ÿWPC, ×H:^z}Õ¾¡ŽHº¿}•XäÐXe­ö7jãò5 fœ©ô‹q†˜ ­&­üøg#A?In#WgX2Ó1`]’V†>á$±ØÜ½ãZ´> Ø)Ün‘e‚pàöŸ°nHNͬ»ã®…ù¿¡ËöKmüÚ£à®ÁM[% õAOuÝD}*¥)#3”µ‘E¯^fËÔœ_‡¢@ªªÀfºKÍ9gwwÞê+F ÃÈÊ-¿Pr%Kzøƒ;Ò¹U‹eE«?È–àrx R)g±-[€T ¾›]‡X`ï0÷ᨠc YA^Áþ³o=ò7¹+º#b3#q+¼r VYº'îër®×r[í§Øgñ^|zbT"T–꬜"Ó0𑻢¦kãx4D[¶XU¡:Æ›‚³ð“š«Ü.èGrF‰ò/=sù¢ÆFl«Ü Ñ×_ÞË]Òjê°6ö4ii%uÂÓõ²S«(bìß}䨡ŸÒ ü·|‡õ™¹ ÒÒᣉÔ¨3¤Ñ‚ì¨c7ã•ÓoôÜÇ€Œ [@Ñß¿¿`Ö9éx2ÄŠ®N¨-ü’=rœ~2*ŒÐé\kaC iä5m]¬,Ì,<+¡6#¨ñH±"P‘$b %\^ b 0ˆnUNöwD4H\ zkÒå· m¹ Ð #ÁØ Æ™ Æ_ Æ% Æë 1‡±N8 72: 1ulEá 72ã 0cx 0DUNÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑb 0ë'''' B 0¤/ D5Ó D- 0K55 AS€ÆÓ 0¤™ 0D= A«»™nS)â (`£ª$¡¡Ñ€.ÑÑ8€½­»»d»»d8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  Ó(í€"  Z6Times New Roman Regular*DJ)bk3Å¥3|x ˜C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ ˜HP LaserJet 8000 Series PSØÚØÚÚØØÚ0Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(5hCEKQW]cioAutoList11.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.3#37=CIQYag­­1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)(;3£$´´Ô2#ÔÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0  à Ý ƒRmx$ÝÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÔ€XÛ¾X»»ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ‡ô9 òXXÛ¾ÔThe€petition€of€Mrs.€Powell€shows€the€date€of€birth€to€be€February€2,€1986.Ô#†XÛ¾X òô9 ~#Ô(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(ÆúI Z‹6Times New Roman Regular- ù-(|G2mx$¤¤Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Ì»»d d 8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€Xu¬X»»Ô d(|3û$££Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Ì»»d d 8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝVVVV)ÿÿ!dxdx)!ÈÈÈÈdxdx( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó^_X`YEþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3û$¢¢Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Ì»»d d 8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óX[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Ü»»d dÈ8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ€¼ˆ¢»»»ÔÑ  Ñà  àà@¦ ¦ ìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@””$ìàAT€KNOXVILLEˆÐ  Ðà@ ìàSubmitted€on€Briefs€May€30,€2000ˆÐ Ô$ ÐÔ‡XÛ¾X»¼ˆ¢ÔÌò òÔ#†¼ˆ¢»XXÛ¾Š#ÔÓ  ÓTAMMY€C.€POWELL€v.€CHARLEY€CRISP,€òòet€alóó.ó óÐ Ò" ÐÓÐÓÌÔ€XÛ¾X»¼ˆ¢Ôà@ã ã ìàò òDirect€Appeal€from€the€Chancery€Court€for€Bradley€CountyˆÐ ø H Ðà@6 6 ìàNo.€98„285€€€Ô_ÔJerriÔ_Ô€S.€Bryant,€Chancellor€ˆÐ ä 4 ÐÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àFILED€OCTOBER€€18,€2000Ð ¼  Ðà@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<§` A߈Ð ¨ø  ÐÌà@ ìàNo.€E1999„02539„Ô_ÔCOAÔ_Ô„R3„CV€„€Decided€ˆÐ £ó  ÐÌßA€V) °°` dE<z` AßÐ {Ë  Ðó óÌThis€is€a€suit€wherein€Tammy€C.€Powell,€formerly€Bird,€seeks€custody€of€her€minor€children,€JoshuaÐ vÆ  ÐDaniel€Bird€(DOB€2/2/86)€and€Cherish€Ô_ÔRichelleÔ_Ô€Bird€(DOB€8/25/88),€who€are€now€in€the€custodyÐ b² Ðof€her€parents.€€The€Trial€Court€was€of€the€opinion€that€the€Court€of€Indian€Offenses€of€the€EasternÐ Nž ÐBand€of€Cherokee€Indians,€€located€in€Cherokee,€North€Carolina,€the€Court€which€initially€awardedÐ :Š Ða€divorce€to€Richard€Bird€and€later€granted€custody€of€the€children€to€the€maternal€grandparents,Ð &v ÐCharley€and€Peggy€Crisp,€had€exclusive€jurisdiction€of€any€action€seeking€to€change€custody,€andÐ b Ðaccordingly€dismissed€the€petition.€€We€affirm.Ð þN ÐÌò òTenn.€R.€App.€P.€3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Chancery€Court€Affirmed;Ð Ö& Ðà@#ìàCause€Remandedó óˆÐ  ÐÌHouston€M.€Ô_ÔGoddardÔ_Ô,€Ô_ÔP.J.Ô_Ô,€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€Herschel€P.€òòóóFranks€andÐ šê ÐCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€JJ.,€joinedÐ †Ö ÐÌLori€F.€Ô_ÔFleishmanÔ_Ô€of€Knoxville,€Tennessee,€for€the€appellant€Tammy€C.€PowellÐ ^® ÐÌNo€brief€filed€by€the€appelleesÐ 6!†  ÐÌà@66'ìàò òOPINIONó óˆÐ #^" ÐÌòòóóÌà  àà ` àÌà  àà ` àThis€is€a€suit€wherein€Tammy€C.€Powell,€formerly€Bird,€seeks€custody€of€her€minorÐ ¾&"& Ðchildren,€Joshua€Daniel€Bird€(DOB€2/2/86)€and€Cherish€Ô_ÔRichelleÔ_Ô€Bird€(DOB€8/25/88),€who€are€nowÐ ª'ú"' Ðin€the€custody€of€her€parents.Ð –(æ#( ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Trial€Court€was€of€the€opinion€that€the€Court€of€Indian€Offenses€of€the€EasternÐ n*¾%* ÐBand€of€Cherokee€Indians,€€located€in€Cherokee,€North€Carolina,€the€Court€which€initially€awardedÐ Z+ª&+ Ðâ âa€divorce€to€Richard€Bird€and€later€granted€custody€of€the€children€to€the€maternal€grandparents,Ð F,–',ý ÐCharley€and€Peggy€Crisp,€had€exclusive€jurisdiction€of€any€action€seeking€to€change€custody,€andÐ ° Ðaccordingly€dismissed€the€petition.Ð œì Ðâ âÔ_ÔÌà  àà ` àAt€the€time€of€the€divorce€and€initial€award€of€joint€custody€to€the€parents,€theÐ tÄ Ðchildren€and€the€parents€were€residing€within€the€reservation€of€the€Indian€Tribe,€although€at€the€timeÐ `° Ðof€the€filing€of€the€petition€in€this€case€they€were€residing€with€their€maternal€grandparents€in€BradleyÐ L œ ÐCounty,€Tennessee.Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Federal€Statute€addressing€the€question€presented€here€is€found€in€the€IndianÐ  ` ÐChild€Welfare€Act€which,€as€pertinent€to€this€appeal,€provides,€at€25€U.S.C.A.€1911,€the€following:Ð ü L  ÐÌÒ€°ÒÒ€°Òðð€1911.€€Indian€tribe€jurisdiction€over€Indian€child€custody€proceedingsÐ Ô$  ÐÌ(a)€€Exclusive€jurisdictionÐ ¬ü  ÐÌAn€Indian€tribe€shall€have€jurisdiction€exclusive€as€to€any€State€over€any€childÐ „Ô  Ðcustody€proceeding€involving€an€Indian€child€who€resides€or€is€domiciled€withinÐ pÀ Ðthe€reservation€of€such€tribe,€except€where€such€jurisdiction€is€otherwise€vestedÐ \¬ Ðin€the€State€by€existing€Federal€law.€€Where€an€Indian€child€is€a€ward€of€a€tribalÐ H˜ Ðcourt,€the€Indian€tribe€shall€retain€exclusive€jurisdiction,€notwithstanding€theÐ 4„ Ðresidence€or€domicile€of€the€child.Ð  p ÐÌÒ°€ÒÒ°€Òà  àà ` àAt€the€outset,€we€note€that€because€the€question€presented€is€one€of€law€our€reviewÐ øH Ðis€òòde€novoóó€without€any€presumption€as€to€the€correctness€of€the€Trial€Courtððs€determination.€€òòUnionÐ ä4 ÐCarbide€Corp.€v.€Huddlestonóó,€854€S.W.2d€87€(Tenn.1993).Ð Ð  ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€following€is€a€chronological€list€of€the€pertinent€material€found€in€the€record:Ð ¨ø ÐÌÓ€ (5h83ÓÝ"‚3£"ÝÝ  ÝÝ‚3£ùÝÔ25hÔÚ  Ú1Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0  àÝ  ÝFebruary€25,€1992.€€Divorce€decree€granting€Richard€Bird€a€divorce€from€Tammy€Crisp€Bird,Ð €Ð Ðnow€Powell.€€This€order€also€incorporated€a€separation€agreement€as€to€custody€(the€parentsÐ l¼ Ðwere€granted€joint€custody),€visitation€and€support€of€two€minor€children,€Joshua€DanielÐ X ¨ ÐBird,€then€age€six,€and€Cherish€Richelle€Bird,€then€age€three.݃3£ù&ÝŒÐD!”(#(# ÐŒÝ  ÝÌÝ"‚3£"ÝÝ  ÝÝ‚3£LÝÔ25hÔÚ  Ú2Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0  àÝ  ÝMay€14,€1996.€€Order€by€the€Court€of€Indian€Offenses€granting€Charley€and€Peggy€Crisp,Ð #l! Ðmaternal€grandparents,€custody€of€the€two€children.€€In€this€order€the€Court€made€theÐ $X" Ðfollowing€conclusion€of€law:݃3£LyÝŒÐô$D #(#(# ÐŒÝ  ÝÌÒ€°ÒÒ€°Ò1.à Ø àThat€this€Court€does€have€jurisdiction€over€this€matter€and€shall€continueÐ Ì&"% Ðto€exercise€that€jurisdiction€until€such€time€as€it€is€no€longer€in€the€best€interest€ofÐ ¸'#& Ðthe€minor€children.Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌÒ°€ÒÒ°€Ò3.à0  àNovember€20,€1998.€€Petition€of€Mrs.€Powell€for€the€registration€and€enrollment€of€the€finalÐ |*Ì%) Ðdecree€of€divorce€by€the€Indian€Court.Ðh+¸&*(#(# Ї4.à0  àNovember€20,€1998.€€Petition€by€Mrs.€Powell€for€a€change€of€custody.а(#(# ÐÌ5.à0  àJanuary€14,€1999.€€Motion€by€Peggy€Crisp€to€contest€jurisdiction€and€to€dismiss.ЈØ(#(# ÐÌ6.à0  àMarch€9,€1999.€€Order€of€the€Chancery€Court€for€Bradley€County,€taking€the€motion€toÐ `° Ðdismiss€under€advisement€and€directing€counsel€to€provide€the€Court€of€Indian€Offenses€ð ðaÐ L œ Ðcopy€of€all€pleadings€filed€to€date€in€this€matter.€€The€Court€also€ordered€that€the€Indian€CourtÐ 8 ˆ Ðshall€be€permitted€thirty€(30)€days€from€the€date€of€this€Order€to€state€its€position€and/orÐ $ t Ðinterpretation,€in€writing,€to€this€Court,€in€regard€to€whether€the€minor€children€of€the€partiesÐ  ` Ðwere€deemed€wards€of€the€Court€pursuant€to€the€previous€Order€of€the€Indian€Court,€enteredÐ ü L  Ðon€May€14,€1996,€in€the€matter€of€òòRichard€Bird€v.€Tammy€Crisp€Birdóó,€case€number€CV€92„Ð è 8  Ð116.ðð€€ÐÔ$ (#(# ÐÌ7.à0  àMarch€16,€1999.€€Response€and€order€of€Indian€Court€reciting€in€part€and€ordering€in€part€theÐ ¬ü  Ðfollowing:Иè (#(# ÐÌÒ€°ÒÒ€°Ò3.€€Both€minor€children,€Cherish€Richelle€Bird,€DOB€08/25/88,€RR#9170,€andÐ pÀ ÐJoshua€Daniel€Bird,€DOB€02/04/86,׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€RR#8545,€are€enrolled€members€of€theÐ \¬ ÐEastern€Band€of€Cherokee€Indians.Ð H˜ ÐÌà Ø à.€.€.€.Ð  p ÐÌ7.€€In€order€for€this€Court€to€place€these€Indian€children€in€a€home€other€than€withÐ øH Ðtheir€natural€parents,€they€must€have€been€declared€ð ðwardsðð€of€the€Court,€and€itÐ ä4 Ðwas€the€intention€of€the€Order€of€May€14,€1996,€to€do€that.Ð Ð  ÐÌà Ø à.€.€.€.Ð ¨ø ÐÌò òà Ø àIT€IS€NOW€THEREFORE€ORDERED,€ADJUDGED€ANDÐ €Ð ÐDECREED€THAT:Ð l¼ Ðó óÌà Ø à1.€€The€Court€of€Indian€Offenses€for€the€Eastern€Band€of€Cherokee€IndiansÐ D!” Ðretains€jurisdiction€over€the€custody€of€the€minor€children,€CHERISH€RICHELLE€Ð 0"€  ÐBIRD€and€JOSHUA€DANIEL€BIRD.Ð #l! ÐÌà Ø à2.€Any€petition€or€motion€for€change€of€custody€or€change€of€venue€shouldÐ ô$D # Ðfirst€be€ruled€upon€by€this€Court,€and€these€two€minor€children€are€wards€of€thisÐ à%0!$ ÐCourt.Ð Ì&"% ÐÌà Ø à3.€€Any€action€or€petition€to€change€the€jurisdiction€of€this€case€must€beÐ ¤(ô#' Ðfiled€with€the€Court€of€Indian€Offense€for€the€Eastern€Band€of€Cherokee€Indians,Ð )à$( Ðand€must€show€to€the€Court€that€it€is€in€the€best€interest€of€the€children€to€have€theÐ ° Ðjurisdiction€released€to€another€Court.Ð œì ÐÌÒ°€ÒÒ°€Òà  àà ` àWe€note€that€the€Judge€who€entered€the€order€of€March€16,€1999,€stating€that€it€was€Ð tÄ Ðthe€intent€of€the€earlier€order€to€make€the€children€wards€of€the€court,€was€not€the€Judge€who€enteredÐ `° Ðthat€order.€€We€ordinarily€would€question€whether€one€judge€would€know€the€intent€of€another;€Ð L œ Ðhowever,€in€this€case,€the€order€of€March€16€states€that€the€children€must€have€been€declared€wardsÐ 8 ˆ Ðof€the€Court,€or€the€Court€would€have€no€authority€to€place€them€in€a€home€other€than€with€theirÐ $ t Ðnatural€parents.€€Our€conviction€is€buttressed€by€the€fact€that,€as€shown€by€the€order€of€May€14,€1996,Ð  ` Ðthe€Court€retained€continuing€jurisdiction€of€the€children.€€Finally,€we€observe€that€the€order€ofÐ ü L  ÐMarch€9,€1999,€specifically€finds€that€they€are€wards€of€the€court.Ð è 8  ÐÌà  àà ` àThus,€we€find€the€Trial€Court€was€not€in€error€in€dismissing€the€case€because€Ð À  Ðexclusive€jurisdiction€was€in€the€Indian€Court.€€Ð ¬ü  ÐÌà  àà ` àBefore€concluding,€we€note€there€is€conflicting€evidence€relative€to€the€reason€theÐ „Ô  ÐIndian€Court€dismissed€Mrs.€Powellððs€petition€to€change€custody€which€was€originally€filed€there.€Ð pÀ ÐShe€contends€it€was€done€because€the€Trial€Court€said€the€case€was€ð ðclosed,ðð€but€an€affidavit€of€Mrs.Ð \¬ ÐCrisp€states€that€the€Trial€Court€did€not€want€to€hear€the€petition€until€criminal€charges€against€Mrs.Ð H˜ ÐPowellððs€present€husband€relating€to€child€abuse€were€resolved.€€However€that€may€be,€if€the€IndianÐ 4„ ÐCourt€will€not€accept€jurisdiction€it€will€be€appropriate€for€Mrs.€Powell€to€re„file€her€petition€forÐ  p Ðcustody€as€she€certainly€has€a€right€to€pursue€her€claim€in€some€court.Ð  \ ÐÌà  àà ` àFor€the€foregoing€reasons€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€affirmed€and€the€causeÐ ä4 Ðremanded€for€collection€of€costs€below.€€Costs€of€appeal€are€adjudged€against€Mrs.€Powell€and€herÐ Ð  Ðsurety.Ð ¼  Ðà  àÌà  àà ` àÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à__________________________________________Ð l¼ Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àHOUSTON€M.€GODDARD,€PRESIDING€JUDGEÐ X ¨ Ð