Janine S. Taylor Hines vs. Richard Michael Tilimon

This is an interstate custody dispute. Janine S. Taylor Hines ("Mother") filed this action seeking a declaratory judgment pertaining to the custody of the parties' minor child. She also sought to modify certain foreign orders pertaining to the visitation rights of the defendant, Richard Michael Tilimon ("Father"). The trial court (a) entered a default judgment against Father, (b) declared Tennessee to be the child's home state, (c) decreed that custody would remain with Mother, and (d) limited Father's visitation to supervised visits in the state of Tennessee. The court later denied Father's motion to set aside the default judgment. Father appeals, raising issues as to subject matter jurisdiction, in personam jurisdiction, venue, and service of process. He also argues that the trial court erred (1) in denying his request for a continuance of the hearing on the plaintiff's motion for default judgment; (2) in not allowing him to participate by telephone in the hearing on his motion to set aside the default judgment; (3) in denying his motion to set aside the default judgment; (4) in ordering supervised visitation; and (5) in awarding Mother her attorney's fees. By a separate issue, Mother seeks attorney's fees for this appeal. We affirm and remand for a hearing to set Mother's fees on appeal.