WPC; AIVrq\|ɴEp!ID'b'8|`.zEa7Ǔ[@V;鷄0i:$ˌtv{VU TjN|Wԝ.`N!ktTQhP6pTw6cpR[A mC@@y1_/ikz8L&X_{T通LHt#9@Ak_ȕk#=^D9*3sI/3U Ȁԍp1P!kc-G-:o^륝GE~6&%릠?T΍a\/qpz׷@qCݘőaB0OB]Dh`DgT3Tm ߃S?JvMEٵ6$j+UX} ?mh:\Pe*yo'F*W:T(J0h `UN@ % 0(Jw@4F 0zZ= 0P 0Dp   U: AQ J 0D  0DT T D/ B B D3             A4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 D? BG (hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($c:\office\wpwin\template\opinion.wpt qDrstuvDwxeyӀօ#%((*2n$ !        0  3|x 3  Q+ d    ((3Q$ !   d (3$ !    "  X_XXX;XX_   Ad FILEDX_X;  October27,1998CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAh ,cAZ"Arial Regular! "$&C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  ($$   1  ((' dxd dP Pd'''''dxd"^y  <<= 8C____3 TripledxdCTriple 1+| d d d !  yyTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T7XXdXXd7  XX'Xp@XX'yr )<,(j 8` `@E` 8ttxP,  ryyyMARYALICE(WILLIAMS)GRIFFIN, p )    0      8    p ) Plaintiff/Appellee, 8    p  @ ) , t )>.*jxZ` `@EN` 8ttxP tߛ  0      8    p ) @ AppealNo. B vs.  0      8    p ) @ 01A019802CH00084  X   0      8    p )LACYFLOYDGRIFFIN, 8    p ) @ MontgomeryChancery 4    0      8    p ) @ No.95080149 J   Defendant/Appellant. 8    p ) `    COURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEEAPPEALFROMTHEMONTGOMERYCOUNTYCHANCERYCOURTATCLARKSVILLE,TENNESSEETHEHONORABLECAROLA.CATALANO,CHANCELLOR  THOMASR.MEEKS137FranklinStreet̜Clarksville,Tennessee37040GREGORYD.SMITHOnePublicSquare,Suite321̜Clarksville,Tennessee37040 ATTORNEYSFORPLAINTIFF/APPELLEEFRANKJ.RUNYONP.O.Box1023̜Clarksville,Tennessee37041 ATTORNEYFORDEFENDANT/APPELLANT   AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED   :L629 WILLIAMB.CAIN,JUDGE    OPINION #  # ,      LacyFloydGriffinmarriedMaryAliceWilliamsinNovemberof1964.Theyhadbeenmarriedforthirtyoneyears,whenMrs.(Williams)Griffinfiledsuitfordivorcefromthebondsofmatrimonyonthegroundsofirreconcilabledifferencesandcruelandinhumantreatment.ThecomplaintwasfiledAugust29,1995.ThepartiesexecutedaMaritalDissolutionAgreementonAugust30,1995.Mr.Griffinwasnotrepresentedbycounselinthedivorce.Theagreementreadsinpertinentpart:8 80 ! !TheHUSBANDshallberesponsibleformakingthehousepaymentsintheamountof$469.44permonthuntilpaidinfullandholdtheWIFEharmlessfromanyremainingindebtednessowedandoutstandingontherealpropertylocatedat112BagsbyHillLane,StewartCounty,Dover,Tennessee37058.HUSBANDshallindemnifyWIFEforalldamagesinclusiveofattorneysfeesforhisfailuretomakeandpayallremainingindebtednessowedonsaidrealproperty. 0 0  ЀThoughthecomplaintfordivorcelistednochildrenbornofthemarriage,Mr.andMrs.Griffinhadtwoadultchildrenofthemarriage.Atthetimeofthedivorce,Mr.Griffinwassufferingfrommiscellaneousmaladiesduetohisageandlineofwork.TheFinalDecreeofDivorcewasenteredinthiscaseonOctober30,1995.OnMarch10,1997,afulleighteenmonthsaftertheoriginalfinaldecree,Mr.Griffinfileda PetitiontoTerminatePaymentstating,interalia:8 80 ! !3.InsupportofsamethePetitionerwouldallegethatheisinillhealthandthemakingof[thehousepayment]createsanunduehardshipuponhim.Further,thePetitionerwouldstatethatthereasonthePetitioneragreedtopaysaidpaymentswasbecauseatthetimetheRespondentwasunabletodoso.SincethentheRespondenthasremarriedonAugust2,1996andsheandherhusbandarebothresidingintheϜresidence.ThereforeyourPetitionerallegesthat[Respondent]isreceivingsupportfromothersourcesandiswellabletomanagethepaymentontheresidenceatthistime. 0 0  М̛ :`58  OnJune20,1997,AppellantfiledamotiontosetasidetheFinalDecreeofDivorceonthefollowinggrounds: r949 < X8p@XXp@X<8 80 ! !  1.  LacyFloydGriffinandPlaintiff/Respondent,  MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart),weremarriedonNovember1964. 0 0  8   ! ! 8 80 ! !  2.  TimGriffinwasbornon12/7/68andlivedas @ thebiologicalsonofLacyFloydGriffinandMaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart). 0 0  ̜ 8 0   3.  DonaldGriffinwasbornon10/25/65andlivedas 0  thebiologicalsonofLacyFloydGriffinandMaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart). 0 !0 ! 8 80 ! !  4.  MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)was p  marriedanddivorcedfromEddieEarhartpriortomarryingLacyFloydGriffin.. 0 0  8 80 ! !  5.  MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)and  EarharthadacontinuousaffairwhichlastedthroughoutthemarriageofMaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)andLacyFloydGriffin. 0 0  8 80 ! !  6.  LacyFloydGriffinwasexperiencingsevere P chestpainsduringthelatterpartof1995,andsoughtmedicaltreatmentatSt.ThomasHospitalinNashville,Tennessee. 0 0  8 80 ! !  7.  WhileLacyFloydGriffinwasseeking P  treatmentforsaidchestpains,MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)filedacomplaintfordivorce,seekingthedivorceonthegroundsof1.IrreconcilableDifferences,and2.CruelandInhumanTreatment. 0 0  8 80 ! !  8.  MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)then, &"  throughherattorneyThomasMeeks,causeda MaritalϜDissolutionAgreement(MDA)tobedrawn.TheMDAcitedthesolegroundfordivorceasbeing IrreconcilableDifferences,pursuanttoT.C.A.364101. 0 0  8 80 ! !  9.  MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)then  .p)' droveLacyFloydGriffintotheofficeofherattorney,andaskedhimtosigntheMDA. 0 0  8 80 ! !  10.  LacyFloydGriffinhasaneighthgrade `2-+ education,hasdifficultyreadingandatthetimehewasaskedtosigntheMDAwasexperiencingfurtherphysicalproblemswithhiseyes. 0 0  8 80 ! !  11.  MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)was 730 awareofthefactsrecitedinparagraphten,andaskedLacyFloydGriffintosigntheMDA.9 520 0  Ї8 80 ! !  12.  LacyFloydGriffindidnotthoroughlyread  theMDAandtheMDAwasnotreadtohim. 0 0  8 80 ! !  13.  ThetermsoftheMDAwereoppressive, 0 Мunconscionable,extremelyonesided,andnottrue. 0 0  8 80 ! !  14.  TheMDArecitesthat nochildrenwereborn  ` ofthemarriage,andthisisnottrue. 0 0  8 80 ! !  15.  DonaldGriffinwasbornofthemarriage,and @  LacyFloydGriffinishisbiologicalfather. 0 0  8 80 ! !  16.  TimGriffinwasbornduringthemarriageof p  LacyFloydGriffinandMaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart),butrecently,sincethefilingofthe FinalDecreeofDivorce,MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)toldTimGriffinthatEddieEarhartwashisfather. 0 0  8 80 ! !  17.  TimGriffinandDonaldGriffinhadalways 0 knownLacyFloydGriffintobetheirfather,andbothweresupportedandlovedbyLacyFloydGriffinasafather. 0 0  8 80 ! !  18.  MaryAliceWilliams(GriffinEarhart)has 0 nevertoldLacyFloydGriffinthatTimGriffinwasnothisson. 0 0  М̛< Inessence,afterthedivorcedecreewasenteredinthiscase,Mr.Griffindiscoveredthatoneoftheadultchildrenbornduringhismarriagemightnotbehis.Healsodiscoveredthathiswifehadbeenconductinganongoingaffair;thattheparamourisnowhernewhusband;andthatthecouplenowoccupyhisformerhome.Thereisnodoubtthatthefactsbeforethiscourtpaintasadpicture.̛ Themostunfortunatepartofthisstory,however,isthatunderthesecircumstances,theallegationsraisedintheinstantpetitiondonotrisetothelevelϜrequired.̛ Rule60.02oftheTennesseeRulesofCivilProcedureprovidesinpertinentϜpart:s8 80 ! !60.02Mistakes-Inadvertence-ExcusableNeglect-Fraud,etc.ggOnmotionanduponsuchtermsasarejust,thecourtmayrelieveapartyortheparty'slegalrepresentativefromafinaljudgment,orderor 9 58 proceedingforthefollowingreasons:(1)mistake,inadvertence,surpriseorexcusableneglect;(2)fraud(whetherheretoforedenominatedintrinsicorextrinsic),misrepresentation,orothermisconductofanadverseparty;(3)thejudgmentisvoid;(4)thejudgmenthasbeensatisfied,releasedordischarged,orapriorjudgmentuponwhichitisbasedhasbeenreversedorotherwisevacated,oritisnolongerequitablethatajudgmentshouldhaveprospectiveapplication;or(5)anyotherreasonjustifyingrelieffromtheoperationofthejudgment.hhThemotionshallbemadewithinareasonabletime,andforreasons(1)and(2)notmorethanoneyearafterthejudgment,orderorproceedingwasenteredortaken.iiAmotionunderthisRule60.02doesnotaffectthefinalityofajudgmentorsuspenditsoperation,butthecourtmayenteranordersuspendingtheoperationofthejudgmentuponsuchtermsastobondandnoticeastoitshallseemproperpendingthehearingofsuchmotion.jjThisruledoesnotlimitthepowerofacourttoentertainanindependentactiontorelieveapartyfromajudgment,orderorproceeding,ortosetasideajudgmentforfrauduponthecourt.kkWritsoferrorcoramnobis,billsofreviewandbillsinthenatureofabillofreviewareabolished,andtheprocedureforobtainingrelieffromajudgmentshallbebymotionasprescribedintheserulesorbyanindependentaction. 0 0   Tenn.R.Civ.P.60.02(1998).N' ReadingonlyAppellantsmotion,therequesttosetasidethedecreeofthetrialcourtsoundsclearlyinfraud.The statutoryperiodinwhichtobringanactionhaslapsed.Appellantattemptstobypassthisobstaclebyassertingthathismotionisactuallygroundedinthe anyotherreasonportionoftherule.Evenwerethiscourtpersuadedbysuchanargument,reliefwouldstillbebeyondAppellantsreach.Inthecaseatbar,Appellantdidnotappeartodefendhiswifesdivorcepetition.HissignatureappearsintheAcceptanceofServicedatedAugust19,1995.Inaddition,Mr.Griffinforwardedanotetothetrialcourt,bearingthefiledateofOctober2,1995,inwhichhestated"ILacyF.Griffinknowtodaythe2ndofOct.iscourtdate.Iagreetothepaperswesigned.s/LacyF.Griffin."̜̀n 847 n ThewellestablishedruleinthisjurisdictionisthatthedecisionwhetherornottosetasideadefaultjudgmentqsqiswithinthesounddiscretionoftheChancellor,whichwillnotbeoverturnedabsentashowingofabuseofthatdiscretion. Turnerv.Turner ,739S.W.2d779,780(Tenn.Ct.App.1986), x  (Citing Moorev.Palmer, 675S.W.2d192,194(Tenn.Ct.App.1984)).rrxxrWhile  c thejudgmentintheinstantcasemaynottechnicallyrsbsrertadefaultjudgment,itisajudgmententeredwithoutthebenefitofthepresenceoftheaggrtuiutetvtitvtvedtxxxxxxwparty.Theaboveruleappliesinthissituation.wxx ItseemsthatMr.Griffin,bytheinstantmotion,attemptedtopersuadethetrialcourttoreexaminethefairnessoftheoriginalMaritalDissolutionAgreementafterfailingtoappearhimselftoquestionthedocumentinthefirstinstance.Incircumstancessuchasthese,thiscourtisloathtoreaddressthetrialcourtsdecision. SeeBrownv.Brown ,863S.W.2d432(Tenn.Ct.App.1993). Seealso n Dayv.Day ,936S.W.2d931(Tenn.Ct.App.1996).  Y  Undertheauthoritiescitedabove,thiscourtaffirmsthetrialcourtsdismissalandremandsthecauseforsuchfurtherproceedingsasarenecessary.CostsonappealaretaxedagainstAppellant.  0      8   __________________________________  0      8   WILLIAMB.CAIN,JUDGECONCUR:________________________________________BENH.CANTRELL,PRESIDINGJUDGE,M.S.________________________________________WILLIAMC.KOCH,JR.,JUDGE