ÿWPCT( ž¡Ö8^ ¹ÆS@¸xª¡×yçPcöNùÄM»R\wÐQZùv.6ΪÉQB¬4z–T4ŠÍ!&¼™ŠQ«„øéV↑fÇͽF†‰Œ(ØE„n“á„ÔE¶¿{åäÈœ3'V+ S§)éXœ%DŠ{;ôÌ«a1ëdª%ýí8uºsÎêAÒ³-ëÞR\*ž—ŒE@àNþƒF•½€Ò‡µÂ ˆO9áL•Ô•?Zˆ/¿§–îEbÉÂæ  XpÆ!P/WÓÉä™™^Ö˜á8H¦³ÕbÉ)Õ»ì ¼~/X^þ«‹¢á+Yµ¿¯«Ì!µ¦ìpÑëÇg¯k3Õ/¬iÀETmz™å‰…ö] €é‹ÚÅõ¦?Šäh–MÏëo˜--ü"CÂ+§œ}¯% hU,Þn{Žnÿ|0Ey½éöUd'î_ ÷6 æºŽ­ÎtÍUŽGÞĄ؛ãÝ!–r· †}†Eæ‚(›ÛŠš…£ýl+ ïø6Ä †0« î0« î0 1 1z 1z 1z 1 ®0ð …0£ 50q h0` }0, À0 c0ò F0¶ ë/æ Ë/ö ¿/ ¡/ç s/Ô c/™ +/™ +/± /± /Ç /Ç /Ç /þ ;/ O/< |/< |/Ý à.Ý à.P m.P m.P m.Ž ..õ W.{ â.» #/á U/·/·/- ù- 0Ñ#€Xÿÿd#ÑÑ € уLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý d(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman Regular($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó'''÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd-),+ I&mage <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKK(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý ûÝ ƒ"¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€/XçšXXXÔÔ€/×X/XçšÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€/XçšX/×ÔÐ  ÐÌSeptember€24,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAhÔó ó'ÈÈÈÈdxd( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó óLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5####'ÿÿdxd,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular ûÝ ƒ"¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€1XçšXXXÔÔ€1×X1XçšÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€1XçšX1×ÔÐ  ÐÌSeptember€23,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAhÔó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman Regular)^yúÿ  <<= 8ÀÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ____3 TripledxdCTriple 1+| d d dÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝñÒñ›ñÒññÒñ›ñÒñÒ€°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ‡¼œ9¼XXÔÓ'€Ð‡Xè“X°œX'ÓÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€¼œ9¼¼¼œ9Ôñ×ñÖ€ ÿÿÖñ×ñÑ  ÑÑ€ &>ÑœñâññØñœñØñßr€*.<,(j 8` `€€@Eô±` 8ttxP,°ð  rßñâñSTATE›€OF€TENNESSEE,€ex€rel.à  à)Ð ° ÐPEGGY€A.€RICHARDSON,à 8 àà  à)Ð À Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)ÌÓ6€ü(‚X˜‘X€Ð‡Xè“X6Óà Ø àPlaintiff/Appellee,à  à)à  àAppeal€No.Ð à0 Ðà Ø àà  à)à  à01„A„01„9706„CV„00274Ð ð@ Ðv.à Ø àà  à)Ð  P Ðà Ø àà  à)à  àDavidson€CircuitÐ  ` ÐMICHAEL€W.€RICHARDSON,à  à)à  àNo.€€88D„1286Ð  p Ðñãñœßt€0.>.*jx–` `€€@EŠB ` 8ttxPÂ0 ê  tßñãñ›ñãñßt€*.>.*jx–` `€€@EŠB ` 8ttxPÂ0 ê  tßñâñœñâññãññâññâñà Ø àà  à)Ìà Ø àDefendant/Appellant.à  à)Ð @  Ðà Ø àà  à)ÌÌÌÔ#†XvX¼¼œ9M#ÔÔ‡»n»XXvÔÓ  ÓCOURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÐ €Ð  ÐÌÌAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€FOR€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌÌAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€MURIEL€ROBINSON,€JUDGEÌÓ9°,X‚Xì“X€ü(‚X˜‘X9ÓÌÌÌÓ  ÓJOHN€KNOX€WALKUPÌAttorney€General€&€ReporterÌÌKIMBERLY€M.€FRAYNÌAssistant€Attorney€GeneralÌGeneral€Civil€DivisionÌ425€Fifth€Avenue€NorthÌCordell€Hull€Building,€2nd€FloorÌNashville,€Tennessee€€37243„0499Ìà Ø àATTORNEYS€FOR€PLAINTIFF/APPELLEEÌÌÌÌCLARK€LEE€SHAWÌ2525€Lebanon€RoadÌNashville,€Tennessee€€37214ÌÔ#†XvX»»nê#ÔÔ‡¼œ9¼XXvÔà Ø àATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLANTÐ @0+) ÐÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌñØñÑ &>ÑÑ7€ÆxXXdìXXdì7ÑÑ€ÑÑ  ÑÑ &>ÑÑ#€Xÿÿd#ÑÑ € ÑÑ  ÑñØñÌà @ àà @ì àWALTER€W.€BUSSART,€SPECIAL€JUDGE€Ð à:063Š ÐÑ &>ÑÑ7€vXXdìXXdì7ÑÑ€ÑÑ  ÑñØñÑ &>ÑÑ7€¶GXXdìXXdì7ÑÑ€ÑÑ  ÑñØñÓÓÓ  ÓòòÔ#†XvX¼¼œ9Ë#ÔÔ‡°<°XXvÔOPINIONóóÐ ° ÐÓ  ÓÔ#†XvX°°Ž ÐÌà  àIn€òòò òBrown€v.€Lathamó óóó,€914€S.W.2d€887€(Tenn.€1996),€the€court€held€thatÐ qÁ Ða€defendant€charged€with€violating€section€36„5„104(a)€of€the€Tennessee€Code׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú4Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€forÐ  \ Ðthe€failure€to€comply€with€a€child€support€order€was€entitled€to€a€jury€trial€underÏthe€reasoning€of€òòò òDusinaó óóó.€€The€court€determined€that€section€36„5„104(a)€at€issueÐ <Œ  Ðin€òòò òBrownó óóó€defines€a€criminal€offense.€€òòò òId.ó óóó€at€888.€€The€court€then€compared€thatÐ ×'" Ðstatute€to€the€statutes€at€issue€in€this€case,€sections€29„9„102€and€29„9„103€of€theÏCode,€indicating€that€these€latter€parts€of€the€Ô‡¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5Ôcode€are€not€criminal€offenses€forÐ  #Z& Ðwhich€defendants€are€entitled€to€jury€trials.€€òòò òId.ó óóó€at€888„89.€€Ð ¢$ò( ÐÓ€Óà8  àSection€36-5-104(a)€.€.€.€states€the€essential€indicia€of€aÏcriminal€offense.€€Its€violation€is€not€declared€to€be€a€contemptÏas€contemplated€by€ñÒñœñÒñTenn.€ñÒñ›ñÒñCode€Ann.€ðð€29-9-102€(1980).€€ItsÏstated€purpose€is€not€to€compel€performance€but€to€punish€forÏnon-performance€by€imprisonment€for€a€definite€period€ofÏtime.€€The€language€of€subsection€(b),€"[n]o€arrest€warrantÏshall€issue"€under€certain€conditions,€indicates€a€criminalÏproceeding.€€The€penalty€imposed,€imprisonment€for€a€periodÏof€time€not€to€exceed€six€months,€conforms€with€the€definitionÏof€a€misdemeanor€stated€in€ñÒñœñÒñTenn.€ñÒñ›ñÒñCode€Ann.€ðð€39-11-110Ï(1991),€which€provides,€"...€all€violations€of€law€punishable€byÏfine€or€confinement€for€less€than€one€(1)€year,€or€both,€areÏdenominated€misdemeanors."€€The€punishment€authorized€farÐ ý2M.6 Ðexceeds€the€$50€fine€and€ten€days€imprisonment€provided€inÏñÒñœñÒñTenn.€ñÒñ›ñÒñCode€Ann.€ðððð€29-9-102,€103,€which€are€the€sanctionsÏtraditionally€utilized€to€vindicate€the€authority€of€the€courts.€ÏÐ  Ð  Ð  ÐÓ€aSÓòòò òId.ó ó€óóat€888.€€Indeed,€based€upon€the€distinction€drawn€in€òòò òBrownó óóó,€the€Court€ofÐ ð@ ÐAppeals€has,€in€an€unpublished€opinion,€refused€to€extend€the€right€of€a€jury€trialÏto€a€charge€of€criminal€contempt€under€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€section€29„9„¼103.€€€òòò òPerkerson€v.€Perkersonó óóó,€No.€01A„01„9602„CV„00059,€1996€WL€426807Ð »  Ð(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1996).€€This€court€held€that€a€statute€imposing€a€fifty€dollar€fineÏor€ten€days€in€jail€does€not€entitle€the€accused€to€a€jury€trial.€Ô#†¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5«R#ÔÐ î>  ÐÌà  àIn€the€case€before€us,€the€court€found€that€the€Father€was€guilty€ofÏwillful€criminal€contempt€pursuant€to€section€29„9„101€because€he€"had€the€abilityÏto€pay,€but€did€not€do€so."€€Based€upon€the€cases€of€òòò òBrownó óóó€and€òòò òPerkersonó óóó,€weÐ Nž Ðfind€that€a€contempt€charge€under€section€29„9„101€does€not€entitle€a€defendantÏto€a€jury€trial.׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú5Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€ñÒñœñÒñÔ‡¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5ÔTheñÒñ›ñÒñ€court's€language€indicated€that€it€found€that€the€Father€had€theÐ Ñ Ðfinancial€ability€to€pay€these€funds€but€that€he€had€refused€to€do€so.Ô#†¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5\#Ô€€Ô‡¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5ÔThe€problemÐ i Ðhere€lies€not€in€the€court's€denial€of€a€jury€trial€for€a€ñÒñœñÒñfinding€of€contempt€underÏsectionñÒñ›ñÒñ€29„9„101€ñÒñœñÒñbutñÒñ›ñÒñ€rather€in€the€fact€that€there€was€no€proof€that€the€Father€hadÏthe€financial€ability€to€pay.€€The€Mother€did€attempt€to€show€that€the€Father€hadÏthe€ability€to€produce€income;€however,€as€shown€in€the€remainder€of€this€opinion,Ïshe€failed€to€establish€this.€€Ô#†¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5ô\#ÔÐ $a& ÐÌà  àThus,€we€turn€to€a€€review€of€the€issue€of€the€sufficiency€of€the€evidence.ÏThe€burden€of€proof€rests€with€the€State€of€Tennessee€to€show€beyond€aÏreasonable€doubt€that€the€Father€is€guilty€of€criminal€contempt.€€òòò òBlack€v.€Blountó óóó,Ð q*Á%. Ð938€S.W.2d€394,€398€(Tenn.€1996);€òòò òsee€alsoó óóó€òòò òInternational€Union,€United€MineÐ  ,\'0 ÐWorkers€v.€Bagwelló óóó,€512€U.S.€821,€826,€114€S.Ct.€2552,€2557,€120€L.Ed.2d€642Ð §-÷(2 Ð(1994).€€As€stated,€the€lower€court€found€the€Father€had€the€ability€to€pay€childÏsupport€but€did€not€and€therefore€was€guilty€of€at€least€nine€counts€of€willfulÏcontempt.€€After€a€careful€review€of€the€record,€and€adherence€to€Rule€13(d),ÏTenn.€R.€App.€P.,€we€disagree€and€conclude€that€the€State€has€failed€to€meet€itsÐ  4Z/: Ðburden€to€show€that€the€Father€had€the€financial€ability€to€comply€with€the€childÏsupport€order.€€ÌÌà  àIn€his€opening€statement,€the€Mother's€attorney€conceded€that€the€FatherÏwas€disabled€and€that€he€received€social€security€benefits.€€It€was€clear€that€theÏMother€was€not€arguing€that€child€support€could€be€assessed€against€this€socialÏsecurity€money;€rather,€it€was€the€Mother's€position€that€the€Father€was€capableÏof€engaging€in€other€work€and€indeed€that€he€had€done€so.€€The€record€reveals€thatÏthe€only€testimony€with€regard€to€the€Father's€ability€to€produce€income€is€thatÏfrom€Sue€Dush.€€As€stated,€Ms.€Dush€claimed€that€she€paid€the€Father€$1700€inÏcash€for€a€landscaping€job€which€took€approximately€two€days€during€the€periodÏbetween€June€15€and€the€end€of€June€in€1996.€€Based€upon€this€limited€exposure,ÏMs.€Dush€made€an€in„court€identification€of€the€Father€stating€that€he,€in€June€ofÏ1996,€had€a€beard.€€ÌÌà  àMs.€Dush's€testimony€was€not€confirmed€in€any€way€by€the€rest€of€theÏproof.€€In€fact,€other€evidence€contradicted€it.€€For€instance,€Ms.€Courlas€statedÏthat€the€Father€did€not€have€a€beard€in€June€of€1996.€€This€was€corroborated€by€theÏstipulated€testimony€of€Sherry€Hesson,€the€owner€of€the€day€care€where€theÏFather's€child€stayed.€€In€addition,€Ms.€Dush€did€not€recognize€either€of€theÏphotographed€vehicles€in€exhibits€six€and€seven€as€those€used€by€the€man€whoÏlandscaped€her€yard€while€both€Mr.€and€Ms.€Courlas€claimed€that€these€vehiclesÏwere€the€only€ones€that€the€Father€owned€in€June€of€1996.€€Moreover,€Mr.€CourlasÏsaid€that,€in€June€of€1996,€the€Father€did€not€have€a€computer€capable€ofÏproducing€the€design€that€was€given€Ms.€Dush€nor€did€he€have€the€appropriateÏequipment€for€the€actual€landscaping€work€which€was€done€in€Ms.€Dush's€yard.€ÏThough€Mr.€Courlas€spent€significant€time€with€the€Father€in€the€latter€half€of€JuneÏof€1996,€he€was€not€aware€that€the€Father€worked€for€Ms.€Dush.€€Finally,€Ms.ÏLinda€Richardson€stated€that€there€was€no€way€that€her€husband€could€have€doneÏa€landscaping€job€without€her€knowing€about€it.€€Ô‡¼i ¼¼¼Ì5ÔÐ è28.: ÐÔ#†¼Ì5¼ ¼¼ipj#ÔÔ‡¼i ¼¼¼Ì5ÔÌà  àÔ#†¼Ì5¼ ¼¼iÇj#ÔFurther,€there€was€evidence€that€the€Father€was€incapable€of€such€work.€Ð 6b1> ÐAs€stated,€Mr.€Courlas€found€the€Father€to€be€jittery€and€€nervous.€€He€said€that€heÏhad€a€difficult€time€concentrating€and€that€he€had€to€ask€questions€"a€hundredÐ B9’4B Ðtimes,€compulsive€type€behavior."€€Mr.€Courlas€also€testified€that€the€Father€"hadÏa€hard€time€dealing€with€things€on€a€moment€to€moment€basis."€€In€addition,€heÏsaid€that€the€Father€had€a€difficult€time€doing€anything€without€his€wife€LindaÏpresent.€€It€was€Linda€Richardson's€testimony€that€both€she€and€the€Father€sufferedÏfrom€mental€illnesses.ÌÌà  àFinally,€there€was€no€proof€that€the€Father€had€in€his€possessionÏsufficient€funds€to€pay€the€judgment€against€him.€€In€fact,€the€evidence€was€thatÏthe€€Father€had€very€little€money.€€Ô‡¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5ÔMr.€Courlas€testified€that€the€Father€was€notÐ pÀ  Ðresponsible€for€rent€or€mortgage€as€his€home€was€provided€by€a€relative.€€ñÒñœñÒñMr.ÏCourlasñÒñ›ñÒñ€stated€that€Resolve€Ministries€and€other€charity€organizations€providedÏthe€majority€of€food€that€the€Father€and€his€family€needed€during€the€time€that€theÏFather€was€involved€with€Resolve.€€The€Father's€wife€Linda€confirmed€thatÏchurches€gave€clothing€to€her€familyÔ#†¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5Mn#ÔÔ‡¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5Ô€and€that,€at€least€for€June€of€1996,€ResolveÐ h¸ ÐMinistries€gave€them€ñÒñœñÒñmoneyñÒñ›ñÒñ€to€pay€their€bills.€€Linda€testified€that€the€$800€perÏmonth€cost€of€child€care€for€the€Father's€and€her€child€was€paid€for€by€her€ownÏfather.ÌÌà  àÔ#†¼Ì5¼¼¼Ì5Gp#ÔIn€conclusion,€we€find€that€there€remains€a€substantial€and€reasonableÐ `!°$ Ðdoubt€that€the€Father€was€able€to€earn€enough€income€or€that€he€was€in€possessionÏof€sufficient€funds€to€meet€his€support€obligations.€€ñÒñœñÒñThusñÒñ›œñÒññÎñ,€weñÎññÒñ›ñÒñ€find€that€there€wasÏinsufficient€evidence€to€conclude€that€the€Father€was€guilty€of€criminal€contempt.€ÏBased€upon€this€decision,€we€do€not€reach€the€remaining€issues€raised€by€theÏFather.€€The€lower€court's€decision€to€hold€the€Father€guilty€of€nine€counts€ofÏcontempt€under€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€section€29„9„101€is€ñÒñœñÒññÑññÐñ€ñÐññÑññÐñ›ñÐññÏñœtherefore€ñÏñreversed,ñÒñ›ñÒñ€and€thisÏcause€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€further€proceedings€in€accordanceÏherewith.Ìà  àÌÌñÒñœñÒñÌñÒñ›ñÒñÌÓ€Óà  àà ¼ à________________________________Ìà  àà ¼ àÔ€X¶GX¼¼Ì5ÔWALTER€W.€BUSSART,€SPECIAL€JUDGE€Ð (7x2? ÐÌÌÐ ì9<5B ÐCONCUR:ÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€PRESIDING€JUDGE,€M.S.ÌÌÌœñÓñPARTIAL›€DISSENTING€OPINIONñÓññÕññÔñ)ñÔññÕññÖñ______________________________________ñÖñÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌà8  àà ¼ à