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X/&24Technical Document Style.. 23  Ԁ.   CRight ParRight-Aligned Paragraph NumbersI.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)3|xm<6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXx6X@JQX@( T$   dR"$(G.2$ FT!   XX     0  MARVINBERKELESLIEMcWILLIAMS($   0  HOWELLBERKEFRAYN HANN DHSPettusseHashaHafleyBarishOotenRookerRimer("$    2 0Indent123  WDXIYZ]e^D_`aDbӀ2" 0Indent20 23  GGGG'dxd2, 0Indent30 0 23  26 0Indent40 0 0 23  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23  SVYZ[\]^ ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X<  9p`(Courier New% Line 7 dhhhh7Border 1ddQiC << G<  9p`(Arial  F!  #d#g  kk   YYY FILEDkX May23,1997CecilCrowson,Jr.kAppellateCourtClerk <  9p`(&Times New Roman  F!#d#g  I$g         Mr.SmithallegesthatheisnotliabletotheStateforthechildsupportarrearagesinceheofferedtogiveMs.PettusclothesforthechildandofferedtohelppayforthechildonanumberofoccasionsandMs.Pettusrepeatedlyrefusedhishelp.PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'hStyl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   h HD: Geneva  h HD: Geneva QC<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd F! . g  ݛ  7* XXdd7\RA'\ `    , 5  h u` ќRjliA1-j|`  `@Rߛ @ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE@ EASTERNSECTIONSTATEOFTENNESSEE,DHS,@ @ ) ANDERSONCOUNTYandAssigneeof:@ ) 03A019611JV00351  @ )STACYPETTUS @ )@ ) PetitionersAppellees  @ ) HON.JENNINGSB.MEREDITH,̀@ ) JUDGE v.@ ) @ @ )ROBERTLEESMITH@ )̀@ ) RespondentAppellant@ ) AFFIRMEDANDREMANDEDROBERTLEESMITH,ProSeCHARLESW.BURSON,AttorneyGeneral&Reporter,andKIMBERLYM.FRAYN,AssistantAttorneyGeneral,NASHVILLE,FORDEPARTMENTOFHUMANSERVICES    OPINION         Goddard,P.J.m  gRobertLeeSmithappealsjudgmentoftheAndersonCountyJuvenileCourtwhichorderedhimtopayarrearageofchildsupportpayments,whichwereoriginallydueStacyPettus,totheStateofTennesseeintheamountof$38,354,payableatanamountof$40.00permonth.TheissuesthatMr.Smith,aproseAppellant,raisesonappealarenotentirelyclearfromhisbrief.However,theStatesuggeststhatMr.Smithhasraisedthefollowingissuesonappeal:1. TheTrialCourterredinnotacceptingMr.Smithsequitableestoppeldefenseforhisliabilityofthearrearage.2. TheTrialCourterredbyfailingtoappointMr.Smithcounsel,allowingtimeforhimtoobtainprivatecounsel,andbydenyinghisrequestforajurytrial.  StacyPettusgavebirthtoHashaJuanA.PettusonNovember30,1979.Priortothefilingofthiscase,Ms.PettusassignedherrightstochildsupporttotheStateofTennesseeDepartmentofHumanServicesforthearrearageassessedduringthetimewhichshewasreceivingTennesseeAFDC.OnApril28,1995,theStateofTennesseeandMs.PettusfiledapetitiontoestablishpaternityandsetchildsupportforHashaPettusagainstMr.Smith.TheStatealsofiledanOrderofPaternity,whichhadbeenexecutedbythepartiesonApril4,1995,andinwhichMr.SmithacknowledgedthatHashawashisnaturalchild,andhewouldpaypastchildsupport.ThisorderwasadoptedandenteredonMay8,1995,bytheJuvenileCourtofAndersonCounty.  OnJune3,1995,Mr.SmithfiledapetitiontovacatetheMay8order.OnJuly20,theStateofTennesseefiledananswertohismotionandmisstatedtheamountthatheowedtobe$444,insteadoftheamountthatitintendedtoallegethatheowed,$44,000.TheCourtamendedtheMay8awardandheldMr.Smithliableforonly$444inarrearage.TheStatesubsequentlyfiledamotion,onJuly24,1995,tovacatetheJuly20orderduetotheallegedclericalerror.Mr.Smithfiledsubsequentmotionstovacatethetwopreviousorders.OnOctober12,1995,JudgePatriciaHessrecusedherselffromtheproceedings,givingJudgeJenningsB.Meredithallthefutureresponsibilityofthecase.OnJuly12,1996,abenchtrialwasheldwithoutajury,andJudgeMeredithheldthatMr.SmithisliabletotheStateforpastsupportintheamountof$38,354,payableatarateof$40.00permonth.  TherecordbeforethisCourtisvoidofanaccurateandcompletetranscriptoftheproceedingsorastatementoftheevidenceasrequiredinRule24oftheTennesseeRulesofAppellateProcedure.Rule24(c)statesthat, ifnostenographicreport,substantiallyverbatimrecitalortranscriptoftheevidenceorproceedingsisavailable,theappellantshallprepareastatementoftheevidenceorproceedingsfromthebestavailablemeans,includingtheappellantsrecollection.Mr.Smithhasfiledanexhibittitled Transcript,butthishandwrittenmemoclearlydoesnotsatisfytherequirementsofRule24.ThisCourthasheldthat Intheabsenceofatranscriptorstatementoftheevidence,wemustconclusivelypresumethateveryfactadmissibleunderthepleadingswasfoundorshouldhavebeenfoundfavorablytotheappellee.Lyonv.Lyon,765S.W.2d759(Tenn.App.1988),citingWilsonv.Hafley,189Tenn.598,226S.W.2d308(1949).  Mr.SmithhasraisedanissueoffactwiththeTrialCourtsruling,allegingthattheTrialCourtimproperlyrejectedhisestoppeldefensetohisliabilityofchildsupport. n   ׀However,duetotheabsenceofanaccuratetranscriptoftheproceedingsbelow,weconcludethatthereisnoevidenceavailableintherecordtorebutthepresumptionthattheTrialCourtcorrectlyrejectedMr.Smith'sargument.  Mr.SmithnextarguesthathisdueprocessrightswereinfringeduponsincetheTrialCourtfailedtoappointanattorneyortogivehimacontinuance,allowinghimtimetoobtainaprivateattorney.Astothefirstpoint,therehasneverbeenarecognizedconstitutionalrighttoanattorneyincivilmattersinTennessee.Barishv.MetropolitanGovernmentofNashvilleandDavidsonCounty,627S.W.2d953(Tenn.App.1981);Wintersv.Ooten,anunreportedopinionofthisCourtfiledinKnoxvilleonJuly6,1984.TheTrialCourtactedinaccordancewithTennesseeJurisprudenceindenyingMr.Smithajurytrial.  TheTrialCourtdidnotviolateMr.Smithsdueprocessrightsbydenyinghimacontinuancefortimetoobtainprivatecounsel,sincetherecordreflectsthattheTrialCourtaffordedhimampletimetoobtainprivatelegalcounsel.Mr.SmithhadnearlyayeartoobtaincounselsincetheStatefileditsmotiontovacatetheJuly20,1995,orderonJuly24,1995,nearlyayearbeforethefinaltrialinthismatteronJuly12,1996.Additionally,Mr.SmithadmitsinhisbriefthatonOctober12,1995,whenJudgeHessrecusedherselffromthecase,thatsheadvisedhimthathecouldobtainprivatecounselforlittleornoexpense.WeconcludethattheTrialCourtdidnotabuseitsdiscretiononJuly12,1996,bydenyingMr.Smithacontinuance.  Finally,Mr.SmitharguesthattheTrialCourterredindidnotgrantinghimatrialbyjury.TherighttoatrialbyjurygivenintheTennesseeConstitutionguaranteesarighttotrialbyjuryonlyininstanceswhereatrialbyjurywasavailableatcommonlaw.Statev.Hartley,790S.W.2d276(Tenn.1990).Atcommonlaw,therewasnorighttoatrialbyjuryinpaternitymatters.Rookerv.Rimer,776S.W.2d124(Tenn.App.1989).Additionally,thereisnosuchrightgrantedbyanyTennesseestatute.WeconcludethattheTrialCourtdidnoterrindenyingMr.Smithatrialbyjuryinthismatter.  Fortheforegoingreasons,weaffirmthejudgmentoftheTrialCourtandremandthecaseforsuchfurtherproceedingsasmaybenecessaryandcollectionofcostsbelow.CostsofappealareadjudgedagainstMr.Smith.      _______________________________      HoustonM.Goddard,P.J.CONCUR:________________________________HerschelP.Franks,J.________________________________DonT.McMurray,J.