On August 14, 2013, the Georgia Court of Appeals published its opinion in the case of Chandler v. Rohner. This is an important case for father’s rights. The trial court committed several reversible errors — including an attempt to terminate a father’s parental rights in a legitimation action. In rendering its opinion, the Court of Appeals held that such an action by the trial court was a mere nullity that required reversal.
The trial court also denied the father’s motion for new trial without conducting a hearing on the motion. The Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the case to the trial court to conduct the necessary hearing on the father’s motion for new trial. The trial court’s other errors should be addressed by the trial court when that motion is heard.