WPCL& c(zYAFA6Iht<[mS~ӁH-/ɺtBV"X{1=3b ebPj|{-cq3/8,;SDyFś=JIFI{ʹ޲.cUVE.39]o} OfƾX8 uۊt;<4Hk/aM>A*>GQ.ܸ8%V,&-FXHՔKgQ88s3?D@A+BӀNh&  3|xP&@FZ 8CaslonOpnface BT Regular<(M 9Z .Courier New Regular   $    3    X^XXXtXX^T.C.A.6811405provides,inpart,asfollows: P    8 ` (a)Therecordsshallbeaccompaniedbyanaffidavitofacustodianstatinginsubstance: ` `    8 ` (1)Thattheaffiantisdulyauthorizedcustodianoftherecordsandhasauthoritytocertifytherecords; ` `    8 ` (2)Thatthecopyisatruecopyofalltherecordsdescribedinthesubpoena; ` `    8 ` (3)Thattherecordswerepreparedbythepersonnelofthehospitalorcommunitymentalhealthcenter,staffphysicians,orpersonsactingunderthecontrolofeither,intheordinarycourseofhospitalorcommunitymentalhealthcenterbusinessatornearthetimeoftheact,conditionoreventreportedtherein;and ` `    8 ` (4)Certifyingtheamountofthereasonablechargesofthehospitalorcommunitymentalhealthcenterforfurnishingsuchcopiesoftherecord. ` `  @%***((3$ !      0  (#$  0  <Q 9Z .Courier New Regular ,  $    4    X^XXXtXX^Ms.RogersHornsbysoraltestimonyalsolaidaproperfoundationto P  qualifyMothersrecordsasbusinessrecordsunderRule803(6),Tenn.R.Evid.<Q 9Z .Courier New Regular  $    1    X^XXX,XX^Foreaseofreference,wewillrefertothechildbyhermiddlename P  thenameusedbyherparents.<Q 9Z .Courier New Regular<4 9Z .Courier New Regular   $    7    XXXX2.X!XTheopinionin Graham waspublishedbeforetheRulesofEvidencewere P  enacted.ThatcasewasdecidedunderT.C.A.24714(laterT.C.A.247111),sincerepealed.ThatcodesectionwassimilartoRule803(6),Tenn.R.Evid.  $    2    X^XXXtXX^SeeT.C.A.333104(10)(A)(iv)(Supp.1998).<Q 9Z .Courier New Regular 3  $    5    XXXX2.XXMothercandidlyandcorrectlyacknowledgesthatifthemedical P  recordswereproperlyadmitted,itcannotbesaidthattheevidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialcourtsjudgmentawardingFathercustodyofSummer.See Massengalev.Massengale ,915S.W.2d818,819(Tenn.App.1995). `  Forthisreason,shedoesnotmakeanissueastothelowercourtsfactualfindings.<Q 9Z .Courier New Regular X SXXX: XX S   Ad FILED$  :   June25,1999  CecilCrowson,Jr.\  $AppellateCourt  Clerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular 9  $    5    X^XXXtXX^Mothercandidlyandcorrectlyacknowledgesthatifthemedical P  recordswereproperlyadmitted,itcannotbesaidthattheevidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialcourtsjudgmentawardingFathercustodyofSummer.See Gaskillv.Gaskill ,936S.W.2d626,631(Tenn.App.1996) .For `  thisreason,shedoesnotmakeanissueastothelowercourtsfactualfindings.<Q 9Z .Courier New Regular  $    6    X^XXXtXX^T.C.A.247111,repealedbyChapter273,PublicActsof1991.<Q 9Z .Courier New Regular   $    7    !XXXX!2.X!XTheopinionin Graham waspublishedbeforetheRulesofEvidencewere P  enacted.ThatcasewasdecidedunderT.C.A.24714(laterT.C.A.247111),sincerepealed.Rule803(6),Tenn.R.Evid.,issimilartotheformercodesection.<Q 9Z .Courier New Regular #X SXXX#: X#X S   Ad FILED#$  #:   June24,1999  CecilCrowson,Jr.#\  #$AppellateCourt  Clerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular(3$ !  ݁Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5++++'dxd d)'BG&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK( $ Figure  1  'dxd'C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd !  BBP X^XXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T7&|XXdXXd7NBr*<,(j 8 `@EQ  tt0"HP rBNNr"*<,(j 8 `@EQ  tt0"HP rNBB@| | INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE@$ATKNOXVILLERONALDD.BOWLIN,   h   )C/ANO.03A019807CV00243 *    `     h   )   ` PlaintiffAppellee,)   `     h   )   `     h   )   `     h   )   `     h   )APPEALASOFRIGHTFROMTHEv.   `     h   )HAMBLENCOUNTYCIRCUITCOURT      `     h   )   `     h   )   `     h   )   `     h   )MARYWILMABOWLIN,   h   ) 2    `     h   )HONORABLEKINDALLT.LAWSON,   ` DefendantAppellant.)JUDGEForAppellant    h   ForAppellee   PAULG.WHETSTONE   h   DOUGLASR.BEIER !h МMorristown,Tennessee h   Evans&Beier "> М   `     h   Morristown,Tennessee@$ XXXX^  g X XOPINION     g X^X  Ԉ p2 (0 AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED h      p      x Susano,J.  ^:09      ` Inthisdivorcecase,thetrialcourtawardedRonaldD.ϜBowlin( Father)the soleandexclusivecustodyofthepartiesminorchild,MariahSummerBowlin( Summer),  #  1      כage3.  X Thechildsmother,MaryWilmaBowlin( Mother),wasawardedspecificvisitationrights.Motherappeals,raisingoneissueforourreview:DidthetrialcourterrwhenitadmittedintoevidencerecordsofMothersinpatientstayatadrugandalcoholrehabilitationcenteroperatedbyCornerstoneofRecovery,Inc.( Cornerstone).@tt)I.   ` Intheoriginalcomplaintfordivorce,Fatherchargedthat  8 ` [Mother]isanalcoholabuserandalsotakesϜProzacfordepression.SheisbothphysicallyandverballyabusivetoHusbandwhendrinkingalcoholandhasonoccasionstoonumeroustorecitesubjectedtheminorchildtothisconduct,aswellasdrivingthechildaroundinanautomobilewhensheisinthiscondition. ` `  Inadditiontoadivorce,Fathersought immediatetemporarycustodyofSummeraswellasherexclusivecustodyfollowingthefinalhearing.   ` Motherfiledananswertotheoriginalcomplaint.Sheaccompanieditwithacounterclaimfordivorceinwhichshesoughtthe exclusivecare,custodyandcontrolofSummer.Inheranswer,Motherstatedthefollowing: t7$-6   8 ` ...[Mother]wouldshowtotheCourtthatshehasadmittedthatshehasaproblemwithalcohol.[Father]hascapitalizedupon[Mothers]decisiontodealwithhersubstanceabuseproblembyseizingcustodyofthepartiesminorchild.Atpresent,[Mother]isalcoholfreeandplanstolivealifeofsobriety.Shedeniesthatshehasbeenphysicallyandverballyabusiveto[Father]unlessprovokedbyhim.Shedeniesthatshehasdrivenwiththechildinanautomobilewhenundertheinfluenceofalcohol. ` `  ThepartiespleadingsframeissuesthatbringintoplayMothersallegedchemicaldependency.EvidenceonthissubjectwasclearlyrelevantontheissuesofdivorceandtherelativefitnessofthepartiestobeSummerscustodian.   ` FathersoriginalcomplaintwasfiledonMay9,1997.OnMay15,1997,MotherwasvoluntarilyadmittedtothedrugandalcoholrehabilitationcenteroperatedbyCornerstone.ShewasdischargedJune16,1997.   ` FathersubpoenaedMothersrecordsatCornerstone.UponCornerstonesmotionraisingissuesofprivilege,thetrialcourtdeterminedthatthe recordsintheirentiretyarenecessaryfortheconductof[the]proceedingandthatfailuretodisclosesaidrecordswouldbecontrarytopublicinterest.  #  2      כIt l-#* orderedthattherecordsbefiledandmaintainedbythetrialcourtclerkunderseal.Itfurtherorderedthatthepartiesbepermittedaccesstotherecords.Thispreliminaryrulingisnotassignedaserroronthisappeal.  5x+4    ` OnoraboutAugust21,1997,Mothersrecordsat Cornerstonewerefiledunderseal.TherecordswereaccompaniedbytheaffidavitofCornerstones MedicalRecordsCustodian.TheaffidavitconformstotherequirementsofT.C.A.6811405.   #  3      כ     ` MarthaRogersHornsby, therecordscustodianorkeeperoftherecordsatCornerstone,wascalledasawitnessbyFather.SheidentifiedMothersfileatCornerstone,`  #  4      כafter `  whichFathermoveditsadmissionintoevidence.Fathersmotionwasmetwiththefollowingobjection:  8 ` YourHonor,theserecordscontainstatementsfromwhatIdliketocallaholographicdeclarant.ThesearecounselorsatCornerstonewhohavesatdownwithMs.Bowlinandinterviewedherthroughoutthecourseofhertreatmentthere.Ms.ϜBowlinwouldmakeastatement,andthecounselorwouldallegedlyhearthestatementandwouldwritedownwhatwassaid.Thatisathirdparty,holographicdeclarant,who,Isubmit,isnotheretoday. ` `   &l"   8 ` Andthisisnotabusinessrecordinthetraditionalsense.AndiftheCourtweretoallowtheserecordstobeusedinanywaywhatsoever,here,today,itwoulddenymetherighttocrossexaminethepersonwhoactuallywrotedowntheinformation. ` `  Thetrialcourtoverruledtheobjection,andtheentiretyofMothersrecordsatCornerstonewereadmittedintoevidence.Onsubsequentdirectexamination,Ms.RogersHornsbywasaskedtoidentifyspecificdocumentsintherecords,andFathersoughttobringthecontentsofthesedocumentstothecourtsattention.Theseeffortswerealsometwithobjections,allofwhichwereoverruled.ItisthetrialcourtsrulingsonMothersobjectionsthatformthebasisforhersingularissueonthisappeal.AAAA  #  5      כ 6 @88)II.   ` Mothersissuecausesustofocusonsubsection(6)ofRule803,Tenn.R.Evid.aprovisionoftheRulesofEvidencedealingwithhearsayexceptions.Rule803(6)providesasfollows:  8 ` Amemorandum,report,record,ordatacompilationinanyformofacts,events,conditions,opinions,ordiagnosesmadeatornearthetimebyorfrominformationtransmittedbyapersonwithknowledgeandabusinessdutytorecordortransmitifkeptinthecourseofaregularlyconductedbusinessactivityandifitwastheregularpracticeofthatbusinessactivitytomakethememorandum, 4)2 report,record,ordatacompilation,allasshownbythetestimonyofthecustodianorotherqualifiedwitness,unlessthesourceofinformationorthemethodorcircumstancesofpreparationindicatelackoftrustworthiness.Theterm businessasusedinthisparagraphincludeseverykindofbusiness,institution,association,profession,occupation,andcalling,whetherornotconductedforprofit. ` `  Rule803(6)iscommonlyreferredtoasthebusinessrecordsϜhearsayexception. Itrestsonthepremisethatrecordsregularlykeptinthenormalcourseofbusinessareinherentlytrustworthyandreliable. Alexanderv.Inman ,903S.W.2d686, \  700(Tenn.App.1995).ToqualifyforadmissionunderRule803(6),thedocumentssoughttobeadmittedmustsatisfytherequirementssetforthintheRule. Id .Theserequirementswere 0 Мsatisfiedinthiscasebytheaffidavitofthemedicalrecordscustodian.SeeT.C.A.6811405.SeealsoT.C.A.6811406 ! ( Thecopyoftherecordshallbeadmissibleinevidencetothesameextentasthoughtheoriginalthereofwereofferedandthecustodianhadbeenpresentandtestifiedtothemattersstatedintheaffidavit.)Aspreviouslyindicated,therequirementsoftheRulewerealsosatisfiedbytheoraltestimonyofMs.RogersHornsby.   ` Mothersinitialobjectiontotheintroductionintoevidenceofherrecordsiswithoutmerit.MotherarguesthatherϜ6records67file7shouldnothavebeenadmittedintoevidencebecausetodosowoulddenyher therighttocrossexaminethepersonwhoactuallywrotedowntheinformation.Whileher nocross examinationargumentmaybetrue,itislegallyimmaterialin 7p-6 thiscase.Rule803(6)likeitsstatutory ancestor  #  6      ׀is P   specificallydesigned toenablelitigantstointroduceandusebusinessrecordswithoutcallingthenumerouswitnesseswhowereinvolvedinpreparingandkeepingthem. WestEndRecreation, T Inc.v.Hodge ,776S.W.2d101,105(Tenn.App.1989).Generally   speaking,anobjectionbasedonthefailureofapartytocallϜ8asawitness8theindividualorindividualswhopreparedthebusinessrecordsisnotsufficienttoblocktheiradmissibility.   ` OnceMothersrecordsatCornerstonewereadmittedintoevidence,counselforFatheraskedMs.RogersHornsbytoidentifyandreadfromspecificdocumentsinthefilethePhysiciansSummaryofPhysicalFindingsandRecoveryIssue,AddictionAssessmentforms,apsychologicaltestform,History,SocialAssessment,andProgressNotes.MuchofthequestioningpertainedtoMothersstatementstocounselorsandtoDr.RileySenter,medicaldirectorofCornerstone.Mothersstatements,whilehearsay,wereclearlyadmissible.SeeRule803(1.2), &" Tenn.R.Evid.TheypertainedtoMothers9useof9alcoholanddrug:s,:;abuse,;andothersubjectsrelevanttoMothersfitnesstobethecustodianofSummer.TheyweregenerallynotfavorabletoMotherand,hence,wereclearly againstthedeclarantsinterest. Id . -h#* MothersobjectionstotheadmissibilityoftherecordsastheypertainedtoherstatementswereagainbasedupontheabsenceattrialoftheindividualswhowrotedownMotherscomments.Aspreviouslyindicated,suchanobjectiongenerallyisnotsufficienttobartheintroductionofbusinessrecordsintoevidence. 7-6 Ї   ` ArelativelysmallportionofMs.RogersHornsbystestimonypertainedtodiagnosesmadebyDr.Senter.CounselforMotherchallengesthesenotationsonthebasisthattheyshouldnothavebeenadmittedintoevidencebecausetheypertaintodiagnosesmadebyanexpertwhowasnotcalledasawitness.Inthisconnection,itshouldbenotedthat<thebusinessrecordsexception<>specifically><encompasses<=Rule803(6)specifically=?refersto? opinions,ordiagnoses. Id . X  TotheextentthatMothersobjectioncanbeconstruedascomplainingthattherewasnoshowingofDr.SentersqualificationstomakethediagnosesortoexpresstheopinionscontainedinMothersrecords,thisissue,generallyspeaking, goestoweightandnotadmissibility. Grahamv.State ,547  S.W.2d531,538(Tenn.1977).@ @@@  #  7      ׀SeealsoMcCormickonEvidence503 P (JohnW.Stronged.,4thed.1992).   ` ThedrugandalcoholrehabilitationcenteroperatedbyCornerstoneappearstobeareputableinstitution,andthereisnothingaboutthechallengedrecordstosuggestthat thesourceofinformationorthemethodorcircumstancesofpreparationindicatelackoftrustworthiness.SeeRule803(6),Tenn.R.Evid. `* &    ` Mothersissueisfoundtobewithoutmerit.   ` Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsonappealaretaxedtotheappellant.Thiscaseisremandedforsuchfurtherproceedings,ifany,asmayberequired,consistent t4$*2 withthisopinion,andforthecollectionofcostsassessedbelow.   `     h     __________________________̜   `     h     CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,J.̜CONCUR:________________________HoustonM.Goddard,P.J.________________________̜HerschelP.Franks,J.