounsel›€to€withdraw.ÌÌà àA€new€and€different€counsel€for€the€wife€filed€a€ð ðMotion€for€aÏNew€Trial,€and€to€Set€Aside€Order€and,€in€the€Alternative,€for€FindingsÏof€Factsðð€which€stated:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€Comes€the€plaintiff,€LANA€NEWTON€PICKETT,€by€andÌà àà àthrough€her€attorney,€Andrea€Huddleston,€who€would€moveÌà àà àthis€€Court,€€pursuant€€to€€Rule€59€of€the€òòTennessee€Rules€of€Ìà àà àCivil€Procedureóó,€€to€€set€aside€the€Order€entered€in€thisÏcauseÌà àà àon€€December€€12,€€1995,€and€for€a€New€Trial.€€For€grounds,Ìà àà àmovant€€would€€state€€and€€show€€unto€€this€Honorable€Court€Ìà àà àthat€€there€€was€€no€sworn€testimony€taken€at€the€hearingÏand€Ìà àà àthat€€there€€is€€no€€record;€that€the€defendant€was€notÏallowed€Ìà àà àto€€offer€€the€€testimony€€€of€€€her€€€witnesses;€€€and€€€that€€Ïthe€Ìà àà àdefendant€€was€€not€allowed€to€cross„examine€anyÏstatementsÌÓÓà àà àmade€by€the€plaintiff.Ìà àÌÓÓÓÓà àIn€response€to€said€motion,€the€Trial€Judge€entered€the€followingÏorder:ÌÓÓà àà à€€€€This€cause€came€on€to€be€heard€on€the€19th€day€of€March,Ìà àà à1996,€upon€the€Motion€filed€by€the€Defendant€for€a€new€trial€Ìà àà àor€in€the€alternative€findings€of€fact,€the€argument€ofÏcounsel€Ìà àà àfor€€both€€parties€€in€€open€€Court,€and€upon€the€entire€record€Ìà àà àfrom€all€of€which€the€Court€finds€as€follows:ÌÌà àà à1.à àThat€€all€€parties€€were€€adequately€€and€€competently€Ìà àà àrepresented€by€counsel€of€record€at€all€material€times.ÌÌà àà à2.à àThat€the€attorneys€representing€the€parties€suggestedÌà àà àand€€recommended€the€alternative€dispute€resolution€methodÌà àà àused€€in€€this€€case€€and€€the€€Court€€adopted€€the€€same€Ïafter€Ìà àà àhaving€€been€€informed€€by€counsel€for€both€parties€thatÏtheir€Ìà àà àclients€€were€€agreeable€€to€€the€€same€€and€the€partiesÏhaving€à àÌà àà àacknowledged€that€in€open€Court.ÌÌà àà à3.à àThat€€at€€the€€end€€of€€the€€process€the€Court€took€the€Ìà àà àmatter€€€under€€€advisement€€€and€€€determined€€that€€the€Ïbest€Ìà àà àinterest€€of€€the€€minor€€child€would€be€best€served€byÏvesting€Ìà àà àcustody€in€the€Plaintiff.ÌÌà àà à4.à àThat€the€alternative€dispute€resolution€procedure€was€Ìà àà ànot€only€consented€to€and€agreed€to€by€both€parties,€but€wasÌà àà àutilized€€by€€the€€Court€€only€€after€€having€€been€€initiatedÏby€Ìà àà àcounsel€€for€€the€€parties€€and€€was€completely€voluntary€andÌà àà àconsensual.€ÌÌà àà à5.à àThat€the€Court€was€satisfied€that€both€parties€had€the€Ìà àà àminor€€childððs€best€interest€at€heart,€however€after€aÏreview€Ìà àà àof€€all€€of€€the€€relevant€€factors€€the€€Court€determined€thatÌà àà àcustody€of€this€minor€child€should€be€in€the€Plaintiff.Ìà àà àÌà àà à€€€€That€€the€€Motion€€for€new€trial€and€in€the€alternative€for€Ìà àà àfindings€€of€fact€filed€on€behalf€of€the€Defendant€be€and€theÌà àà àsame€is€€hereby€€overruled€€except€€to€€the€€extent€€that€€the€€Ìà àà àabove€represents€those€findings.ÌÌà àà à€€€€The€€costs€€of€€this€€cause,€€if€€any,€€are€taxed€against€the€ÌÓÓà àà àDefendant€for€which€execution€is€awarded€if€necessary.Ìà àÌà àThe€order€bears€a€certificate€of€service€upon€new€counsel€ofÏrecord€for€the€wife.€€The€new€counsel€signed€and€filed€a€notice€ofÏappeal€and€an€appeal€bond€as€surety.€€The€same€new€counsel€signed€andÏfiled€a€one€page€ð ðstatement€of€the€evidenceðð€which€read€in€entirety€asÏfollows:ÌÓÓà àà àThere€was€no€testimony€nor€any€evidence€admitted€at€the€ÌÓÓà àà àhearing€in€this€matter.€ÌÌà àThe€ð ðstatement€of€the€œevidenceðð›€is€not€authenticated€by€the€TrialÏJudge,€œand€could€not€be€authenticated›€by€lack€of€objection€as€providedÏby€TRAP€Rule€œ(f)€because€it€is€not€certified€by€counsel€as€required€byÏTRAP€Rule€24(c).›€ÌÓÓÓÓÌà àœOn›€appeal,€it€is€insisted€that€the€Trial€Court€ð ðutilized€a€procedureÏ„„„€which€provided€no€true€hearing€to€the€parties.ðð€€This€insistenceÏignores€the€plain€statement€in€the€quoted€order€of€the€Trial€Judge€that:ÌÓÓà àœà à€€€€The›€œ€attorneys›€œ€representing›€œ€the›€œ€parties›€œ€suggested›€and€œÌà àà àrecommended›€œ€the›€œ€alternative›€œ€dispute›€œ€resolution›€œ€method›€œÌà àà àused›€œ€in›€œ€this›€œ€case›€œ€and›€œthe›€œ€Court€›€adopted€œ€the›€same€after€œÌà àà àhaving›€been€informed€by€counsel€for€both€parties€that€their€œÌà àà àclients›€œ€were€›€agreeable€œ€to›€the€same€and€the€parties€having€œÌà àà àacknowledged›€that€in€open€court.ÌÓÓÌà àThe€foregoing€œstatement›€of€facts€within€the€knowledge€of€theÏTrial€œJudge€in›€his€order€is€a€certificate€of€the€truth€of€the€statement.€ÏThere€is€nothing€in€this€record€to€contradict€the€certificate€of€the€TrialÏJudge,€hence€it€is€adopted€by€this€Court€as€fact.ÌÌà àThere€is€no€insistence€or€evidence€that€counsel€for€either€partyÏœmisrepresented›€œthe€consent›€œof€the€parties€to›€the€procedure€described€inÏthe€order€of€the€Trial€œCourt,›€or€that€any€objection€or€protest€was€madeÏat€the€time€of€the€hearing.ÌÌà àThere€is€a€well€recognized€presumption€in€favor€of€an€attorneyððsÏauthority€as€an€officer€of€the€court€to€act€for€any€client€whom€heÏprofesses€to€represent.€€œ7„A€C›€JS€Attorney€&€Client€ðð€171,€p.€254.ÌÌà àAll€steps€or€proceedings€ordinarily€taken€in€order€to€defend€orÏenforce€the€remedy€or€bring€the€claim€or€cause€of€action€to€hearing,Ïtrial,€determination€and€judgment€are€within€the€general€power€andÏcontrol€of€an€attorney€who€has€been€employed€for€purposes€ofÏlitigation.€€òòIbidóó€ðð€195,€p.€320.ÌÌà àClients€are€held€accountable€for€acts€and€omissions€of€theirÏattorneys.€€òòPioneer€Inv.€Services€Co.€v.€Brunswick€Associates€Ltd.ÏPartnershipóó,€113€S.W.€1489,€507€U.S.€380,€123€L€Ed.€74,€(1993).ÌÌà àCounsel€are€authorized€to€control€the€conduct€of€a€cause€and€makeÏœagreements›€in€relation€thereto€which€ordinarily€will€be€binding€uponÏtheir€clients.€€òòTurley€v.€Cooleyóó,€3€Tenn.€Cas.€68,€3€Shannon€68,€3€Leg.ÏRep.€193€„€(1879).ÌÌà àAny€irregularity€in€the€proceedings€of€the€Trial€Court€wasÏexpressly€waived€by€counsel€for€the€parties.€€ÌÌà àMoreover,€irregularities€were€waived€by€failure€to€preserveÏobjection€thereto.€€Rule€6€of€the€Rules€of€this€Court€provides€inÏpertinent€part€as€follows:ÌÓÓà àà à1.à àA€statement€€by€the€appellant€of€the€alleged€erroneousÌà àà àaction€of€the€trial€court€which€raises€the€issue€and€aÏstatementÌà àà àby€€the€appellee€of€any€action€of€the€trial€court€which€isÏreliedÌà àà àupon€€to€€correct€the€alleged€error,€with€citation€to€theÏrecordÌà àà àwhere€the€erroneous€or€corrective€action€is€recorded.ÌÌà àà à2.à àA€€statement€€showing€€how€€such€€alleged€€error€€wasÌà àà àseasonably€€called€€to€€the€€attention€€of€€the€€trial€€judge€ÏwithÌà àà àcitation€to€that€part€of€the€record€where€appellantððsÏchallengeÌà àà àof€the€alleged€error€is€recorded.ÌÌà àà à3.à àA€statement€reciting€wherein€appellant€wasÏprejudicedÌà àà àby€€such€€alleged€€error,€€with€€citations€to€the€recordÏshowing€Ìà àà àwhere€the€resultant€prejudice€is€recorded.€ÌÓÓà àà àÌà àAppellantððs€brief€contains€no€citation€to€the€record€indicatingÏthat€any€objection€was€made€during€the€trial.€€Neither€the€TechnicalÏRecord€nor€the€Statement€of€the€Evidence€contains€any€indication€ofÏobjection€during€the€Trial.€ÌÌà àIn€Burnette€v.€Pickel,€Tenn.€App.€1993,€858€S.W.2d€319,€this€CourtÏheld€that€alleged€irregular€procedure€was€waived€by€failure€to€object.ÌÌà àThe€Motion€for€new€trial,€quoted€above,€did€complain€of€theÏprocedure,€but€it€was€not€supported€by€affidavit€of€what€did€occur€atÏthe€trial,€what€objections€were€made,€the€specific€evidence€that€wouldÏhave€been€produced€under€proper€procedure,€and€how€the€appellant€wasÏprejudiced€by€the€procedure€followed.€€Such€an€affidavit€would€haveÏenabled€this€Court€to€minutely€examine€what€occurred€during€the€TrialÏand€intelligently€decide€whether€relief€is€due.€€Without€such€evidence,Ïthis€Court€is€not€in€position€to€hold€that€reversible€error€occurred.ÌÌà àAppellant€cites€òòWarren€v.€Warrenóó,€Tenn.€App.€1985,€731€S.W.2dÏ908,€wherein€the€Trial€Judge€denied€the€œrequest€of€the€appellant›€that€aÏcourt€reporter€be€present€during€chamber€conferences.€€No€such€requestÏis€indicated€by€the€present€record.€€The€cited€case€was€remanded€forÏlack€of€testimony€as€to€grounds€of€divorce€as€required€by€the€statute€atÏthat€time.ÌÌà àAppellant€complains€of€the€failure€of€the€Trial€Judge€to€find€theÏfacts€as€requested€in€the€motion€for€a€new€trial.€€T.R.C.P.€Rule€52.01Ïdoes€require€findings€where€requested€before€œjudgment.€€€òòCitizenððsÏNational€Life€Insurance€Co.,€v.€Witherspoonóó,€127€Tenn.€363,€155€S.W.2dÏ139€(1912).̛̜à àA›€request€for€written€finding€is€too€late€on€motion€for€new€trial,ÏòòHarbin€v.€Elamóó,€1€Tenn.€App.€496€œ(1925).€€In›€the€present€case,€appellantsÏrequest€for€findings€was€presented€too€late€to€support€reversal€onÏappealÌœÌà àFailure€to€render€findings€of€fact€is€not€necessarily€reversibleÏerror.€€òòBruce€v.€Bruceóó,€Tenn.€App.€1990,€801€S.W.2d€102.Ì›Ìà àFinally,€appellant€argues€that€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€CourtÏcannot€stand€because€the€record€contains€no€evidence€to€support€it.€€TheÏrecord€does€indicate€clearly€that€the€Trial€Court€heard€evidence,Ïhowever€informally.€€The€absence€of€evidence€in€the€appellate€recordÍdoes€not€œnegative€the€certificate€of€the€Trial€Judge€›€that€evidence€wasÏœheard.€€Where€the€Trial€Court€hears€evidence€that€is€not€preserved€by€aÏcertified€transcript€or€statement€of€the€evidence,€it€is€presumed€thatÏthere€was€evidence€to€support€the€ruling€of€the€Trial€Court€òòScarbroughÏv.€Scarbroughóó,€Tenn.€App.€1988,€752€S.W.2d€94.›ÌÌà àThis€Court€regrets€its€inability€to€adequately€review€the€actionsÏof€the€Trial€Court.€€Some€consolation€is€found€in€the€statutoryÏcontinuing€power€of€the€Trial€Judge€to€change€custody€ð ðas€theÏexigencies€of€the€case€require.ðð€€T.C.A.€ðð€36„6„101(a)(1).ÌœÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà àThe›€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appealÏare€taxed€against€the€appellant.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€TrialÏCourt€for€necessary€further€proceedings.ÌÓÓà àà àÌò òÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED.ó óà àÌÓ  Ớ̜Ìà àà àà àà àà à_______________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌœÌÌÌCONCUR:›ÌœÌ›Ì_____________________________________ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGE̛̜̜_____________________________________›ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ