ÿWPCp, ¾# t U: %¹ 0 û¿ w@º 4ú   0J# 0Tm 0^Á 0h 0r‡ 0|ù 0†u 0û 1u‹ 0ddU *lB)– B¿DCÜ AM¦lkÊ} D3Gszcí 0@Piþùv~÷ vÓu" AOH(Æ—( 0D]) D/¡) BÐ) 0?í) 0D,,˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ,c½¬AZ‹"Arial RegularX(Ó~Ð$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ LegalLˆhÐ (Avery 4167 Post Card AØ'ÿ LegalhÐ (Avery 4167 Post CardTÑÔ€Xm¢XXXÔÑ7€¥3XXdìXXdæ7Ñ UE   D  UÊÓ€Úƒç"3|xH2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d d####7Border 1dd€-%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ œÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌò òAugustÏ27,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€"ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó aÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝHis€date€of€birth€is€not€revealed.Ì ÀÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝHe€plays€six€instruments€and€sang€with€the€Chattanooga€boys€choir€for€sixÏyears.€€The€evidence€indicates€that€he€is€mature€beyond€his€years.Ì$$$$'ÿÿdxd iÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝStark€photographs€taken€by€Dr.€Lansford€show€her€òòen€dishabilleóó,€on€theÏfloor€in€an€unconscious€state,€which€she€ascribed€to€medication,€others€to€alcohol.€ÏShe€testified€that€her€live„in€relationship€with€Dr.€Lansford€was€platonic€in€nature,Ïmade€necessary€because€her€house€was€damaged€by€the€elements.Ì YÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝHe€was€married€four€times€previously.Ì("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò _Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝJason€could,€of€course,€have€been€called€as€a€courtroom€witness.€€ThisÏentails€confrontation,€the€avoidance€of€which€is€salutary.€€But€the€òòen€cameraóóÏproceeding€is€for€the€childððs€benefit,€and€he€should€have€been€allowed€to€expressÏhimself€fully,€frankly,€and€without€hindrance€or€criticism.Ì ôÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝIt€was€revealed€during€argument€that,€after€judgment€was€rendered,€JasonÏdecided€he€needed€a€lawyer.€€He€apparently€was€motivated€by€his€dissatisfactionÏwith€the€òòen€cameraóó€interrogation.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd(ï(3$¤¤Ý ƒ~Ð!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€X*òXXXÔÑ7€*òXXdædæ7ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€"ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÝ  ÝÓÓò òÙ€€ÙÓ  ÓßR€&'%A1-j|` à. `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌEASTERN€SECTION€AT€KNOXVILLEÌÓ  ÓÌÓÓó óBARBARA€SPRUELL,à àà àà à)à àHAMILTON€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)à àœNO.›€03A01„9704„CV„00124Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€ROBERT€M.€SUMMITTÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJUDGEÌKENNETH€WAYNE€SPRUELL,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)à àVACATED€andÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àREMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌÌCatherine€M.€White,€Chattanooga,€for€the€AppellantÌÌLeslie€B.€McWilliams,€Chattanooga,€for€the€AppelleeÌÌÌÌò òòòà@ àO€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àó óóóINMAN,€Senior€JudgeÌÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€acrimonious€custody€dispute€was€not€alleviated€by€inordinate€objectionsÏto€testimony€which€served€principally€to€obfuscate€the€issues€and€make€aÏmeaningful€review€more€difficult.òòò òÌà àó óóóThe€parties€were€divorced€in€July,€1991.€€Custody€of€their€son,€Jason,€thenÏseven€œyears›€old,× ƒ( ××  ×€was€awarded€to€the€appellee€[hereafter,€mother]€with€agreed„upon€support€and€alimony.€€The€latter€award€was€unconditional€for€24€months;Ïthereafter€it€would€continue€an€additional€36€months€unless€mother€remarried€orÏviolated€the€cohabitation€statute.Ìà àIn€April€œ1996,›€mother€filed€a€petition€for€contempt€alleging€that€the€appellantÏ[hereafter,€father]€terminated€his€alimony€payments€without€cause,€but€if€he€wasÏjustified€in€doing€so,€his€child€support€obligation€should€be€increased.Ìà àFather€responded€by€alleging€that€he€learned€in€February€1996€that€motherÏwas€cohabiting€with€a€non„related€member€of€the€opposite€sex,€Dr.€Fred€Lansford,Ïwhom€she€married€on€April€7,€1996,€thus€justifying€the€termination€of€alimony.€€HeÏalleged€a€material€change€of€circumstance€with€respect€to€the€care€and€custody€ofÏJason:€motherððs€meretricious€conduct,€her€neglect€of€his€basic€needs,€herÏdrunkenness,€and€her€denigration€of€father.Ìà àFollowing€a€protracted€trial€the€œCourt›€found:ÌÓÓà à(1)à0 àThat€mother€did€not€cohabit€with€her€ððpresent€husbandðð€prior€to€theirÏmarriage€in€œApril€1996,›€and€that€father€was€indebted€for€two€monthsððÏœalimony;Ì›Ìà à(2)à0 àThat€child€support€should€be€increased€commensurate€with€theÏœGuidelines;Ì›Ìà à(3)à0 àThat€the€evidence€did€not€justify€a€change€of€Jasonððs€œcustody;Ì›Ìà à(4)à0 àThat€mother€was€entitled€to€an€award€for€attorney€fees.ÌÌÓÓà àFather€appeals€and€presents€for€review€the€issues€of:ÌÓÓà à(1)à0 àWhether€the€œCourt›€erroneously€concluded€that€the€evidence€was€notÏsufficient€to€justify€a€change€in€custody;ÌÌà à(2)à0 àWhether€the€œCourt›€erred€in€excluding€statements€made€by€Jason€to€hisÏstep„father;ÌÌà à(3)à0 àWhether€the€trial€judge€improperly€ð ðhindered€the€ability€of€Jason€toÏtestify€fully;ððÌÌà à(4)à0 àWhether€the€œCourt›€erred€in€finding€that€mother€had€not€ð ðcohabited€withÏtwo€different€menðð€since€her€divorce,€and€therefore€was€disqualifiedÏfrom€receiving€alimony;€ÌÌà à(5)à0 à€Whether€the€adjustment€of€child€support€was€erroneously€madeÏretroactive,€andÌÌà à(6)à0 à€Whether€attorney€fees€were€properly€awarded.ÌÌÓÓà àOur€review€of€the€findings€of€fact€made€by€the€trial€œCourt›€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€theÏrecord€of€the€trial€œCourt,›€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€theÏfinding,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise,€òòTenn.€R.€App.€P.,ÏRule€13óó(d).€€There€is€no€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€decision€of€the€trialÏœCourt›€on€a€question€of€law.€€òòNCNB€Natððl€Bank€v.€Thrailkill,€óó856€S.W.2d€150€(Tenn.ÏCt.€App.€1993).òò€óóòòò òÌà àœó óóóAt›€the€outset,€we€may€observe€that€Jason,€now€14€years€old,€appears€to€haveÏmaintained€his€aplomb€throughout€the€discord€surrounding€him.€€A€steady€HonorÏRoll€student,€he€is€accomplished€in€music× ƒ) ××  ×€and€athletics,€and€is€an€active€Boy€Scout.Ìà àThe€record€is€replete€with€invectives€each€hurled€at€the€other€with€respect€toÏhis/her€inattentiveness€to€the€needs€of€Jason.€€We€need€not€reproduce€the€episodicÏevents€each€recounted;€there€is€substantial€evidence€that€mother€has€an€ongoingÏproblem€with€alcohol,€her€denial€of€which€in€the€face€of€well„nigh€irrefutable€proof€toÍthe€contrary× ƒ+ ××  ×€is€unsettling,€to€say€the€least.€€She€apparently€was€less€than€candidÏabout€her€involvement€with€Johnson,€whom€the€proof€revealed€was€her€paramour;Ïshe€began€a€live„in€relationship€with€Dr.€Lansford€in€February€1996,€and€marriedÏhim€in€April€1996.× ƒ, ××  ×€€After€two€months€he€filed€an€action€to€annul€the€marriage€whichÏwas€pending€at€the€time€this€case€was€heard.€€The€record€does€not€reveal€in€aÏmeaningful€way€the€reason€for€the€pending€annulment,€nor€the€appelleeððs€currentÏstatus€vis„a„vis€Dr.€Lansford.€€All€in€all,€this€record€reflects€her€somewhat€anemicÏdenials€of€inappropriate€parental€conduct.Ìà àArrayed€against€the€evidence€of€motherððs€conduct€is€evidence€that€the€fatherÏneglected€Jason€for€much€of€his€life€and€whose€paternal€interest€was€revitalizedÏover€money€matters.ò òòòÌà àóóó óTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€36„6„106€requires€that€a€custody€determination€ððshall€beÏmade€upon€the€basis€of€the€best€interest€of€the€child,ðð€and€mandates€a€litany€ofÏfactors€to€be€considered.€€One€of€these€factors€is€the€preference€of€the€child€if€he€isÏ12€years€of€age€or€older.€€Jason€was€13€years€old,€and€all€of€the€evidence€reflectsÏthat€because€of€his€stability€and€intelligence,€his€testimony€was€not€only€relevant,Ïbut€highly€desirable.€€The€appellant€insists€that€the€trial€œCourt›€hindered€JasonððsÏtestimony€by€cutting€him€off€during€crucial€answers.€€We€reproduce€pertinentÏportions€of€his€testimony:ÌÓÓTHE€œCourt:›à0 àAll€right.€€Weððve€had€some€questions€about€activities€of€your€dad€andÏyour€mom.€€So€Iððll€ask€you€if€you€know€of€any€activities€that€your€momÏhas€done€that€looked€like€it€wasnððt€quite€right?€€Do€you€know€of€any?ÌÌJASON€SPRUELL:à0 àRichard€Johnson,€he€lived€at€our€house€for€a€while.€€I€know€thatÏhe€did€that.€€And€I€think€„€„€ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà àWhat›€did€you€mean€that€he€lived€at€your€œhouse.›ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àHe€lived€at€our€house.€€They€slept€in€the€same€bed€together.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà àDid›€you€see€œthem.›ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àIððve€seen€them.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà àOkay.›€€All€right.ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:€€ò òòòà0 àó óóóAnd,€I€think€we€stayed€over€a€couple€of€nights€with€Bob€œMcCallie›Ïand€we€stayed€over€there€at€his€house.€€A€long€time€ago,€weÏstayed€over€there€maybe€two€nights€I€think.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:à0 àà0 àOkay.›€€All€right.€€Any€others?€€This€is€just€what€Iððve€renounced€toÏthem€but€and€but€go€ahead€get€it€in€the€record.€€Did€you€have€toÏ„€œwhat›€happened€to€Johnson.ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àThey€just€„€„€just€had€a€big€fight€one€day€I€remember€and€my€mom€wasÏjust€throwing€all€of€his€stuff€out€of€the€garage€because€he€was€keepingÏhis€stuff€in€our€house€after€they€sort€of€broke€up€or€something€like€that.€ÏAnd€she€just€œthrough€[sic]›€all€of€his€stuff€out€of€the€house€and€he€wasÏbringing€it€back€in€and€he€just€„€„€they€broke€up€and€we€havenððt€heardÏfrom€him€since.ÌœÌ.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€€.€€€€€.€€€€€Ì›ÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àAll›€right.€€But€you€saying€that€you,€I€believe€you€said€he€was€inÏthe€same€bedroom€as€your€mother€for€a€while.€€Is€that€a€shortÏperiod,€a€long€period.òòò òÌÌó óóóJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àI€think€it€might€have€been€like€two€months€maybe.€€Like€maybe€a€monthÏor€two€months.ÌÌœ.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€ÌÌTHE›€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àDo›€you€know€of€any€incidents€where€your€mom€might€haveÍdone€something€else€that€you€didnððt€like€or€felt€wasnððt€œright.òòò ò›ÌÌó óóóJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àDrinking.€€Sheððs€„€„€ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àAll›€right.€€Tell€us€what€you€know€about€that.òòò òÌÌó óóóJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àSheððs€come€home€drunk.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àWell,›€Iððd€rather€you€wouldnððt€say€drunk.€€Iððd€rather€you€tell€meÏhow€she€acted.€€See€I€donððt€really€want€your€opinion,€but€I€wantÏyour€knowledge€of€what€she€was€doing.€€First,€did€you€actuallyÏsee€her€drinking,€I€œguess?›ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àIððve€seen€her€drinking.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àOkay.›€€I€guess€the€same€question,€did€you€see€your€dadÏdrinking?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àI€havenððt€seen€my€dad€œdrinking.ÌÌTHE€Court:à0 àà0 àNever?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àIððve€seen€him€when€they€were€still€married€and€everything€Iððve€seenÏhim›€drinking€but€I€havenððt€seen€him€drinking€in€the€past€five€years.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àThey›€both€drink€when€they€were€married,€is€that€what€youððreÏsaying?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àYes,€sir.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àAll›€right.€€Go€ahead.€€Were€you€going€to€tell€us€something€elseÏabout€the€drinking?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 à€When€we€were€in€„€„€ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àJust€what€you€know€now.›ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àWe€were€in€Reno€one€summer,€we€were€driving€somewhere€and€I€hadÏseen€her€and€my€cousins€have€seen€her,€she€was€drinking.€€And€weÏgot€in€a€wreck€on€the€œway›€to€this€house€in€Wildwood.€€And€we€just€gotÏin€a€wreck€and,€I€mean,€me€and€my€cousin,€who€were€riding€in€thereÏwith€me,€we€knew€that€she€was€„€„€that€she€had€been€drinking.€€And€weÏwere€telling€her€to€slow€down€and€everything.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àDid›€you€see€her€drink?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àI€saw€her€drinking.€€She€had€beers€in€the€car€with€her.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àOkay.›€€But€you€donððt€know€how€much€she€consumed€actually?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 à(Moves€head€from€side€to€side.)ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àWas›€there€any€„€„€do€you€know,€I€guess€I€shouldnððt€ask€aboutÏwhat€happened€because€that€would€be€hearsay€whether€sheÏwent€to€œCourt›€or€not,€so€donððt€answer€that.€€Any€other€incidentsÏwhere€you€have€seen€your€dad€or€your€mom€or€anybody€likeÏœthat€that›€did€something€wrong€you€felt?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àNo.€€I€think€thatððs€it.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àWhat›€about€lately€in€the€last€year€or€six€months,€or€anything.€ÏHave€you€seen€either€of€them€acting€improperly€or€what€youÏthought€was€improper?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àWell,€my€mom€„€„€the€last€time€I€saw€her€drinking€I€think€it€might€haveÏbeen€maybe€two€months€ago.€€But€then€I€havenððt€seen€her,€like,Ïdrinking€other€than€œthat.ÌÌ.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€›ÌÌ€THE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àNow›€do€you€have€a€good€relationship€with€your€dad?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àItððs€very€good€between€my€dad.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àAnd›€you€have€a€good€relationship€with€your€mother?ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àœYes.ÌÌ.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€›ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àOkay.›€€All€right.€€You€got€one€question.€€Now,€let€me€say€this.€€IÏdonððt€ask€you€where€you€want€to€live.€€I€think€itððs€too€much€for€aÏyoungster€to€have€to€try€to€make€that€judgment.€€But€the€statuteÏsays€that€a€lawyer€can€ask€you.€€And€you€can€answer€it€in€theÏway€you€feel€you€want€to.€€Whether€it€has€an€effect€on€me€or€notÏI€donððt€know.€€But€sheððs€got€a€right€under€the€statute€to€ask€youÏthat€question.òòò òÌÌó óóóMS.€WHITE:à0 àà0 àJason,€just€to€explain,€itððs€not€to€put€you€on€the€spot€or€make€youÏuncomfortable.€€His€Honor€is€trying€to€make€a€decision€aboutÏwhatððs€in€your€best€interest.€€So€having€said€that,€Iððm€going€toÏask€you€if€you€have€a€preference€of€where€you€would€like€to€liveÏin€terms€of€which€parent?€€And€then€let€you€tell€the€œCourt›€why.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àThere›€again,€you€donððt€have€to€answer€that.€€But€if€you€wish€to,Ïyou€can.€€I€think€itððs€too€much€for€a€youngster.€€But€then€theÏstatute€says€that€you€can€be€asked€that.€€Whether€you€want€toÏanswer€is€up€to€you.ÌÌJ.€SPRUELL:à0 àI€donððt€know€where€I€want€to€live.€€I€mean,€I€love€both€of€them€just€theÏsame€and,€I€guess,€Iððll€live€wherever€you€tell€me€to.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àAll›€right.€€Anybody€else?ÌÌMsMcWILLIAMS:à0 àJason,€living€with€your€dad€„€„€ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àYou›€canððt€ask€it€„€„€wait,€wait,€wait€„€„€ÌÌMsMcWILLIAMS:òòò òà0 àó óóóIððm€œsorry,€Judge.›€€That€was€just€a€follow„up€to€what€she€hadÏasked.€€Thatððs€all€that€is.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àNo,›€I€think€we€better€leave€it€alone.ÌÌMsMcWILLIAMS:à0 àWell,€Iððm€not€asking€his€preference,€Iððm€asking€him€aboutÏvisitation.ÌÌTHE€œCourt:›à0 àœà0 àOh,›€oh.€€Okay.€€Visitation.€€Well,€I€can€ask€him€about€that.ÌÌMsMcWILLIAMS:à0 àIf€he€wants€to€continue€„€„€ÌÌ€.€€€€€.€€€€€.€€€€€.€€€€€.€€€€ÌÌÓÓà àAppellant€argues€that€the€trial€œCourt›€interrupted€Jasonððs€testimony€andÏgenerally€failed€to€follow„up€with€logical€and€pertinent€questioning.€€Perhaps€theÏmost€serious€error€was€telling€Jason€twice€that€he€did€not€have€to€answer€counselððsÍquestion€concerning€custodial€preference,œ× ƒ. ××  ×›€in€light€of€the€statute€and€particularly€inÏlight€of€the€fact€that€Jasonððs€custodial€preference€was€the€òòsole€óóreason€for€the€òòinÏcameraóó€proceeding.Ìà àBut€Jason,€ever€the€diplomat,€stated€that€he€loved€both€of€his€parents,€thatÏthey€loved€him,€and€he€would€live€wherever€he€was€told.€€Ìà àThe€appellant€filed€a€post„trial€motion€for€a€psychological€evaluation€whichÏthe€trial€judge€granted.€€This€report€was€not€reviewed€by€the€trial€judge,€although€it€isÏincluded€in€the€record€before€us.€€Because€of€its€obvious€hearsay€nature€we€do€notÏconsider€it€under€Rule€40,€T.€R.€A.€P.€as€post„judgment€facts.ÌÔ% € Ôà àThe€appellant€next€filed€a€post„judgment€motion€seeking€the€appointment€ofÏa€guardian€òòad€litemóó€for€Jason.€€This€motion€was€denied.Ìà àJason€was€œrestrained›€from€ð ðcontacting€any€other€attorney,ðð× ƒ/ ××  ×€and€his€fatherÏwas€similarly€restrained€from€ð ðarranging€for€the€child€to€have€an€attorney.ðð€€TheÏrecord€does€not€reveal€the€reason€for€this€action.Ìà àIn€light€of€our€disposition€of€this€appeal,€we€believe€that€a€further€recitation€ofÏthe€evidence€would€not€be€productive.€€Our€concern,€as€it€must€be,€is€theÏadvancement€and€protection€of€Jasonððs€best€interests.€€While€he€necessarily€cannotÏbe€the€sole€arbiter€of€his€destiny,€he€is€absolutely€entitled€to€express€his€views€in€anÍunimpeded€setting.€€To€this€end,€we€conclude€that€the€judgment€should€be€vacatedÏòòin€totoóó€and€the€case€remanded€for€a€new€trial€as€to€all€issues.€€œIn€doing€so,€weÏexpress€no€opinion€as€to€whether€Jasonððs€custody€should€be€changed;€that€decisionÏmust€await€a€new€hearing.€€Ìà àIn›€light€of€all€of€the€circumstances,€particularly€the€colloquy€between€JasonÏand€the€trial€judge,€a€proper€decorum€requires€that€the€case€should€be€heard€œby›€aÏdifferent€judge€who€is€œdirected€to€consider€the€appointment€of€a€guardian€ad€litemÏfor€him.›Ìà àCosts€are€assessed€to€the€parties€œevenly.€€This€case€is€remanded€to€the€trialÏcurt€for€further€proceedings,€consistent€with€this€opinion.›ÌÌÓÓœÌÌ›à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌœÌÌCONCUR:›ÌÌÌÌ________________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌÌ________________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€JudgeÌòòò òÌóóó ó