ÿWPCâ †]ö‹9níîí%ºï¥©áùÝÒ@þ÷[8 ±¨µzO…(óZÁÀÜ­û7ã?ËÂŽu‘„ÿ³]ÚÕ¾žnŸ‡p“.ž]=r×NèœývkÏÀ“E!Ú&:„'â>´Ò´˜œŽÄQmÖŠå7­ñNË„£5¸CÔÄð‰Ü76…CeéçO¬ðvº^`rr´"ps¢­»I#ÄuOõ ÿØßpSÎ1·œì#€póOÔ–N¦ÚŠñÌ~[E Å1Áõ²½ö¦Ýq˜¦¨;i–d'8 &OW$ŽO6ì&l{:ãm©H~ôFi ™‹WÃømaF?´”O>Ξd–8. 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ÔÔ%†!åÔ€€€€Ô% ‡" ÔNo.€12198€€€€€The€Honorable€Dewey€C.€Ô_ÔWhittentonÔ_Ô,€Chancellor€Ô%†"ÔÐ  X ÐÌÌà@@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<×` AßÐ Ø(  ÐÌNo.€Ô% ‡# ÔW2001„01731„Ô_ÔCOAÔ_Ô„R3„CVÔ%†#Ô€„€Filed€June€26,€Ô_Ô2002Ô_ÔÐ ×'  ÐÔ#†¼«•»XX¼"Ï#ÔÔ‡X¼"X»¼«•ÔÌÌßA€V) °°` dE<¦` AßÐ §÷  Ðó óÌÔ% ‡ ÔÓ  Óà  àThis€is€an€appeal€from€the€trial€court's€decision€denying€Appellant's€motion€to€void€anÐ ¦ö ÐIrreconcilable€Differences€divorce€decree€because€it€was€granted€within€ninety„days€of€theÐ –æ Ðdivorce's€filing.€€Though€the€Appellant€sought€the€voiding€of€the€decree€as€alternative€relief,€itÐ †Ö Ðappears€the€essence€of€the€relief€sought€Ô%†AÔis€child€support€€modification.€€Thus,€the€attempt€to€voidÐ vÆ Ðthe€decree€is€a€collateral€attack€on€the€judgment€and€the€ninety„day€requirement€cannot€be€used€inÐ f¶ Ða€collateral€attack€to€void€a€divorce€decree.Ð V¦ ÐÌà  àThe€second€issue€is€raised€by€the€Appellee€as€to€whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€modifyingÐ 6† Ða€child€support€amount€previously€agreed€to€by€the€partiesÐ &v ÐÌà  àThe€trial€court€was€correct€in€lowering€the€amount€of€support€which€was€substantiallyÐ V Ðabove€the€guidelines.€€The€circumstances€on€which€an€agreed€upward€variation€is€based€areÐ öF Ðessential€information€in€order€to€weigh€whether€there€are€changes€of€€circumstances€justifying€aÐ æ6 Ðmodification€of€support.€€If€that€information€is€missing€from€the€agreement,€the€only€standard€theÐ Ö& Ðcourt€can€properly€apply€€for€modification€is€the€significant€variance€test€set€forth€in€the€statute.Ð Æ  ÐÌò òÔ% ‡$ ÔÓ  ÓÔ%†$ ÔTenn.€R.€App.€P.€3;€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Ô% ‡% ÔChancery€Court€AffirmedÔ%†%w Ôó óÐ ¦"ö! ÐÌÌòòÓ  ÓÓ  ÓJudge€€Ô_ÔD'ArmyÔ_Ô€Bailey,€€Ô_ÔSp.J.Ô_Ô,€Ô#†¼«•»àX¼"Æ#ÔÔ‡X¼"X.¼«•Ôóó€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€òòÔ% ‡& Ô€W.€Frank€Crawford,Ð v%Æ $ ÐÔ_ÔP.J.Ô_Ô,€and€David€R.€Farmer,€J.,€Ô%†&µ ÔÔ% ‡' ÔòòóóÔ%†':Ôóó€joined.Ð f&¶!% ÐÌÔ% ‡ ÔIvan€D.€Harris,€Jr.,€€Ô_ÔColliervilleÔ_Ô,€For€Appellant,€Jimmy€Alan€Ô_ÔPardueÔ_ÔÔ%†ÔÐ F(–#' ÐÌÔ% ‡ ÔÔ%†7ÔAndrew€S.€Johnston,€€Somerville,€For€Appellee,€Theresa€Doyle€Ô_ÔPardueÔ_ԀР&*v%) ÐÌÌÌÐ æ-6)-ýG ÐÓÕ ÓÓ  Óò òOPINIONó óÔ#†¼«•»XX¼"b #ÔÔ‡X¼"X»¼«•ÔÐ ° ÐÌÓ  Óà0  àÔ#†¼«•»XX¼"6#ÔÔ‡X¼"X»¼«•ÔOn€September€1,€1998,€Theresa€Ô_ÔPardueÔ_Ô€(Appellee)€filed€for€divorce€from€her€husband,Ðà(#(# ÐJimmy€Ô_ÔPardueÔ_Ô€(€Appellant),€alleging€inappropriate€marital€conduct.€€The€parties€had€two€minorÐ €Ð Ðchildren€at€the€time.€€A€marital€dissolution€agreement€executed€by€both€parties€was€filed€on€theÐ pÀ Ðsame€day€as€Appellee's€petition.€€The€marital€dissolution€agreement€stated€that€Appellant€wouldÐ ` ° Ðpay€Appellee€child€support€in€the€amount€of€$950.00€on€the€first€and€fifteenth€of€each€month.€Ð P   ÐThe€agreed€upon€€amount€of€€child€support€represented€approximately€ninety€percent€ofÐ @  ÐAppellant's€gross€income.€Ô% € ÔÔ#†¼«•»XX¼"¦#ÔÔ€X¼"X»¼«•ÔÐ 0 € ÐÌà  àThe€court€granted€the€divorce€and€entered€a€final€decree€on€November€9,€1998.€€At€theÐ `  Ðhearing€on€that€day,€however,€the€parties€stipulated€that€the€proper€grounds€for€divorce€wereÐ P  Ðirreconcilable€differences€as€opposed€to€inappropriate€marital€conduct.€€That€petition€wasÐ ð@  Ðamended€accordingly€and€the€marital€dissolution€agreement€was€incorporated€into€the€finalÐ à0  Ðdecree.€€When€the€divorce€was€granted,€the€ninety„day€waiting€period€for€divorces€based€onÐ Ð  Ðirreconcilable€differences€had€not€yet€elapsed.Ð À ÐÌà  àOn€April€14,€2000,€Appellant€petitioned€the€court€to€modify€the€final€divorce€decree.€Ð  ð ÐAppellant's€petition€was€later€amended€to€additionally€seek€a€decision€that€the€final€divorceÐ à Ðdecree€was€void.€€Appellant€argued€that€he€was€unrepresented€by€counsel€when€entering€in€theÐ €Ð Ðmarital€dissolution€agreement€and€that€circumstances€now€warranted€a€decrease€in€his€childÐ pÀ Ðsupport€obligations.€€€Further,€Appellant€argued€that€because€the€required€ninety„day€period€hadÐ `° Ðnot€elapsed,€the€decree€should€be€declared€void€pursuant€to€Rule€60€of€the€Tenn.€Rules€of€CivilÐ P  ÐProc.Ð @ ÐÌà  àThe€lower€court€decreased€Appellant's€child€support€obligation€from€$1,900.00€per€monthÐ  p Ðto€$1,000.00€per€month.€€The€court,€however,€refused€to€set€aside€the€final€divorce€decree.€Ð ` ÐÌà  àThe€first€question€raised€is€whether€the€final€decree€here€is€void€because€it€was€not€inÐ ð@ Ðcompliance€with€the€ninety„day€requirement€€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€36„4„103€(c)€(2001).€€ThisÐ à0 Ðfailure€of€compliance€does€not€render€the€decree€void,€but€rather€it€may€be€voidable€or€valid.€Ð Ð  ÐòòGentry€vs.€Gentryóó,€924€S.W.2d€678€(Tenn.€1996).€€€Since€the€decree€is€not€void,€it€can€only€beÐ À! Ðattacked€directly€and€is€not€subject€to€collateral€attack.€€òòIdóóÐ °"  Ðà  àÌà  àThis€brings€us€then€to€consider€whether€the€petitioner's€challenge€to€the€decree€is€DirectÐ $à" Ðor€Collateral.€€The€test€was€stated€in€òòJordan€vs.€Jordanóó,€239€Ô_ÔS.W.Ô_Ô€423,€445€(Tenn.€1922):Ð €%Ð # ÐÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àIf€an€action€or€proceeding€is€brought€for€the€very€purpose€of€Ð `'°"% Ðà  àà ` àimpeaching€or€overturning€a€judgment,€it€is€a€direct€attack€upon€it€.€.€.€Ð P( #& Ðà  àà ` àOn€the€other€hand,€if€the€action€or€proceeding€has€an€independentÐ @)$' Ðà  àà ` àpurpose€and€contemplates€some€other€relief€or€result,€although€the€Ð 0*€%( Ðà  àà ` àoverturning€of€the€judgment€may€be€important,€or€even€necessaryÐ  +p&) Ðà  àà ` àto€its€success,€then€the€attack€upon€that€judgment€is€collateral.Ð ,`'* Їò òòòIdó óóó.€(quoting€23€Cyc.€1062).Ð ° ÐÌÌà  àThe€essential€thrust€of€the€Appellant's€plea€for€relief€appears€aimed€at€modifying€theÐ €Ð Ðsupport€provision€of€the€decree€rather€€than€voiding€the€divorce€decree.€€It€was€not€until€April€14,Ð pÀ Ð2000,€some€seventeen€months€after€the€decree,€that€petitioner€sought€a€modification€of€theÐ ` ° Ðsupport€provision€of€the€decree.€€No€claim€was€then€made€that€the€decree€should€be€voided.€€ItÐ P   Ðwas€not€until€April€23,€2002,€€that€Appellant€amended€his€claim€to€assert€that€the€decree€shouldÐ @  Ðbe€voided.€€It€appears€form€the€record€that€much€of€the€impetus€for€this€proceeding€€arose€from€aÐ 0 € Ðvisitation€dispute€between€the€parties.€€Further,€by€his€own€admission,€the€Appellant€was€engagedÐ  p  Ðto€be€married€at€the€same€time€he€was€before€the€Court€asserting€a€claim€for€the€alternative€reliefÐ `  Ðof€voiding€the€decree.Ð P  Ðà  àÌà  àIt€is€clear,€therefore,€that€the€primary€and€independent€purpose€€of€these€proceedings€€wasÐ à0  Ðfor€a€modification€of€support€rather€than€overturning€the€divorce€judgment€itself.€€As€such€theÐ Ð  ÐAppellant's€challenge€constitutes€a€collateral€attack,€against€which€the€decree€is€immune.€€TheÐ À Ðtrial€court€was€correct€in€refusing€to€declare€the€decree€void.Ð ° ÐÌà  àThe€next€issue€is€whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€reducing€Appellant's€child€supportÐ à Ðobligation.Ð €Ð ÐÌà  àThe€parties€by€agreement€set€an€amount€of€support€which€was€more€than€twice€what€wasÐ `° Ðrequired€by€the€guidelines€and€amounted€to€nearly€90%€of€his€total€income.€€It€is€noted€that€theÐ P  Ðagreement€was€written€in€accordance€with€the€requirements€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€36„5„101€(h)Ð @ Ð(2001).€€Specifically,€the€parties€acknowledge€that€except€by€the€terms€of€the€agreement,€theÐ 0€ Ðamount€of€€the€agreed€support€can€only€be€changed€with€court€approval.Ð  p ÐÌà  àUnder€Chapter€1240„2„4„02€(4)€of€the€child€support€guidelines,€the€court€must€review€theÐ P Ðadequacy€of€child€support€agreements€before€approval.€€Where€the€agreement€calls€for€less€thanÐ ð@ Ðthe€guideline€amount€of€support,€it€must€by€its€terms€acknowledge€what€the€guideline€amount€is,Ð à0 Ðand€must€set€forth€a€justification€showing€how€the€lesser€amount€is€in€the€best€interest€of€theÐ Ð  Ðchild.€€It€can€be€safely€assumed€that€where€the€agreed€amount€exceeds€the€guidelines,€the€greaterÐ À! Ðamount€will€not€compromise€the€best€interest€of€the€child,€and€there€is€no€statutory€requirementÐ °"  Ðof€a€specific€justification€in€this€regard.€€ò òòòSeeó óóó€Tenn.€Comp.€R.€&€Ô_ÔRegsÔ_Ô.€1240„2„4„.02€(y)€(1994).Ð  #ð! ÐÌà  àWhere€there€has€been€a€deviation€by€agreement€under€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€36„5„101€(h)Ð €%Ð # Ð(2001),€any€application€for€a€modification€of€that€agreement€must€be€by€the€terms€of€Tenn.€CodeÐ p&À!$ ÐAnn.€ðð36„5„101€(a)€(1)€(2001):Ð `'°"% ÐÌà  àà ` àà ¸ à...€The€court€shall€decree€an€increase€or€decrease€of€such€Ð @)$' Ðà  àà ` àallowance€when€there€is€found€to€be€a€significant€variance€.€.€.€Ð 0*€%( Ðà  àà ` à[at€least€15%]€between€the€guidelines€and€the€amount€of€supportÐ  +p&) Ðà  àà ` àcurrently€ordered€unless€the€variance€has€resulted€from€a€previouslyÐ ,`'* Ðà  àà ` àcourt„ordered€deviation€from€the€guidelines€and€the€circumstances€Ð ° Ðà  àà ` àwhich€caused€the€deviation€have€not€changed.Ð  ð ÐÌà  àWhere€there€has€been€an€agreement€obligating€the€obligor€to€an€amount€in€excess€of€theÐ €Ð Ðguidelines,€before€there€can€be€a€change€in€the€amount,€€the€record€must€set€forth€any€change€inÐ pÀ Ðcircumstances€since€the€entry€of€the€decree,€€òòHaas€vs.€Haasóó,€C.€A.€No€02A01„9604„CV„0073,Ð ` ° Ð1997€WL€194852€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€April€22,€1997).€Ð P   ÐÌà  àThe€court€must,€therefore,€compare€the€pertinent€circumstances,€related€to€the€deviation€atÐ 0 € Ðthe€time€of€the€agreement,€to€the€circumstances€at€the€time€of€the€application€for€a€change.€€WhileÐ  p  Ðoften€the€original€circumstances€may€relate€solely€to€the€obligor's€income,€this€need€not€alwaysÐ `  Ðbe€so.€€There€could€be€a€variety€of€other€circumstances€which€underlay€the€original€upwardÐ P  Ðdeviation.Ð ð@  ÐÌà  àAn€example€is€illustrated€in€the€case€before€us.€€At€the€Appellant's€modification€hearing,Ð Ð  Ðhe€sought€to€testify€as€to€the€circumstances€which€caused€him€to€agree€on€an€amount€in€excess€ofÐ À Ðthe€guidelines.€€The€Appellee€objected€that€such€information€was€not€within€the€four€corners€ofÐ ° Ðthe€agreement,€and€the€trial€court€excluded€€the€Appellant's€testimony.€€However,€in€an€offer€ofÐ  ð Ðproof,€the€following€testimony€was€elicited€from€the€Appellant;Ð à ÐÌà  àà ` àQ.à0 ¸ àHow€did€you€and€your€wife€at€that€time€come€to€a€ÐpÀ¸ (#¸ (# Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àconclusion€as€to€the€child€support€you€were€to€be€paying?Ð `° Ðà  àà ` àA.à0 ¸ àWe€sat€down€and€figured€up€what€our€bills€were€and€ÐP ¸ (#¸ (# Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àbased€on€that€and€what€„€what€the€debt€„€what€our€debts€were€at€the€time€.€.Ð @ Ð.€Ð 0€ Ðà  àà ` àQ.à0 ¸ àNow€what€did€you€understand€some€of€those€debts€to€be?Ð p¸ (#¸ (# Ðà  àà ` àA.à0 ¸ àCredit€card€bill.€€We€had€a€couple€of€house€note„€a€house€noteÐ`¸ (#¸ (# Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àand€a€van€note€on€her€van€that€she€drove.€€Items€like€that.Ð P Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àI€don't€recall€all€of€them.Ð ð@ Ðà  àà ` àQ.à0 ¸ àOkay.€€Specifically,€what€do€you€believe€by€the€way€of€debts€that€Ðà0¸ (#¸ (# Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àexisted€at€that€time€no€longer€exist€today?Ð Ð  Ðà  àà ` àA.à0 ¸ àMy€thinking€is€with€the€amount€of€money€that€I've€paid,€the€ÐÀ!¸ (#¸ (# Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àcredit€card€bill€should€have€been€paid€off€because€I€think€the€Ð °"  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àcredit€on€it€was€like€twenty„five€hundred€or€twenty„sevenÐ  #ð! Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àhundred.Ð $à" Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àThe€van,€she€no€longer€owns€the€van.€€It's€been€sold,Ð €%Ð # Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àabove€and€beyond€that,€I€don't€„Ð p&À!$ Ðà  àà ` àQ.à0 ¸ àYou€don't€know?Ð`'°"%¸ (#¸ (# Ðà  àà ` àA.à0 ¸ àI€don't€know€what€her€bills€are.ÐP( #&¸ (#¸ (# ÐÌà  àIf€€the€pertinent€circumstances€relied€upon€by€the€parties€in€agreeing€to€an€upwardÐ 0*€%( Ðdeviation€in€support€are€not€specified€in€the€agreement,€the€trial€court€must€inappropriatelyÐ  +p&) Ðspeculate€as€to€what€those€circumstances€were€in€order€to€make€a€record€of€whether€there€hasÐ ,`'* Ðbeen€a€substantial€change€in€those€circumstances.Ð ° ÐÌÌà  àWhere,€as€in€the€case€at€bar,€the€agreement€is€silent€as€to€the€circumstances€for€theÐ €Ð Ðdeviation,€the€court€cannot,€pursuant€to€ðð€36„5„101€(a)(1),€properly€evaluate€whether,€"theÐ pÀ Ðcircumstances€which€caused€the€deviation€have€€.€.€.€€changed."€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€36„5„101Ð ` ° Ð(a)(1)€(2001).€€In€such€instances,€the€court€must€rely€on€the€only€remaining€provision€of€ðð€36„5„Ð P   Ð101€(a)(1)€and€"decree€an€increase€or€decrease€of€such€allowance€when€there€is€found€to€be€aÐ @  Ðsignificant€variance€.€.€.€".Ð 0 € ÐÌà  àThe€trial€court€correctly€found€a€significant€variance€and€reduced€the€Appellant's€supportÐ `  Ðobligation.€€The€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€the€appeal€are€assessed€againstÐ P  Ðthe€Appellee,€Theresa€Doyle€Ô_ÔPardueÔ_Ô,€and€her€surety.Ð ð@  ÐÌÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à_________________________________€Ð  ð Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àÔ_ÔD'ARMYÔ_Ô€BAILEY,€Sp.€J.Ð à ÐÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à