’WPC? 2# ĢUN× %% 0(+w@S4“§¶ 0l¾ 0D* 0@n 0J® 0Tų 0^L 0hŖ 0r 0|„ 0† 0† 1u 0d‹ AQļ Ę@ 0D BJ 0Dg D/« BŚ D3÷ U>* B)h DC‘ AMŌ U*! K  Nv~īvÓl˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhĪ(ČhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($”” ŹDĖĢDĶĪĻŠVŃŅӀŽn~<$$”3|xŽ((3üŻ$¤¤Ż ƒ!ŻŻ  Żą  ąņņŚ  Ś0Ś  Śóó(#Ć$ņņŚ  Ś0Ś  Śóó("’’$££Ņ  ŅŅ  Ņ2 ’’0Indent1Ō2ŌŌ3  Ō2" ’’0Indent2ą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2, ’’0Indent3ą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō26 ’’0Indent4ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2@ ’’0Indent5ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2J ’’0Indent6ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2T ’’0Indent7ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2^ ’’0Indent8ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō ’’?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ’’8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ ! #%Cž’<< C’’ƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3Æ$¢¢Ż ƒ!ŻŻ  Ż d($$””ņ ņŚ  Ś1Ś  Śó ó'''÷’ dxdü’P Pd""""'’’dxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d****7Border 1dd +Cž’ << G’’< Œ 9p`(Arial łŻ ƒ!ŻŌ€)ŌŻ  ŻŻ ƒ!"ŻŻ  ŻŌ€-ŌŌ€-ŌÓ  ÓŌ YYY ŌFILEDŌ€-XŌĢĢņ ņJuly€22,€1998ĢĢCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ĢŌ€-ōŌAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó –Ż ƒ!ŻŃ  ŃŃ#€d#ŃŌ€)ŌŻ  ŻŻ ƒ $Żą ąņņŚ  ŚŚ  ŚóóŻ  ŻThis€statute€has€been€amended,€and€no€longer€includes€the€phrase,€š šat€the€initialĻproceeding.šš€€Because€the€trial€courtššs€order€was€entered€prior€to€the€effective€date€of€thisĻamendment,€the€amended€statute€is€not€applicable€in€this€case.€€ĢPtPtHHŚ(’į’āłFG(üHHŚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆŠ ŠŠHHŠŠ  ŠŠ2ŠŠ’’øę$’ŠŠHHŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠ  ŠŠ ŠŠ ŠŃŃŃGenevaŃŃ ŃŃ € ŃŃ<Px–ČŃŅŅŅ443!#4ŅŅ$ *$ŅŅ$*$ŅŅ ’KK ŅŅ  Geneva ŅŅ  Geneva ŅÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßŃGenevaŃŃ ŃŅ  h HD: Geneva ŅŅ  h HD: Geneva ŅŻ ƒ!ŻŌ . ŌŌ€)ŌŻ  ŻÓ  ÓŃ\R AŲ'\ŃŃ7€,ĆXXdšdČ7Ńņ ņŽ ŽĢą@ ąIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEó óĢą@ ąņ ņAT€JACKSONĢŁ€ ŁßR€,.+A1-j|*n` Å `€€@’Rßą ąą ąą ąņņ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ĢĢóóĢĢJAMES€DAVID€GATLIN,€€€€€€€€€€€ą ąą ąą ą)ą ąĢą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą)ą ąĢą ąą ąó óPlaintiff/Appellant,ņ ņą ąą ąą ą)ą ąó óGibson€Chancery€No.€H„2254€€Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąņ ņ)Ģvs.ą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą)ą ą€Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą)ĢDEANNA€E.€GATLIN,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ą ąą ąą ą)ą ąó óAppeal€No.€€02A01„9710„CH„00267Ģņ ņą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą)Ģó óą ąą ąDefendant/Appellee.ą ąą ąņ ņą ą)ą ąĢó óņņĢóóņ ņĢ€€€ĢĢĢą@ ąó óAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€GIBSON€COUNTY€Ģą@ ąAT€HUMBOLDT,€TENNESSEEĢĢĢĢą@ ąTHE€HONORABLE€GEORGE€R.€ELLIS,€JUDGE€€€€€ĢņņĢĢĢFor€the€Plaintiff/Appellantóó:ņņą ąą ąą ąFor€the€Defendant€/Appelleeóó:ņņĢóóĢDavid€M.€Livingston€€ą ąą ąą ąDeanna€E.€Gatlin,€Pro€SeĢBrownsville,€Tennessee€€€€ą ąą ąą ąTrenton,€TennesseeĢĢņņFor€the€Minor€Child,€William€JamesĢNathan€Meltonóó:ĢĢJerald€M.€Campbell,€Jr.ĢTrenton,€TennesseeĢĢą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ģ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ĢĢņ ņ€€ą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąAFFIRMED€ĢĢĢĢĢą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąó óHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€JUDGEĢĢĢĢCONCUR:ĢĢņņĢóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.ĢĢĢALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€J.€€€€€€€€€€ĢĒŲŲŁ  ŁÓÓŃ7€üßXXdšXXdš7ŃŃ  Ńą@ ąņ ņOPINIONó óĢ›ą ąThis€is€a€paternity€case.€€The€mother€and€father€married€after€the€child€was€born,€and€laterĻdivorced.€€In€the€divorce€decree,€the€father€was€ordered€to€pay€child€support.€€The€father€laterĻsought€to€set€aside€the€order€of€child€support€and€requested€parentage€testing.€€The€trial€courtĻdenied€the€fatherššs€petition,€and€he€appealed.€€We€affirm.Ģą ąOn€December€17,€1986,€William€James€Nathan€Melton€(š šWilliamšš)€was€born€to€DeannaĻMelton,€the€defendant„appellee€in€this€case.€€Deanna€Melton€was€living€with€James€David€Gatlin€atĻthe€time€of€the€childššs€birth.€€Melton€and€Gatlin€married€on€July€1,€1989.€€Ģą ąGatlin€(š šHusbandšš)€subsequently€filed€for€divorce€against€Melton€(š šWifešš).€€In€his€divorceĻcomplaint,€Husband€averred€that€William€was€his€child,€and€sought€custody.€€œBy€decree€dated›ĻMarch€œ27,›€1991,€the€Chancery€Court€of€Gibson€County€granted€the€parties€a€divorce€and€awardedĻjoint€custody€of€William€to€Husband€and€Wife,€€with€primary€custody€to€Wife.€€€The€trial€court€alsoĻordered€Husband€to€pay€child€support€of€$25€per€week,€and€to€pay€all€medical€expenses€forĻWilliam.€€ą ąOn€November€œ9,›€1995,€Husband€filed€a€petition€to€set€aside€the€March€œ27,›€1991Ļorder,€on€the€grounds€that€William€was€not€his€child.€€Husband€also€requested€parentage€testing.€ĻThe€trial€court€denied€the€petition€and€issued€a€finding€of€fact€that€Husband€š šbelieved€the€saidĻminor€child,€William€James€Nathan€Melton,€was€his€child€after€the€conception€of€the€said€minorĻchild;€during€the€marriage€of€the€parties;€and€after€the€divorce€while€the€parties€had€resumed€livingĻtogether.šš€The€trial€court€also€found€Husband€$4,736.61€in€arrears€in€his€child€support€obligation.€ĻHusband€appealed.Ģą ąœTennessee›€Code€Annotated€šš€24„7„112€governs€a€partyššs€right€to€demand€parentageĻtesting.œ× ƒ/ ××  כ€Subsections€(a)(1)€and€(a)(2)€address€the€conditions€under€which€a€court€may€order€suchĻa€test:€ĢÓÓą8 ą(a)(1)€In€the€trial€of€any€civil€or€criminal€proceeding€in€which€the€question€ofĻparentage€arises,€the€court€before€whom€the€matter€may€be€brought,€upon€theĶmotion€of€either€party€at€the€initial€appearance,€shall€order€that€all€necessary€partiesĻsubmit€to€any€tests€and€comparisons€which€have€been€developed€and€adapted€forĻpurposes€of€establishing€or€disproving€parentage.€€Tests€for€determining€paternityĻmay€include€any€blood,€genetic,€or€DNA€test€utilized€by€an€accredited€laboratory.€ĻFailure€to€make€a€timely€motion€for€submission€to€such€tests€and€comparisons€shallĻconstitute€a€waiver€and€shall€not€be€grounds€for€a€continuance.€€The€results€of€suchĻtests€and€comparisons,€including€the€statistical€likelihood€of€the€alleged€parent'sĻparentage,€if€available,€may€be€admitted€into€evidence€as€provided€in€subsection€(b).€€ĢĢą8 ą(2)€During€any€civil€proceeding€in€which€the€question€of€parentage€arises,€upon€theĻmotion€of€either€party€or€on€the€court's€own€motion,€the€court€shall,€at€such€time€asĻit€deems€equitable,€order€all€necessary€parties€to€submit€to€any€tests€andĻcomparisons€which€have€been€developed€and€adapted€for€purposes€of€establishingĻor€disproving€parentage.€€Tests€for€determining€paternity€may€include€any€blood,Ļgenetic,€or€DNA€test€utilized€by€an€accredited€laboratory.€€Failure€of€either€party€toĻmake€a€motion€for€submission€to€such€tests€and€comparisons€shall€constitute€aĻwaiver€and€shall€not€be€grounds€for€a€continuance.€€The€results€of€such€tests€andĻcomparisons,€including€the€statistical€likelihood€of€the€alleged€parent's€parentage,€ifĻavailable,€may€be€admitted€into€evidence€as€provided€in€subsection€(b).ĢĢÓÓUnder€section€(a)(1),€testing€is€required€if€one€of€the€parties€raises€the€issue€of€parentage€in€theĻinitial€pleading.€€If€the€issue€is€raised€after€the€initial€pleading,€(a)(2)€gives€the€trial€court€theĻdiscretion€to€determine€whether€to€permit€the€testing.€€€ņ ņņņSee€Davis€v.€Davisó óóó,€€No.Ļ03A01„9509„CH„00327,€1996€WL€12584,€at€*1€(Jan.€11,€1996);€ņ ņņņState€ex€rel€Scott€v.ĻBrownó óóó,€937€S.W.2d€œ934,€937›€(Tenn.€App.€1996);€ņņņ ņWilliams€v.€œCampbell,€ó óóóNo.€02A01„9408„JV„00177,›€1995€WL€œ429265,€at€*2›€(Tenn.€œApp.€July€21,›€1995);€ņņņ ņSteioff€v.€Steioffó óóó,€833ĻS.W.2d€94€(Tenn.€App.€1992).€Ģą ąThe€party€requesting€parentage€testing€must€make€the€request€in€his€initial€appearance€in€theĻproceeding€in€which€the€issue€of€parentage€is€raised.€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€šš€24„7„112(a)(1).€€In€thisĻcase,€€Husband€filed€a€complaint€for€divorce€in€which€he€sought€custody€of€William.€€In€theĻdivorce€decree,€signed€by€Husband,€Wife€was€awarded€custody€š šof€the€parties'€minor€childšš€andĻHusband€was€ordered€to€pay€$25€per€week€in€child€support.€€Husbandššs€petition€to€set€aside€theĻorder€for€child€support€œarose›€out€of€the€divorce€and€custody€proceeding.€€He€failed€to€requestĻparentage€testing€in€his€š šinitial€appearancešš€in€the€proceeding€in€which€parentage€was€an€issue.€Ļņ ņņņSee€Steioff€v.€œSteioffó óóó,›€833€S.W.2d€94,€96€(Tenn.€App.€1992).€€Indeed,€Husband€soughtĻparentage€testing€four€years€after€the€divorce€was€final.€€Parentage€testing€was€therefore€notĶrequired€in€this€case€under€œSection›€24„7„112(a)(1).€€ņ ņņņId.ó óóó€at€96.€€€Ģą ąHusband€argues€that€the€trial€court€abused€its€discretion€in€denying€his€request€forĻparentage€testing.€€In€his€brief,€Husband€asserts€that€it€was€not€until€eighteen€months€after€theĻdivorce€that€Wife€informed€him€that€he€may€not€be€the€father€of€the€child.€€œBecause›€the€divorce€wasĻgranted€in€March,€1991,€Wifeššs€alleged€statement€occurred€in€August€1992.€€However,€Wife€notesĻthat€the€parties€continued€to€live€together€until€September€1994,€and€that€Husband€has€maintained€aĻfather„son€relationship€with€William.€€The€petition€for€parentage€testing€was€not€filed€untilĻNovember€1995.€€Under€these€circumstances,€the€trial€court€did€not€abuse€its€discretion€in€denyingĻHusbandššs€petition€for€parentage€testing.€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€šš€24„7„112(a)(2);€ņ ņņņsee€State€ex€relĻDuck€v.€Williamsóóó ó,€No.€œĒ02A01„9604„JV„00084,›€1997€WL€œ675459,€at€*3›€(Tenn.€App.€Oct.€29,€1997);ņ ņņņ€Davis€v.€Davisóóó ó,ĻNo.€03A01„9509„CH„00327,€€1996€WL€12584,€at€*2€(Tenn.€App.€Jan.€11,€1996).Ģą ąThe€decision€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€are€assessed€against€the€Appellant,€forĻwhich€execution€may€issue,€if€necessary.€ą ąĢĢÓÓą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąņņ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąņ ņóóHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.Ģó óą ąņ ņĢCONCUR:ĢĢĢņņ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ĢóóW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€P.€J.,€W.S.ĢĢĢņņ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóĢALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€J.ó óĢą ą€ĢĢĢĢ