WPC # VUNa % 0(w@4 1 UP@ 0l 0D @ 0JH 0T 0^ 0hD 0r 0| 0 0 1u 0d% D3 BU> 0@U 6WB)DC AMU*Fp~_rHv~v8 AO Z 0D  D/d BHP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLh(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($ :D;<D=>D?@DADBӀNڃ"ontinu3|xN&@FZ 8CaslonOpnface BT Regular((3$ !      0  (#$  0  2 0Indent123  2" 0Indent20 23  2, 0Indent30 0 23  26 0Indent40 0 0 23  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23   ! ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X++++'dxd d<  9p`(&Times New Roman("$    <  9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d////7Border 1dd-0C << G<  9p`(Arial  !#d#,  22   YYY FILED2X August28,1997CecilCrowson,Jr.2AppellateCourtClerk   !#d#,   $       ..Whilethismatterwaspendingbelow,thesubjectchildreachedhismajorityandgraduatedfromhighschool.Asaresult,Fathersobligationtoprovideprospectivechildsupportwasextinguished,andhencenoawardforfuturesupportwasset.SeeT.C.A.3411102(b). !#d#,   $       ..T.C.A.362101,etseq. h !#d#,   $       ..TheJuly8,1994,tablepreparedbytheTennesseeDepartmentofHumanServices,whichwasutilizedinthiscase,isbaseduponthe1994InternalRevenueServiceCircularE.PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'hStyl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   h HD: Geneva  h HD: Geneva -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd ! . ,  P .7\XXdd7\RA'\ћ @ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE̜R130A1-j|G `  `@RߛSTATEOFTENNESSEE,DHS,  )C/ANO.03A019701JV00036AND/ASSIGNEEOF:   )WILLIAMRALPHSANDERSand )DORISSANDERSMASTIN,  )      )  PetitionerAppellee,)      )      )APPEALASOFRIGHTFROMTHE      )ANDERSONCOUNTYJUVENILECOURTv.      )      )      )      )      )JAMESBRADYSPRINGS,  )      )HONORABLEPATRICIAR.HESS,  RespondentAppellant.)JUDGEForAppellant     ForAppelleeBILLYH.LEFFEW    JOHNKNOXWALKUP,Rockwood,Tennessee    AttorneyGeneralandReporter̜       Nashville,Tennessee̛       KIMBERLYM.FRAYN       AssistantAttorneyGeneral̜       Nashville,Tennessee @   OPINION..X̜AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED       Susano,J.  Thisisapaternitycase.Whentherespondent,JamesBradySprings(Father),demandedajurytrial,thismatterwastransferredtotheAndersonCountyCircuitCourt.AfterDNAtestingindicatedaveryhighprobabilitythathewasthefatherofWilliamRalphSanders,Springsacknowledgedhispaternityofthechild.OnremandtotheAndersonCountyJuvenileCourt,thatcourtsetFatherspast 4   כsupportobligationat$88,026anddecreedthatthisamountbepaidtothepetitioner,DorisSandersMastin(Mother),attherateof$578permonth.Fatherappealed,raisingthreeissues: 8 1.DidthetrialcourterrinutilizingtheChildSupportGuidelines(Guidelines)ineffectatthetimeofthehearingtocomputeFathersobligationforthesupportofthechildfortheperiodfromthedateofthechildsbirthin1977tothedateofhisgraduationfromhighschoolonoraboutJune1,1996? 8 2.Didthetrialcourterrinpreventingrespondentfrompresentingevidenceof(a)Ms.ϜMastinsexpendituresforthesupportofthepartieschildfrom1977to1996;(b)Ms.ϜMastinsincomeforthesameperiod;and(c)ϜtheamountofsupportshereceivedfortwoϜotherchildrenfollowingherdivorce,whenthefatherofthosechildrenwasearningpaycomparabletotherespondent? 8 3.Didthetrialcourterrinrefusingtoallowtherespondentacreditagainsthispastchildsupportforthecostofamotorbikehepurchasedforthepartieschild?Weaffirm.̜Ǜ@ I  WilliamRalphSanderswasborntoMotheronSeptember27,1977.MotherfiledapetitiononMarch30,1995,seekingtoestablishthatrespondentJamesBradySpringswasthefatherofherchild.Fatherdidnotsupportthechild,directlyorindirectly,priortothefilingofthepetition.TherecordisalsoclearthattherewasnorelationshipbetweenFatherandhissonpriortothisactionbeingfiled.  OnMarch11,1996,afterthechildreachedhismajoritybutbeforehegraduatedfromhighschool,Fatherborrowed$3,300andpurchasedhimamotorbike.Fathertestifiedthathedidthisbecausethechildneededtransportation,havingwreckedhisautomobile.AtthetimeofthehearingonJuly25,1996,thechildhadsoldthemotorbike.Heapparentlyretainedtheproceeds;fathertestifiedatthehearingthathewasstillpayingϜofftheloan.  RichardHill,aparalegalwiththeAndersonCountyChildSupportDivision,wascalledasawitnessforthepetitioner.Throughhim,anexhibitwaspresentedtothecourtdetailingthechildsupportdueforeachyear,beginningwiththechildsbirthonSeptember27,1977,andendingwithhisgraduationfromhighschoolonoraboutJune1,1996.Mr.HilltestifiedthathecomputedthechildsupportbaseduponFathersgrossmonthlyincomeduringtheyears19771995assetforthinhisanswerstoϜinterrogatories.HestatedthatheutilizedthetabledatedJuly8,1994,developedbytheTennesseeDepartmentofHumanServices,whichreflectsnumericchildsupportdueforoneormoreminorchildrenatvariouslevelsofanobligorsgrossincome.Accordingtohiscomputations,theamountdue,pursuanttotheGuidelines,was$90,558.Inawardingpastchildsupportof$88,026,thetrialcourtgaveFatheracreditforcourtorderedsupportpaymentsmadebyhimforachildbornofhismarriagetoanotherwoman.@ II  Thelegalprinciplesapplicabletothischildsupport/paternitycasewererecentlydiscussedbythiscourtintheunreportedcaseof Shellv.Law ,C/ANo.03A019608CV00251(CourtofAppealsatKnoxville,March18,1997),applicationforpermissiontoappealpending: 8 PaternityproceedingsareaddressedinChapter2ofTitle36oftheCode. 5   ׀T.C.A.362102providesthat [t]hefatherofachildbornoutofwedlockisliablefor...[t]henecessarysupportandeducationofthechild;...T.C.A.362108states,amongotherthings,thatifthedefendantisfoundtobethefatherofthechild,thecourt shallalsoprovide...forthesupportofthechildpriortothemakingoftheorderofpaternityandsupport. 8 AtrialcourtsauthorityinsettingbackchildsupportisaddressedintheleadingSupremeCourtcaseof Stateexrel.Colemanv.Clay ,805S.W.2d752(Tenn.1991),whereinJusticeDaughtrey,speakingforthecourt,opinedasfollows:  8 ...thefathersresponsibilityforsupportofachildofhisbornoutofwedlockarisesatthedateofthechildsbirth.Becausethestatutealsopermitsthe[trialcourt]tomakearetroactiveawardforexpensesincurredinthesupportofthechildpriortotheentryofthepaternitydecree,suchanawardcanbemadebacktothedateofthechildsbirth,underappropriatecircumstances.Obviously,the[trialcourt]hasbroaddiscretiontodeterminetheamountofsucharetroactiveaward,aswellasthemannerinwhichitistobepaid.  Id.at755. 8 Insettingprospectivechildsupportinpaternitycases,atrialcourtisboundtoϜfollowthemandatesofT.C.A.365101(e),andtheChildSupportGuidelines(Guidelines)promulgatedbytheDepartmentofHumanServicesandadoptedbytheGeneralAssembly.SeeT.C.A.362108(d).SeealsoϜTenn.Comp.R.&Regs.,ch.124024.02(3).( Theseguidelinesshallbeapplicableinanyactionbroughttoestablishormodifychildsupport,whethertemporaryorpermanent.)Cf. Barabasv.Rogers ,868S.W.2d283,288n.5(Tenn.App.1993).TheGuidelineshavetheforceoflaw. Nashv.Mulle ,846S.W.2d803,804(Tenn.1993)( Hence,thepurposes,premises,guidelinesforcompliance,andcriteriafordeviationfromtheguidelinescarrywhatamountstoalegislativemandate.) 8 Intheunreportedcaseof Kirchnerv.ϜPritchett ,C/ANo.01A019503JV00092,1995WL714279(CourtofAppealsatNashville,December6,1995),perm.app.notrequested,apaneloftheMiddleSectionofthiscourtdifferentiatedbetweenthesettingofprospectivechildsupportandbackchildsupportinpaternitycases:  8 Childsupportdecisionsinpaternitycasesarecontrolledbythesameprinciplesgoverningsimilardecisionsindivorcecases.Tenn.CodeAnn.362108(d)(Supp.1995).Sincechildsupportdecisionsindivorcecasesmustbemadeinaccordancewiththechildsupportguidelines,Tenn.CodeAnn.365101(e)(1)(Supp.1995),decisionsinvolvingprospectivechildsupportinpaternitycasesmustalsobeconsistentwiththeguidelines(citationsomitted).@ ***  8 Unlikeawardsforprospectivechildsupport,awardsforexpensesarisingbetweenthechildsbirthandthefilingofapaternitypetitionarediscretionarydecisionsbasedonthefactsoftheparticularcase(citationsomitted). 8 Id.1995WL714279at*45.WeagreewithourbrethrenintheMiddleSection.The broaddiscretionrecognizedbytheSupremeCourtin Stateexrel.Coleman ,805S.W.2dat755,isinconsistentwitharequirementthattheGuidelinesbestrictlyadheredtoincomputingbackchildsupportinpaternitycases.Thisisnottosaythatatrialcourt,intheexerciseofitsbroadbutsounddiscretion,couldnotawardchildsupportbacktothedateofthechildsbirthinanamountcalculatedinstrictadherencetotheformulasetforthinTenn.Comp.R.&Regs.,ch.124024.03.Clearly,itcouldinanappropriatecase;butitisalsojustasclearthatatrialcourtsbroaddiscretionpermitsittoawardbackchildsupportinanamountotherthantheamountcalculatedinstrictcompliancewiththeGuidelines.AstheSupremeCourtsaidin Stateexrel.Coleman :  8 ...thestatutegivesthejuvenilecourtthediscretiontoorderaretroactivesupportawardbackto...[the]date[ofthechildsbirth],theamountandmethodofpaymenttobedeterminedbythe[trialjudge]inlightofthecircumstancesofthecaseandconsistentwiththestandardswhichnormallygoverntheissuanceofchildsupportorders.(citationomitted).  Id.805S.W.2dat755.ӛ Shellv.Law ,at*47.(Emphasisinoriginal).@ III  Inhisfirstissue,FathercontendsthatthetrialcourterredinusingWithholding,SocialSecurity,andMedicaretaxdeductionsbaseduponthe1994InternalRevenueService,CircularE,EmployersTaxGuide. 6   כHearguesthatthecourt,incomputingchildsupportforanygivenyear,shouldhaveusedtheCircularEineffectforthatyear.Forexample,hecontendsthatthecomputationofnetincomefor1977shouldhavebeenbaseduponthedeductionsauthorizedinthe1977CircularE.  Therewasnoevidenceintroducedbelowthatpastchildsupportfortheyears19771996wouldhavebeenlessifFathersnetincome,asdefinedintheGuidelines,hadbeencalculatedusingtheCircularEsineffectduringthevariousyearsinquestion.Asapartofhisargument,counselforFatherpresented͜tothecourtsevenpiecesofyellowpaperwithhishandwrittencomputations,whichhestatedwerebasedupontheCircularEsineffectduringtheyears1977through1996.HealsointroducedtheCircularEsforeachoftheyearsinquestion.Thetrialjudgemarkedallofthisasanexhibit,butveryclearlystatedthatshewasreceivingitasapartofFathersargument,andnotasevidence.Inrefusingtoacceptthismaterial(particularlycounselssevenpiecesofyellowpageswithhishandwrittencomputations)asevidence,thecourtsustainedMothersobjectionthatthesecomputationswerenotpresentedunderoathandthatshewasnotaffordedanopportunitytotesttheirvaliditythroughcrossexamination.  WeagreewithMotherandthetrialcourtthatFatherscomputationswerenotpresentedasevidenceinthiscase.TheRulesofEvidenceclearlysetforththeproceduretobefollowedifasummaryistobeofferedintoevidence.SeeRule1006,ϜTenn.R.Evid.Noattemptwasmadetosatisfythisrule.Therefore,sincetherewasnoevidencesupportingFatherscontentionassetforthinhisfirstissue,wedonotfinditnecessarytoaddressthesubstanceofthatargument.Accordingly,wefindthatFathersfirstissueiswithoutmerit.  Fatherssecondissueinvolvesthreeparts.Wewilladdresseachpartseparately.  FatherfirstarguesthathewaspreventedfromofferingevidenceofMothersexpendituresforthesupportofthepartieschildduringtheperiodfromSeptember27,1977,toJune1,1996.WedonotagreewithFatherscharacterizationofwhattookplacebelow.  Duringhercrossexamination,Motherwasaskedthefollowingquestion: 8 Yousaythatyouareexpectingreimbursement,butdoyouhaveanyreceiptsheretoshowwhatyouhavepaidinregardtosupportingthischild?CounselforMotherobjectedonthegroundofrelevancy.Thetrialcourtsustainedtheobjection,butforanotherreason: 8 THECOURT:Imnotgoingtospendmytimehere.Ifyouwantedthat,thatshouldhavebeenamatterforInterrogatories,ifthatwastobeanissue.Aswesitheretoday,itsusingthiscourtroomfordiscoveryandthatsnotappropriate.ThestatutesdosaythattheGuidelinesaretobeused.NofurthereffortwasmadetopresentevidenceofMothersϜexpendituresforthesupportofthepartieschildduringtheperiodinquestion.Noofferofproofwasmade.SeeRule103,ϜTenn.R.Evid.Seealso Statev.Goad ,707S.W.2d846,85253(Tenn.1986).  EvenifthetrialcourterredinsustainingMothersobjectiontothisonequestion,wecannotconcludefromthisthatFatherwaspreventedfromofferingevidenceofMotherssupport,asarguedinFatherssecondissue.Furthermore,wecannotevaluatewhethersuchevidence,ifavailableandpresentedtothetrialcourt,wouldhavemandatedadifferentresultinthiscase.Thisisbecausewecannotweighevidencethatisnotbeforeus.ϜEvenifthetrialcourtcommittederrorinrefusingtopermitMothertoanswerthisonequestion,wecannotsaythatthiserror moreprobablythannotaffectedthejudgmentorwouldresultinprejudicetothejudicialprocess.SeeRule36(b),T.R.A.P.  Inthesecondaspectofhissecondissue,FathercontendsthatthetrialcourtrefusedtolethimintroduceproofofMothersincomefortheperiod19771996.Fatherdoesnotindicateinhisbriefwhereintherecordheattemptedtointroducethisproof.SeeRule27(a)(6),T.R.A.P.WehavesearchedtherecordandcannotfindanypointinthetranscriptwhereFatherattemptedtogetthisproofintoevidence.Intheabsenceofsuchatender,wedonotfinditnecessarytoreachthesubstanceofFathersargumentonthispoint.  AsthelastelementofFatherssecondissue,hecomplainsthatthetrialcourtrefusedtoadmitintoevidenceproofthatforsomeportionoftherelevanttimeperiod,Motherwasreceiving$40perweekfromherformerhusbandforthesupportoftwootherchildren.Testimonyonthismatterwasputintherecordasexcludedevidence.  Thetrialcourtwascorrectinexcludingthisevidence.WhatMotherreceivedfromanothermanassupportfortwootherchildrenisnotrelevantontheissueofwhatFathershouldpayasbackchildsupport.Thisisbecausetheevidenceinquestiondoesnot hav[e]anytendencytomaketheexistenceofanyfactthatisofconsequencetothedeterminationoftheactionmoreprobableorlessprobablethanitwouldbewithouttheevidence.SeeRule401,Tenn.R.Evid.TheissuebeforethecourtwashowmuchFathershouldpayforpastchildsupport.WhatanothermanpaidtoMotheraschildsupportsimplywasnotrelevanttowhatFatherϜshouldpay.  WehaveconsideredallaspectsofFatherssecondissue.WearenotpersuadedthatthereisanybasisinFathersargumentstodisturbthejudgmentbelow.  InFathersthirdandfinalargument,hecontendsthathewasdueacreditagainsthisbackchildsupportforthe$3,300heexpendedinpurchasinghissonamotorbike.ThetrialcourtfoundthatthemotorbikewasagifttothepartieschildandthatFatherwasnotentitledtoacredit.Weagree.TherewasnoproofthatthemotorbikerepresentedanecessitythatwasnotbeingfurnishedbyMother.Thisisthetestfortheallowanceofacreditagainstchildsupportwherethepaymentorexpenditureisnotmadepursuanttoacourtorder.See Oliverv.Oczkowicz ,C/ANo.89396II,1990WL64534(CourtofAppealsatNashville,May18,1990).  Wedonotfindthattheevidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialcourtsjudgment.SeeRule13(d),T.R.A.P.Itresultsthatwefindnoabuseofthetrialcourtsdiscretioninsettingbackchildsupport.̛  Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsonappealaretaxedtotheappellantandhissurety.Thiscaseisremandedtothetrialcourtfortheenforcementofthejudgmentandcollectionofcostsassessedbelow,allpursuanttoapplicablelaw.       __________________________       CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,J.CONCUR:________________________̜HerschelP.Franks,J.________________________DonT.McMurray,J.