ÿWPC€ …# VUFa %§ 0@­4í n­ w@½ ý 0J 0TO 0^£ 0h 0ri 0|Û 0†W 0Ý 1um U,â 0dU,rU6žB)ÔDCý AM@ BU*ªCÔv~vÓ• D3h 0@› AOÛÆ* 0Dð D/4 Bc˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 <¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  ÓÔe{ ¡Ó 3|xÆ«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXXxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@ ²³E´[µ¶E·¸D¹º»Ó€2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d< Œ 9p`(Arial 9Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌò òMarch€28,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€&ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA:Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA:Op Monaco Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€  X„d&ÓÑ#€  Xd#ÑÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ ¸ ÑÑ Ü ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€)¾XXdÖXXdÖ7ÑÙ€€ÙßL€$'#;+'h|` Å `€€Lß›à@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌJOHN€WILLIAM€WITT,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHAMILTONÏCIRCUITÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9510„CV„00354Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€ROBERT€M.€SUMMITTÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌKIMBERLEY€DENISE€WITT,€€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€)ÌÌÌÌÌW.€GERALD€TIDWELL,€JR.,€Chattanooga,€for€Appellant.ÌÌÌCHARLES€W.€BURSON,€Attorney€General€and€Reporter€and€JAMES€H.ÏTUCKER,€JR.,€Assistant€Attorney€General,€for€Appellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà€ àMcMurray,€J.ÌÌà àThis€is€a€most€unusual€case.€€The€parties€were€married€onÏSeptember€26,€1987.€€During€the€marriage,€one€child,€Dustin€LeviÏWitt,€was€born.€€On€May€11,€1989,€the€plaintiff€filed€an€actionÏfor€divorce.€€On€November€15,€1989,€a€final€decree€was€entered€byÏthe€court€dissolving€the€marriage€on€the€grounds€of€irreconcilableÏdifferences€and€approving€a€marital€dissolution€agreement.€€TheÏmarital€dissolution€œagreement›€œcontained,€among€other€things,›€theÏfollowing€provision:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àThe€parties€stipulate€and€agree€that€a€child€wasÏborn€to€Kimberly€Denise€Witt€on€or€about€July,€1988,Ïnamed€Dustin€Levi€Witt.€€By€her€signature€to€this€agree…ment,€Kimerly€Denise€Witt€hereby€states€that€John€Wil…liam€Witt€is€not€the€father€of€said€child€and€that€sheÏwas€not€living€with€John€William€Witt€when€said€childÏwas€conceived.€€Kimberly€Denise€Witt€hereby€waives€anyÏand€all€child€support€payments€which€would€be€due€andÏowing€by€John€William€Witt,€and€by€this€agreement€andÏsignature€hereto,€John€William€Witt€acknowledges€that€heÏis€not€the€father€of€said€child€and€hereby€forfeits€allÏparental€rights€to€said€child.€€Based€upon€this€agree…ment€and€the€signatures€of€the€parties,€the€partiesÏstipulate€and€agree€than€Kimberly€Denise€Witt€shall€haveÏthe€exclusive€care,€custody€and€control€of€said€minorÏchild€and€that€John€William€Witt€is€hereby€foreverÍrelieved€of€any€parental€responsibilities€toward€theÏsaid€Dustin€Levi€Witt.ÌÌÓÓÌà àApparently,€after€the€divorce,€Mrs.€Witt€(now€Samuelson)Ïapplied€for€and€received€AFDC€benefits€from€the€State€of€Tennes…see.€€On€February€8,€1991,€the€State€on€relation€of€Kimberly€Witt,Ïfiled€an€action€in€the€Marion€County€Circuit€Court€to€seeking€toÏimpose€child€support€obligations€on€Mr.€Witt€and€to€establishÏpaternity.€€The€case€came€on€for€hearing€before€the€child€supportÏreferee€in€Marion€County.€€The€referee€ordered€the€parties€toÏundergo€blood€tests€and€comparisons€for€the€purpose€of€establish…ing€or€disproving€parentage.€€Pending€the€outcome€of€the€bloodÏtests,€the€referee€ordered€the€plaintiff„respondent€to€pay€childÏsupport€on€a€temporary€basis€of€$50.00€per€week€plus€the€clerk'sÏcommission€thereon.€€Retroactive€support€was€reserved€for€a€laterÏhearing.ÌÌà àThe€respondent,€Mr.€Witt,€took€exception€to€the€referee'sÏfindings€and€requested€a€hearing€before€the€Circuit€Judge.€€AÏhearing€was€held€on€February€14,€1992,€in€the€Marion€County€Cir…cuit€Court.€€The€Marion€County€Circuit€Court€ordered€the€caseÍtransferred€to€the€Circuit€Court€of€Hamilton€County€for€the€pur…pose€of€allowing€the€Honorable€Robert€M.€œSummitt›€to€determine€ifÏthere€were€any€grounds€to€set€aside€his€previous€order€determiningÏthat€John€William€Witt€was€not€the€father€of€the€child€in€ques…tion.ÌÌà àOn€December€6,€1993,€the€State€of€Tennessee,€as€assignee€ofÏKimberly€Denise€Witt€Samuelson,€filed€a€motion€in€the€HamiltonÏCounty€Circuit€Court€asking€the€court€to€set€aside€that€part€ofÏits€previous€order€approving€the€marital€dissolution€agreementÏinsofar€as€it€related€to€paternity€of€the€child.€€An€order€wasÏentered€in€the€Hamilton€County€Circuit€Court€appointing€a€òòGuardianÏAd€Litemóó€for€the€minor€child.ÌÌà àOn€June€23,€1994,€the€court,€pursuant€to€Rule€60,€TennesseeÏRules€of€Civil€Procedure,€entered€an€order€setting€aside€that€partÏof€its€original€judgment€dealing€with€the€paternity€of€the€minorÏchild.€œFurther,€the›€court€œordered›€blood€tests€to€ascertain€pater…nity.ÌÌà àOn€March€20,€1995,€an€agreed€order€was€entered€which,€amongÏother€things,€recited€that€based€upon€blood€test€results,€theÏrespondent,€John€William€Witt,€"concedes€the€issue€of€paternityÏand€admits€that€he€is€the€father€of€the€child."ÌÌà àThe€respondent,€John€William€Witt,€appeals€from€the€judgmentÏof€the€trial€court€granting€relief€under€Rule€60,€T.R.C.P.€€HeÏcomplains€only€of€the€court's€action€in€setting€aside€a€portion€ofÏthe€divorce€decree€which€he€claims€was€done€without€an€evidentiaryÏhearing€to€establish€grounds€under€Rule€60,€claiming€that€reliefÏfrom€the€previous€order€of€the€court€was€time€barred.ÌÌà àWe€do€not€find€it€necessary€under€the€circumstances€of€thisÏcase€to€address€the€issue€as€presented€by€the€appellant.€€We€findÏand€hold€that€the€original€provisions€of€the€marital€dissolutionÏagreement€relating€to€paternity€and€child€support€are€void€asÏagainst€the€public€policy€of€this€state€and€that€the€court€may,Ïœòòsua›€sponteóó,€set€aside€a€void€order€or€a€void€agreement€incorporat…ed€within€an€order€or€decree.ÌÌà àDecrees€relating€to€child€custody€and€support€are€generallyÏviewed€as€conclusive€on€the€facts€in€existence€at€the€time€theÏdecision€was€entered.€€òòSeeóó€òòNichols€v.€Nicholsóó,€792€S.W.2d€713,Ï715„16€(Tenn.€1990).€€However,€the€entry€of€a€decree€does€not€neƒcessarily€preclude€the€later€consideration€of€material€facts€that€Ïwere€not€fully€developed€in€the€earlier€proceeding€because€ofÏconcealment,€fraud,€duress,€or€other€violations€of€public€policyÏby€one€of€the€parties.€€òòœRowles›€v.€œReynolds›óó,€196€S.W.2d€76,€79Ï(1946);€4€Family€Law€Practice€(MB)€ðð€52.02(1)(h)€(1989).€€òòSee€alsoóóÏòòœFaircloth›€v.€Lockeóó,€an€unreported€opinion€of€this€court€(1991).€ÏWe€are€prepared€to€go€one€step€further€and€hold€that€a€violationÏof€the€public€policy€of€this€state€by€òòò òbothóóó ó€parties€justifies€theÏcourt€in€voiding€the€offending€parts€of€the€decree,€where,€on€itsÏface,€the€decree€shows€a€violation€of€the€public€policy€of€thisÏstate.€€An€evidentiary€hearing,€under€such€circumstances,€is€notÏnecessary.ÌNo€amount€of€evidence€can€transform€a€void€order,€agreement€orÏdecree€into€one€possessing€any€legal€efficacy.ÌÌà àIt€seems€abundantly€clear€that€since€time€immemorial€it€hasÏbeen€the€public€policy€of€this€state€that€a€parent€is€under€a€dutyÏto€support€his€children.€€Indeed,€it€has€been€declared€a€criminalÏoffense€by€the€legislature€for€a€parent€to€knowingly€fail€toÏsupport€his€children.€€Further€evidence€of€the€public€policy€ofÏthe€State€as€established€by€our€legislature€may€be€found€in€T.C.A.Ïðððð€36„2„101,€et€seq.,€(paternity€proceedings)€and€T.C.A.€ðððð€36„5„101€requiring€parents€to€support€their€children€and€by€the€adop…tion€of€the€child€support€guidelines€promulgated€by€the€DepartmentÏof€Human€Services.ÌÌà àWe€have€found€no€authority€in€this€jurisdiction€and€none€hasÏbeen€called€to€our€attention€which€œhas›€dealt€with€the€legal€quag…mire€into€which€this€case€has€fallen.€€We€do€find€cases,€however,Ïthat€are€analogous€and€in€which€principles€of€law€therein€foundÏcan€be€applied€to€this€case€as€well.€€In€òòWright€v.€œHollard›óó,€anÏunreported€opinion€of€this€court€issued€in€1993€(Lexis€168),€theÏcourt€addressed€an€issue€relating€to€the€responsibilities€of€aÏnatural€parent€for€child€support€after€surrender€for€the€purposesÏof€adoption.€€The€adoption€did€not€take€place.€€In€òòWrightóó,€theÍcourt€citing€òòœFauven›€v.€Hansenóó,€803€P.2d€1275€(Utah€App.€1990),Ïstated€that€"[œt]o›€permit€a€parent€to€abrogate€that€obligation€[forÏsupport]€through€an€agreement€with€the€other€parent€...€œof€a›Ïpossible€adoption€at€some€future€time€creates€the€possibility€of€aÏbreak€in€the€chain€of€responsibility.€€...€[œI]f›€the€non„custodialÏparent€had€no€continuing€obligation€to€support€the€minor€childÏsimply€because€he€had€executed€an€adoption€consent€form,€then€theÏresponsibility€to€support€the€child€should€the€custodial€parentÏbecomes€incapacitated€or€unable€to€support€the€child,€as€she€didÏin€òòœFauven›óó,€would€fall€on€the€state€and,€therefore,€the€resultÏwould€be€a€violation€of€public€policy."ÌÌà àWe€find€an€even€stronger€statement€in€òòStraub€v.€Toddóó,€626ÏœN.E.2d›€848€(Ind.€App.€1994).€€In€òòStraubóó,€an€unmarried€woman€decid…ed€that€she€wanted€a€child€of€her€own.€€She€engaged€the€defendantÏto€father€her€child.€€Before€undertaking€to€do€so,€however,€theÏfather€required€the€unmarried€woman€to€sign€an€agreement€thatÏwould€hold€him€harmless€for€emotional€and€financial€support€of€aÏchild€which€might€result€from€their€relationship.€€In€due€time,Ínature€took€its€course€and€a€child€was€born.€The€court€in€òòStraubóóÏœstated:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àIndiana›€has€long€recognized€the€obligation€of€bothÏparents€to€support€€their€children.€(Citations€omitted).€ÏòòIn€the€Matter€of€œM.D.H.›ó󀀜,›€437€œN.E.2d›€119,€œ126,(Ind.ÏApp.€1982)›€the€court€noted€that€current€statutory€provi…sions€relating€to€support€orders€for€legitimate€andÏillegitimate€children€are€virtually€identical.€€TheÏcourt€stated,€'[A]€parent's€obligation€to€support€hisÏminor€child,€legitimate€or€illegitimate,€is€a€basicÏtenet€recognized€in€this€state€by€statutes€that€provideÏcivil€and€criminal€sanctions€against€parents€who€neglectÏsuch€duty€œ...€.'›€€òòIdóó.€at€127.€€In€addition,€there€is€aÏwell„established€common„law€duty€and€obligation€of€aÏfather€to€assist€in€the€support€of€his€children.€...€ItÏis€apparent€that€our€legislature€has€created€a€strongÏcurrent€public€policy€(and€not€merely€maintained€anÏancient€one)€with€the€object€of€protecting€€the€rightsÏof€children€from€the€whims€of€their€parents€and€theÏpower€of€€the€œstate.ÌÌÓÓà àÌà àThe›€court€found€that€the€purported€agreement€between€theÏparties€as€it€pertains€to€the€support€of€the€child€was€void€as€aÏmatter€of€public€policy.€€We€find€no€meaningful€distinction€be…tween€the€public€policy€of€Indiana€in€this€regard€and€the€publicÏpolicy€of€Tennessee.€€We,€therefore,€find€òòStraubóó€to€be€compelling…ly€persuasive.ÌÌà àWe€find€and€hold€that€agreements,€incorporated€in€courtÏdecrees€or€otherwise,€which€relieve€a€natural€or€adoptive€parentÏof€his€or€her€obligation€to€provide€child€support€are€void€asÏagainst€public€policy€as€established€by€the€General€Assembly.€ÏAccordingly,€we€find€that€the€provision€in€the€marital€dissolutionÏagreement€between€the€parties€in€this€case,€insofar€as€it€relievesÏthe€father€of€his€child€support€obligation,€is€void.ÌÌà àWe€wish€to€further€state€that€a€child€or€children€born€to€aÏmarriage€cannot€be€rendered€illegitimate,€directly€or€indirectly,Ïin€any€divorce€action€or€other€proceeding€unless€the€child€orÏchildren€are€made€parties€to€the€action,€afforded€the€protectionÏof€a€òòguardian€ad€litemóó,€and€counsel,€if€necessary.ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€Costs€of€thisÏappeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellant€and€this€cause€is€remanded€toÏthe€trial€court€for€the€collection€thereof€and€for€such€other€andÏfurther€action€as€may€be€necessary.ÌÌÓÓà€ à__________________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€J.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌ___________________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌòòœConcurs€in€separate€opinion.€€€€€€€óó€›ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.Ìà€ àÌÇÑ  ÑÑ7€{2XXd×XXd×7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌJOHN€WILLIAM€WITT,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHAMILTON€CIRCUITÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9510„CV„00354Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€ROBERT€M.€œSUMMITT›Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌKIMBERLEY€DENISE€WITT,€€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€€)ÌÌÌ€Ìà@ àò òòòORDERóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Hamilton€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÏUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€thatÏthere€was€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€Costs€of€thisÏappeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellant€and€this€cause€is€remanded€toÏthe€trial€court€for€the€collection€thereof€and€for€such€other€andÏfurther€action€as€may€be€necessary.ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€PER€CURIAMÌ