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U6> t v~‘ vÓ ˜HP LaserJet 4HPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÒ<¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  Óf|œ$¡Ó 3|xý ôõö÷ø ùúûDüý(4(3DX$¤¤Ý ƒù!ÝÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 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 d< Œ 9p`(Courier New Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€!ôÔThe€petition€for€contempt€was€subsequently€voluntarily€dismissed.Ô€!XÔÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ l ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€ùôXXdÖdÈ7ÑÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÓ  ÓAT€KNOXVILLEÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` è` ˜XÓGERALD€A.€OTTINGER,€€€€€€€à à)à àCOCKE€CIRCUIT€€€€ÌÓ ` °œXÓ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9801„CV„00027Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€)à àÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€BEN€W.€HOOPER,€II€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€JUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àÌKIMBERLY€S.€OTTINGER,€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àÌ€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌJ.€RONNIE€GREER,€œGreeneville›,€for€Appellant.ÌÌÌCLYDE€A.€DUNN,€Newport,€for€Appellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÓ  ÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àœà€ àMcMurray,›€J.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€is€a€child€custody€case€in€which€both€Gerald€OttingerÏ(father)€and€Kimberly€œOttinger€(mother)›€filed€petitions€for€prima…ry€residential€custody€of€their€daughter,€Marlah€Whitley€Ottinger.€ÏThe€trial€court€granted€œjoint›€legal€œcustody€to€the€parties€and›Ïawarded€primary€residential€custody€to€the€father.€€The€motherÏappeals,€asserting€that€the€court€should€have€awarded€her€primaryÏresidential€custody.€€We€affirm€the€œjudgment€of€the€trial€court.›ÌÌà àThe€parties€were€divorced€on€December€13,€1995.€€The€parties'Ïmarital€dissolution€agreement,€incorporated€in€the€final€judgmentÏof€divorce,€provided€that€the€parties€would€have€joint€custody€toÏbe€shared€equally€between€them.€€ÌÌà àThis€arrangement€proved€satisfactory€until€Marlah€approachedÏ"school€age."€€On€February€10,€1997,€the€mother€filed€a€"motion€toÏmodify€judgment,"€in€which€she€asked€the€court€"to€modify€itsÏprevious€judgment€herein€by€awarding€to€her€the€full€and€exclusiveÏcustody€of€the€parties'€minor€child€...€."€€The€father€respondedÏwith€his€own€request€for€custody€of€Marlah.€€ÌÌà àThe€œcase€was€heard€at€a€bench€trial›€on€July€22,€1997.€€In€itsÏorder€disposing€of€the€case,€the€trial€court€found€the€following:ÌÓÓÌÒ  ÒÒ  Ҝ̛à àThis€is€a€most€difficult€decision€to€make€becauseÏthe€application€of€the€comparative€fitness€doctrine€toÏthe€relevant€factors€set€out€in€œT.C.A.€›ðð€36„5„105,Ïleaves€the€parties€virtually€dead€even.€€The€partiesÏ[sic]€assessment€of€each€other€shows€only€that€they€bothÏhave€a€great€deal€of€respect€for€one€another.€Each€partyÏhas€an€abundance€of€love,€affection€and€emotional€tiesÏto€the€child.€€Both€parents€are€more€than€adequatelyÏdisposed€to€provide€their€child€with€food,€clothing,Ïmedical€care,€and€education.€€This€is€a€case€where€theÏchild's€continuity€with€regard€to€the€custody€agreementÏmust€come€to€an€end.€€There€is€no€evidence€of€physicalÏor€emotional€abuse€or€the€preference€of€the€child.€€TheÏevidence€is€equally€balanced€as€to€mental€and€physicalÏhealth€of€the€parties€and€the€character€and€behavior€ofÏother€people€who€associate€with€the€child.€€There€is€notÏsufficient€evidence€regarding€the€two€school€systemsÏwhich€are€available€for€the€child's€education€(or€theÏdifference€in€communities)€upon€which€to€base€an€in…formed€decision.€€The€remaining€factors€are€the€stabili…ty€of€the€family€unit,€the€home€of€the€child,€and€theÏdifference€in€communities.€€ÌÌà@ à*€€€€€*€€€€€*€€€€€*ÌÌà àOverall€and€for€some€of€those€reasons€set€out€inÏthe€preceding€paragraph,€the€Court€feels€that€theÏchild's€best€interest€will€be€served€by€being€with€theÏfather.€€The€court€feels€that€the€father's€home€andÏneighborhood€will€by€far€serve€the€best€interest€of€theÍchild€when€compared€with€the€downtown€home€and€neighbor…hood€of€the€mother,€which€will€most€likely€expose€theÏchild€to€associations€and€influences€of€a€negativeÏnature€that€will€not€be€found€in€the€rural€setting.€TheÏfather€has€been€a€little€better€in€exposing€the€child€toÏchurch€and€also€seems€to€be€better€in€handling€hisÏfinancial€affairs€than€the€mother.€€These€are€certainlyÏfactors€that€can€have€a€tremendous€impact€on€a€childÏwhile€growing€up.€€The€father€has€already€demonstratedÏthe€ability€to€attend€to€his€daughter's€needs€and€toÏprovide€her€with€a€stable,€nurturing€home€surrounded€byÏher€extended€family.ÌÌÌÒ ° ÒÒ ° ÒÓÓà àThe€court€made€further€findings€of€fact€not€quoted€above,€allÏof€which€are€well„supported€by€the€evidence€in€the€œrecord.ÌÌà àThe›€mother€œpresents›€the€following€issues€on€appeal,€statedÏverbatim:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà0 àà à1.à àDid€the€trial€court€err€in€basing€his€decision,€atÏleast€in€part,€on€facts€not€contained€in€the€recordÏand€not€heard€by€him€at€the€trial€of€this€cause?€ÌÌà8 àà0 àà à2à àDoes€the€evidence€preponderate€against€the€trialÏcourt's€denial€of€the€petition€of€the€mother,ÏKimberly€S.€Ottinger,€for€custody€of€the€parties'Ïminor€œchild?Ì›ÌÌÓÓà àRegarding€the€first€issue,€the€mother€complains€of€the€fol…lowing€finding€of€fact€by€the€trial€court:€"[œt]he›€record€reflectsÏthat€the€mother€has€been€in€the€bankruptcy€court€and€presentlyÏworks€a€regular€job€of€40€hours€a€week€and€a€second€job€of€28Ïhours€a€week€and€will€continue€to€work€the€second€job€until€allÏher€bills€are€paid€up€or€caught€up."€€The€mother€correctly€pointsÏout€that€the€transcript€reflects€no€testimony€was€presented€to€theÏcourt€regarding€the€mother's€involvement€in€bankruptcy€court.€ÏHowever,€the€record€contains€a€"petition€for€contempt"€filed€byÏthe€mother,€which€contains€the€following€paragraph:× ƒ" ××  ×ÌÌÒ  ÒÒ  ÒÓÓà àÓ` ŒXØ'ŽXÓThe€[father],€Gerald€A.€Ottinger,€has€refused€andÏneglected€to€obtain€a€release€of€the€lien€on€the€horseÏtrailer€awarded€to€the€[mother]€herein€and€has€refusedÏto€deliver€to€the€[mother]€a€clear€title€for€the€horseÏtrailer.€€The€[father]€has€advised€the€[mother]€that€heÏis€holding€the€title€to€the€horse€trailer€in€retaliationÏfor€the€[mother's]€having€filed€a€Chapter€7€BankruptcyÏPetition€in€the€United€States€Bankruptcy€Court€for€theÏEastern€District€of€œTennessee.Ì›€ÌÌÌÒ ° ÒÒ ° ÒÓÓà àThus,€there€is€information€in€the€record,€provided€by€theÏmother,€regarding€the€fact€that€the€mother€had€filed€a€petition€inÏbankruptcy€court.€€ÌÌà àWe€are€of€the€œopinion,€however,›€that€the€trial€court€œwas€notÏjustified›€in€finding€that€the€mother's€downtown€œGreeneville›€resi…dence€and€neighborhood€"will€most€likely€expose€the€child€toÏassociations€and€influences€of€a€negative€nature€that€will€not€beÏfound€in€the€rural€setting."€€There€was€no€evidence€presentedÏabout€the€respective€neighborhoods€of€the€œparties.›€€Tenn.€R.€Evid.Ï201€permits€the€courts€to€take€judicial€notice€of€certain€facts.€ÏIn€order€to€be€judicially€noticed,€a€fact€must€be€generally€knownÏwithin€the€territorial€jurisdiction€of€the€court€or€must€be€capa…ble€of€accurate€and€ready€determination€by€resort€to€sources€whoseÏaccuracy€cannot€reasonably€be€questioned.€òòSeeóó€Tenn.€R.€Evid.Ï201(b).€€œNegative€"associations€and€influences"€regarding€a€cer…tain€geographic€area,€in€the€context€of€this€case,€are€not€properÏsubjects€for€judicial€notice.›ÌÌà àœIt›€is€clear€that€the€trial€court€considered€many€differentÏrelevant€factors€in€arriving€at€its€œconclusions.€€We›€feel€œthat€the›Ïœconsideration€of€community€comparisons€is,€at€best,€harmless€error›Ïœunder›€the€circumstances€of€this€case.€€As€has€often€been€noted€byÏthis€court,€trial€courts€are€vested€with€wide€discretion€in€mat…ters€of€child€custody.€€òòKoch€v.€Kochóó,€874€S.W.2d€571,€575€œ(Tenn.ÏApp.›€1993).€€The€primary€reason€for€this€rule€is€that€the€trialÏcourts,€unlike€the€appellate€courts,€can€observe€and€assess€theÏdemeanor€and€credibility€of€witnesses,€a€significant€aid€andÏadvantage€in€making€findings€of€fact.€€òòSeeóó€òòMassengale€v.ÏMassengaleóó,€915€S.W.2d€818€œ(Tenn.€App.›€1995).€€€ÌÌà àœWe›€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderateÏagainst€the€trial€court's€judgment.€€The€judgment€is€affirmed€inÏits€entirety.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€the€œappellant€andÏthis€case€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court.›ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àDon€T.€McMurray,€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ____________________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌ____________________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€JudgeÌœÇÑ  ÑÑ7€™\XXdðXXdð7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÓ  ÓAT€KNOXVILLEÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` è` ˜XÓGERALD€A.€OTTINGER,€€€€€€€à à)à àCOCKE€CIRCUIT€€€€ÌÓ` ŒXØ'ŽXÓ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9801„CV„00027Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€)à àÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€BEN€W.€HOOPER,€II€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€JUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àÌKIMBERLY€S.€OTTINGER,€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àÌ€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÓ` ܸ ™XÓÌà@ àò òòòJUDGMENTóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Cocke€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÏUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€opinion€that€thereÏwas€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed€in€its€entirety.€€Costs€on€appealÏare€assessed€to€the€appellant€and€this€case€is€remanded€to€theÏtrial€court.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAM›