ÿWPC– ,# xUNƒ %Ñ 0(×w@ÿ4?S 0Jb 0T¬ 0^ 0h^ 0rÆ 0|8 0†´ 0: 1uÊ 0d?U>£B)áDC AMM AQš Æë 0D± 0@õ 0D5 U*y D/£ BÒ Bï D3 ? v~E vÓØHP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLlÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ J K L M N£OPQRÓ€^@1d,-./012345673|x^2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd "Cþÿ << Gÿÿ !"#%Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Arial'''÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd&&&&'ÿÿdxd üÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ!"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€$ÔÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€$XÔÌÌò òDecember€9,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€$ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(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 ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÓ` Ü` p”XÓò òÑ\R AØ'\ÑÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€WESTERN€SECTIONÌà@ àAT€JACKSONó óÌÌà@ à_______________________________________________________ÌÌà à)ÌÙ€ Ùò òßR€)A1-j|tè` Å `€€@ÿRßGLORIA€E.€HILL„EVANSó ó,à à)à àShelby€County€Circuit€CourtÌà à)à àNo.€127514„9€R.D.Ì€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee.à à)Ìà à)ÌVS.à à)à àC.A.€No.€02A01„9607„CV„00157Ìà à)Ìò òBREDELL€MICHAEL€EVANS,€SR.ó ó,à à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Defendant/Appellant.à à)Ìà à)Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌFrom€the€Circuit€Court€of€Shelby€County€at€Memphis.Ìò òHonorable€George€H.€Brown,€Jr.,€Judge€ó óÌÌÌÌò òJeffrey€Jonesó ó,€Memphis,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Defendant/Appellant.ÌÌÌò òMimi€Phillipsó ó,€PHILLIPS,€HOWARD€&€GRUBB,€Memphis,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Plaintiff/Appellee.ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÌÌÌà àò òFARMER,€J.ó óÌÌò òHIGHERS,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)Ìò òLILLARD,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ` Ü` ˜XÓÓÓà àIn€this€divorce€action€brought€by€Gloria€E.€Hill„Evans€(Mother)€against€BredellÏMichael€Evans,€Sr.€(Father),€the€trial€court€awarded€custody€of€the€partiesðð€two€minor€sons€toÏMother€with€Father€to€have€reasonable€visitation.€€However,€the€trial€courtððs€decree€furtherÏprovided€that€visitation€be€suspended€ð ðuntil€both€of€the€parties€and€the€children€have€completed€aÏcounseling€program€which€is€satisfactory€to€the€court,€and€the€court€has€been€furnished€a€reportÏthat€the€counseling€course€has€been€successfully€completed.€€When€the€counseling€process€hasÏbeen€successfully€completed,€the€court€will€consider€the€defendantððs€visitation€rights.ððÌÌà àThe€parties€were€married€in€1981€and€separated€in€November€1993.€€The€children,ÏBredell€Michael€Evans,€Jr.,€and€Bradley€Levon€Evans€were€born€April€7,€1987,€and€April€20,Ï1988,€respectively.€€At€the€time€of€the€divorce€Mother€was€living€in€Memphis€and€the€Father€inÏNorth€Carolina.ÌÌà àFather€appeals€and€presents€his€issues€as€follows:ÌÌÓ%öÓà8 àà àI.€€Whether€the€Trial€Court€erred€in€failing€to€consider€a€formÏof€shared€parenting€for€the€parties,€given€the€strong€participation€ofÏMr.€Evans€in€the€lives€of€his€children.ÌÌà8 àà àII.€€Whether€the€Trial€Court€erred€in€refusing€to€grant€Mr.ÏEvans€any€access€to€his€children€or€any€visitation€until€he€completedÏjoint€counseling.ÌÌà8 àà àIII.€€Whether€the€Trial€Court€erred€in€finding€Mr.€Evans€inÏviolation€of€an€injunction€against€disposition€of€marital€assets.ÌÌÌÌÓJìÓà àOur€review€of€the€matter€is€òòò òde€novoóóó ó€on€the€record€with€a€presumption€that€the€trialÏcourtððs€findings€of€fact€are€correct€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€RuleÍ13(d)€T.R.A.P.€€In€a€suit€for€divorce,€where€custody€of€minor€children€is€a€question,€the€court€mayÏaward€the€care,€custody,€and€control€of€the€minor€children€to€either€of€the€parties€or€to€both€in€theÏinstance€of€joint€or€shared€custody,€as€the€welfare€and€interests€of€the€children€may€demand.€ÏT.C.A.€ðð€36„6„101(a)(1).€€In€the€present€case,€both€parties€sought€custody€of€the€children.ÌÌÌÌà@ àò òCustodyó óÌÌà àThe€primary€concern€of€the€trial€court€and€of€this€Court€in€determining€issues€ofÏchild€custody€is€the€best€interests€and€welfare€of€the€child.€€òòò òBarnhill€v.€Barnhillóóó ó,€826€S.W.2dÏ443,€453€(Tenn.€App.€1991).€€The€courts€routinely€employ€a€comparative€fitness€analysis,Ïwhereby€the€court€determines€which€of€two€or€more€available€custodians€is€more€fit€than€others.€Ïòòò òBah€v.€Bahóóó ó,€668€S.W.2d€663,€666€(Tenn.€App.€1983);€òòò òEdwards€v.€Edwardsóóó ó,€501€S.W.2dÏ283,€290€(Tenn.€App.€1973).€€Trial€courts€are€vested€with€wide€discretion€in€matters€of€childÏcustody€and€this€Court€will€not€interfere€except€upon€a€showing€of€abuse€of€discretion.€€òòò òMarminoÏv.€Marminoóóó ó,€238€S.W.2d€105,€107€(Tenn.€App.€1950).€€By€statute,€there€is€ð ðneither€aÏpreference€nor€a€presumption€for€or€against€joint€legal€custody,€joint€physical€custody€or€soleÏcustody€.€.€.€.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€36„6„101(a)(2)€(1996).€€Nevertheless,€the€practical€problemsÏof€joint€custody€have€been€repeatedly€acknowledged€by€this€Court,€particularly€ð ðwhere€there€isÏhostility€and€ill€will€between€the€parents.ðð€€òòò òJones€v.€Jonesóóó ó,€No.€01„A„01„9601„CV„00038,€1996ÏWL€512030,€at€*4€(Tenn.€App.€Sept.€11,€1996);€òòò òsee€Malone€v.€Maloneóóó ó,€842€S.W.2d€621,Ï623€(Tenn.€App.€1992);€òòò òDodd€v.€Doddóóó ó,€737€S.W.2d€286,€289„90€(Tenn.€App.€1987).€€JointÏcustody€arrangements€ð ðdepend€for€their€success€on€a€high€degree€of€cooperation€between€theÏparents,€so€it€is€perhaps€not€surprising€that€they€should€frequently€fail.ðð€€òòò òJonesóóó ó,€1996€WLÏ512030,€at€*5.ÌÌà àIn€order€for€joint€custody€to€work,€it€has€been€this€Courtððs€experience€that€it€isÍextremely€important€that€the€parents€have€open€lines€of€communication.€€It€is€firmly€established€inÏour€jurisprudence€that,€in€cases€involving€the€custody€of€minor€children,€the€best€interest€of€theÏchildren€is€the€paramount€consideration.€€However,€the€best€interest€of€the€children€is€oftenÏintertwined€with€the€relationship€between€the€parents€when€considering€joint€custody.ÌÌà àThe€record€reveals€that€the€Father€at€one€point€went€for€a€period€of€six€weeksÏwithout€seeing€the€children.€€His€explanation€was€that€he€could€not€afford€the€trip€to€Memphis.€€HeÏdid€not€attend€their€baptism€or€Christmas€play.€€Mother€testified€that€during€the€period€of€separationÏFather€physically€abused€her€in€the€presence€of€the€children.€€He€stopped€paying€child€support€for€aÏperiod€of€several€months.€€His€explanation€was€that,€although€he€was€not€paying€Mother€directly,Ïhe€was€paying€other€expenses€for€the€children.€€On€another€occasion€he€took€the€children€fromÏMemphis€to€North€Carolina,€enrolled€them€in€school€there,€and€refused€to€tell€Mother€of€theirÏwhereabouts.€€The€record€discloses€that€these€parents€were€unable€to€communicate€regardingÏvisitation.€€This€inability€to€communicate€is€noted€by€the€trial€judge€when€he€made€the€followingÏcomments€from€the€bench:ÌÌÓ%öÓà8 àI€mean,€you€donððt€have€to€be€Sigmund€Freud€to€conclude€that€theyÏhave€communications€problems.€€I€mean,€if€Ms.€Evans€has€to€writeÏa€letter,€these€letters€as€detailed€as€these€are,€and€still€afterÏcommunicating,€as€detailed€as€those€letters€are,€they€donððtÏcommunicate€or€reach€an€understanding,€then€they€need€some€helpÏin€communicating.€€ÌÌà8 àà à.€.€.€.ÌÌà8 àà àThe€Court€is€of€the€opinion€that€Ms.€Evans€has€beenÏoperating€under€clouds€of€second€guess€and€that€there€ought€to€beÏsome€clear€and€unequivocal€and€definitive€resolution€as€to€who€willÏdirect€these€children.€€I€believe€at€this€time€it€ought€to€be€Ms.€Evans.ÌÌà8 àà àNow,€by€making€that€decision€in€this€case,€the€Court€is€notÏsuggesting€that€Mr.€Evans€is€an€unfit€parent,€quite€the€contrary.€€IÏam€concluding€that€these€parties€at€this€time€not€jointly€parent.€€It€justÏhas€not€and€it€shall€not€work€because€Mr.€Evans€thinks€he€ought€toÏbe€running€the€railroad,€and€unless€I€give€him€the€total€railroad€toÏrun,€then€itððs€not€going€to€be.€€Itððs€just€not€going€to€work.ÌÌà8 àà àThese€parties€canððt€agree€that€today€is€Thursday.€€ÌÌÌÌÓJìÓà àIn€granting€custody€to€the€Mother,€the€trial€court€further€provided€in€the€decree€thatÏð ðMs.€Evans€is€hereby€ordered€to€inform€Mr.€Evans€of€all€such€decisions€when€they€are€made,€andÏto€make€arrangements€with€the€childrenððs€school€for€Mr.€Evans€to€receive€all€notices€normally€sentÏto€parents,€including€but€not€limited€to€copies€of€all€report€cards,€schedule€of€school€events,€etc.ðð€ÏWe€believe€that€the€fact€the€trial€court€felt€it€necessary€to€include€this€provision€in€the€decreeÏillustrates€the€courtððs€concern€over€the€parentsðð€lack€of€communication.ÌÌà àMr.€Evans€admitted€that,€when€he€enrolled€the€children€in€school€in€North€Carolina,Ïhe€executed€a€form€for€the€school€wherein€he€stated€that€the€children€were€removed€from€MemphisÏby€emergency€court€order,€which€was€untrue.ÌÌà àThe€record€further€reveals€that,€when€the€children€were€returned€to€Memphis€fromÏNorth€Carolina,€Mr.€Evans€rented€an€apartment,€putting€the€lease,€utilities,€telephone,€and€someÏrented€furniture€in€his€name.€€He€then€stopped€payment€for€all€of€the€above,€forcing€his€wife€andÏchildren€to€vacate€the€apartment€and€move€into€a€motel.€€He€then€notified€the€Tennessee€DepartmentÏof€Human€Services€that€Ms.€Evans€was€neglecting€the€children€because€they€were€having€to€sleepÏon€pallets€in€the€motel€room.ÌÌà àMother€testified€that€Father€had€an€overriding€belief€that€doctors€are€not€necessaryÏand€that€he€refused€to€acknowledge€when€any€of€his€children€have€medical€needs.€€As€an€exampleÏMother€testified€that€when€one€of€the€children€was€a€baby,€she€noticed€that€he€was€holding€his€armÏin€an€unusual€position.€€When€she€asked€her€husband€what€had€occurred,€he€said€that€he€had€beenÏplaying€with€the€child€and€that€he€had€hurt€his€arm.€€She€asked€him€to€accompany€the€child€to€theÏdoctor€which€he€refused€to€do.€€She€took€the€child€to€the€hospital€and€it€was€determined€that€hisÏarm€was€dislocated.€€She€said€that€his€response€was€that€he€wanted€to€ð ðmake€a€man€out€of€BredyÏthat€I€was€treating€him€like€a€baby€.€.€.€.ððÌÌà àAfter€a€careful€review€of€this€record,€we€do€not€find€the€evidence€to€preponderateÍagainst€the€trial€courtððs€finding€that€custody€of€the€minor€children€be€awarded€to€their€Mother.ÌÌà@ àò òContemptó óÌÌà àMr.€Evans€was€enjoined€from:ÌÌÓ%öÓà8 àà àDisposing,€transferring,€encumbering,€loaning,€transporting,Ïconcealing€or€removing€from€this€jurisdiction€or€in€any€wayÏreducing,€modifying€or€compromising€the€interest€of€either€party€inÏtheir€joint€or€individual€property€of€any€kind,€including,€but€notÏlimited€to,€bank€accounts,€stock,€jewelry,€furniture,€automobiles,Ïand€real€estate,€with€the€exception€of€reasonable€and€ordinaryÏmonthly€payments€on€joint€expenses€or€joint€debts€such€as€houseÏnote,€rent€or€utilities,€until€further€orders€of€this€Court€to€theÏcontrary.€€ÌÌÌÌÓJìÓMr.€Evans€admitted€that€he€violated€the€injunction€by€the€following€testimony:ÌÌÓ%öÓà8 àQ.à àOkay,€and,€Mr.€Evans,€after€you€were€aware€of€theÏinjunction€of€the€Court€on€the€assets,€you,€in€spite€of€that,€tookÏ10,894€dollars€out€of€your€Federal€Express€retirement€fund€in€MarchÏof€1994,€didnððt€you?ÌÌà8 àA.à àThatððs€correct.€€ÌÌÌÌÓJìÓà àContempt€consists€of€willful€disobedience€or€obstinacy€in€refusing€to€obey€an€orderÏof€the€court.€€Here€the€appellant€was€punished€for€failure€to€comply€with€the€prior€orders€of€theÏcourt,€conduct€which€would€constitute€criminal€contempt.€€Criminal€contempts€are€punitive€inÏnature,€and€the€purpose€of€criminal€contempt€proceedings€is€to€vindicate€the€authority€of€the€lawÏand€the€court€as€an€organ€of€society.€€òòò òCrabtree€v.€Crabtreeóóó ó,€716€S.W.2d€923,€925€(Tenn.€App.Ï1986)€(citing€òòò òShiflet€v.€Stateóóó ó,€€400€S.W.2d€542€(Tenn.€1966)).€€While€acknowledging€that€heÏviolated€the€courtððs€order,€Mr.€Evans€contends€that€he€was€justified€in€doing€so.€€This€reasoning€isÏrelevant€to€the€issue€of€punishment,€and€not€the€issue€of€contempt.€€òòò òD€v.€Kóóó ó,€917€S.W.2d€682,Ï685€(Tenn.€App.€1995).€€The€trial€court€sentenced€him€to€two€days€in€jail€for€contempt€butÏsuspended€all€but€four€hours.ÌÌà àMr.€Evans€argues€on€appeal€that€the€injunction€was€not€sufficiently€specific€inÏterms.€€We€respectfully€disagree.€€The€trial€court€stated:ÌÌÓ%öÓà8 àà àI€find€Mr.€Evans€in€contempt€of€court€for€his€disobedience€ofÏthe€Courtððs€order€enjoining€him€from€the€Courtððs€earlier€injunctionÏwhen€he€withdrew€his€money€from€his€retirement.€€The€Court€is€ofÏthe€opinion€that€not€only€did€he€disobey€the€Courtððs€order€then,€heÏhas€failed€to€pay€obligations€between€September€ðð94€and€NovemberÏðð95€when€he€had€the€ability€to€do€and€that€his€attitude€has€beenÏgenerally€contemptuous€of€the€Courtððs€orders,€but€particularly€onÏthose€two€occasions,€for€the€record,€the€Court€is€basing€his€conductÏon€those€occasions€as€a€basis€of€finding€him€in€contempt.€€ÌÌÌÌÓJìÓThe€trial€courtððs€finding€of€contempt€is€affirmed.ÌÌà@ àò òVisitationó óÌÌà àFather€contends€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€suspending€his€visitation.€€The€decreeÏprovides€that:ÌÌÓ%öÓà8 àà àThe€Defendantððs€right€to€have€visitation€with€the€partiesðð€twoÏminor€children€should€be€and€the€same€hereby€is€suspended€untilÏboth€of€the€parties€and€the€children€have€completed€a€counselingÏprogram€which€is€satisfactory€to€the€Court,€and€the€Court€has€beenÏfurnished€a€report€that€the€counseling€course€has€been€successfullyÏcompleted.€€When€the€counseling€process€has€been€successfullyÏcompleted,€the€Court€will€consider€the€Defendantððs€visitation€rights.€€ÌÌÓJìÓà àSubsequent€to€the€entry€of€the€final€divorce€decree€on€May€22,€1996,€a€consentÏorder€was€entered€by€the€trial€court€with€respect€to€visitation€as€follows:ÌÌÓ%öÓà8 àà àIT€APPEARING€TO€THE€COURT€that€the€Defendant€hasÏfiled€a€Petition€to€establish€specific€visitation€rights€with€the€minorÏchildren€of€the€parties;€and€the€parties€and€their€respective€counselÏbelieve€that€the€Defendant€presently€should€be€allowed€specificÏvisitation€rights€between€the€dates€of€December€22,€1996,€throughÏJanuary€1,€1997,€at€his€home€place€in€North€Carolina;€and€that€theÏDefendant€shall€be€responsible€for€all€transportation€costs€attendantÏto€his€visitation€rights€and€he€shall€return€the€minor€children€to€theÍPlaintiff€on€January€1,€1997.ÌÌà8 àà àDefendant€has€completed€the€parenting€classes€as€required€byÏthe€Court.ÌÌà8 àà àIT€IS€THEREFORE€ORDERED,€by€consent,€that€theÏprevious€Orders€of€this€Court€are€modified€to€allow€the€DefendantÏcertain€holiday€visitation€privilege€with€his€minor€children€pendingÏhearing€of€his€temporary€visitation€Petition,€and€which€said€holidayÏvisitation€privileges€shall€consist€of€visitation€rights€in€NorthÏCarolina€from€December€22,€1996,€through€January€1,€1997.€€ÌÌÌÌÓJìÓIn€addition,€during€the€presentation€of€oral€argument€before€this€Court,€counsel€for€the€appellantÏannounced€that€the€parties€had€worked€out€and€the€trial€judge€had€approved€summer€visitation€ofÏone€and€one„half€months€during€the€summer€of€1997,€and€counsel€for€the€appellee€advised€theÏCourt€that€ð ðpursuant€to€an€agreement€between€the€parties€and€we€went€to€Judge€Brown€and€we€saidÏthat€they€had€agreed€that€he€could€have€them€for€a€large€part€of€the€summer€that€he€had€completedÏthe€counseling€and€so€we€entered€a€consent€order€on€that.ðð€€In€view€of€the€above,€we€believe€that€itÏwould€be€proper€and€in€the€best€interest€of€the€children€to€remand€this€matter€to€the€trial€court€toÏallow€it€to€reexamine€the€Fatherððs€visitation€rights.€€The€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€in€all€otherÏrespects€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellant€for€which€execution€may€issue€ifÏnecessary.ÌÌÓ%öÓà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌHIGHERS,€J.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌ______________________________ÌLILLARD,€J.€(Concurs)