Graham Clark, et al. v. Timothy Curtis Johnson

In this case involving grandparent visitation, the petitioners, Graham Clark and Marisa Clark (“Grandparents”), filed a petition in the Sullivan County Juvenile Court (“juvenile court”) in November 2016, approximately thirteen months after the death of their daughter, Megan Clark Johnson (“Mother”), who was the mother of the four minor children at issue here. Naming the children’s father, Timothy Curtis Johnson (“Father”) as the respondent, Grandparents averred that the children were dependent and neglected due to the death of Mother in October 2015 and an allegedly severe reduction in Grandparents’ visitation with the children since December 2015. The case was subsequently transferred to the Sullivan County Chancery Court (“trial court”), with Grandparents having given notice to Father that they were seeking relief in the form of grandparent visitation. The trial court thereafter treated the petition as one for grandparent visitation. Following a hearing, the trial court entered a temporary order directing that Grandparents would enjoy unsupervised visitation with the children on alternate weekends. Following a subsequent bench trial, the trial court granted visitation to Grandparents upon finding that, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 36-6-306 and -307 (2017) (collectively, the “Grandparent Visitation Statute”), their visitation and relationship with the children had been severely reduced over several months prior to the petition’s filing and that such reduction posed a risk of substantial emotional harm to the children. Also finding that it was in the best interest of the children to grant Grandparents a set visitation schedule, the trial court ordered overnight visitation one weekend a month and two additional nights monthly, as well as one week’s uninterrupted visitation in the summer and the sharing of major holidays. Father timely appealed. Having determined that the evidence preponderates against a finding that the reduction in Grandparents’ visitation and relationship with the children in the months preceding the petition’s filing met the statutory definition of a severe reduction, we reverse.