State v. Tuckness

949 S.W.2d 651, 1997 Mo. App. LEXIS 1381, 1997 WL 429008
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 29, 1997
DocketNo. WD 53208
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 949 S.W.2d 651 (State v. Tuckness) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Tuckness, 949 S.W.2d 651, 1997 Mo. App. LEXIS 1381, 1997 WL 429008 (Mo. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

LOWENSTEIN, Judge.

FACTS

The State of Missouri (State), on behalf of Terri L. Hobbs (Hobbs), filed a combined petition for declaration of paternity under the Missouri Uniform Parentage Act, naming Robert Tuckness (Tuckness), as the father of Hobbs’ minor child, Casey L. McCaulley, born February 3, 1980. The trial court, in this second trial on the issue of paternity, held in favor of Tuckness.

Hobbs and Tuckness met in October 1978 while Tuckness, an armed service member stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany, was on leave in Kansas City. Tuckness arrived in Kansas City in September 1978, and returned to Germany sometime in November 1978. Both Hobbs and Tuckness admit they engaged in sexual relations, but the question was whether they had relations at the time of conception. Tuckness testified to sexual relations in October 1978, long before the child was conceived, while Hobbs testified to several intimate encounters beginning in May or June of 1979, after Tuckness had been discharged from the service and returned to the States.

The results from the first of two court ordered DNA blood tests indicated a probability of paternity of 99.99% and a Combined Paternity Index of 4,813,941 to 1. The Index indicates how many men would be excluded from paternity compared to the alleged father. The second test, which combined the variables from the first test to a second study of the same blood sample as to different variables, indicated a probability of paternity of 99.99% and a Combined Paternity Index of 777,585,231 to 1.

At the first trial, the court entered an order denying the State’s petition for declaration of paternity and child support, noted the DNA testing reports, but relied upon evidence introduced by Tuckness. The trial court found that during the “relevant period of conception,” he was stationed in Germany on active duty and was not on leave in Kansas City. The State moved for a new trial, asserting the trial judge improperly contacted the military to obtain Tuckness’ records and did not give the state access to that [653]*653evidence before the judgment. The motion was sustained and a new trial was held.

In the second trial, the results of which form the basis for this appeal, the trial court admitted both reports of DNA testing results, expert testimony about the DNA testing, Hobbs’ testimony, and the testimony of Casey McCaulley, the child. The trial court found that based on the blood tests and testimony, Tuckness was presumed to be the natural father under § 210.822, subd. 1(5), RSMo 1994.1 To rebut the presumption of paternity, Tuckness testified and again offered into evidence, over the State’s objection, four exhibits of his military records. Tuckness testified to having sex with Hobbs but denied being in this country at the time the child was conceived. Tuckness used his military records to corroborate his assertion that he was in Germany during at the time of conception, and could only have been in Kansas City if he were on a valid leave from the military.

The exhibits in controversy are as follows:

a) Exhibit 8 was a set of military records from the National Personnel Records Center received pursuant to subpoena. The set of records purported to be the complete personnel file of Tuckness, although it was pointed out at trial that the set of records do not reference the September to October leave and the records indicate that Tuckness was sent back to the U.S. prior to his testimony of July 28, 1979. No custodian was identified and the evidence was offered without foundation by Tuckness.
b) Exhibit 9 was an affidavit from Carolyn Shaw, Reserve Component Processing Division, and an accompanying letter. The letter was introduced to reflect that Tuckness’ leave time was September 30, 1978 through November 10, 1978, but the exact dates when he departed and returned were unknown. This letter was sent directly to Tuckness’ counsel and was drafted as a result of litigation. The custodian of this record would be Mrs. Shaw, and the substance of the letter was a summary of other military documents which were not included with the exhibit. Neither the affidavit nor the accompanying letter were identified at trial by Tuckness.
c) Exhibit 10 consisted of Army leave and earnings statements. These statements were offered to show the leave time during the course of enlistment when Tuckness may have been in the U.S., although the statements do not indicate where the leave was taken. Tuckness identified the statements as being in his possession, but did not indicate the mode of preparation.
d) Exhibit 11 was a document identified as a DDT (Department of Defense) Form 214. The form contained military service information including entry date, discharge date, and location where stationed, but did not show leave information. The Form was offered to show that Tuckness was in the U.S. in July and the date of discharge from active to reserve status was July 28, 1979. Tuckness identified the document as being in his possession, but made no offer of mode of preparation; he claimed that he was the proper custodian due to his possession.

The court rendered its judgment finding Tuckness’ exhibits admissible and found, under § 210.822, subd. 2, that there was clear and convincing evidence that Tuckness did not have access to the mother of the minor child for the purpose of conceiving the child, thus rebutting the presumption of paternity, and therefore, dismissed the petition. This appeal followed.

ANALYSIS

The first issue is whether Tuckness’ military records were admissible under the Business Records exception to the hearsay rule. Hearsay evidence is defined as an out-of-court statement offered in evidence to prove the matter asserted. State v. Chambers, 891 S.W.2d 93, 104 (Mo. banc 1994). The purpose of the hearsay rule is to ensure documents admitted in evidence are trustworthy by giving the party against whom the documents are offered the opportunity to cross-examine the preparer or proper custodian of the documents. Bynote v. National Super [654]*654Markets, Inc., 891 S.W.2d 117, 120 (Mo. banc 1995).

The erroneous admission of evidence in a court tried case does not provide ground for reversal unless insufficient evidence remains to support the court’s judgment after the evidence that was improperly admitted is disregarded. Whitley v. Whitley, 778 S.W.2d 233 (Mo.App.1989). In a court-tried case, the judgment of the trial court will be sustained unless there is no substantial evidence to support it, unless it is against the weight of the evidence, or unless it erroneously declares or applies the law. Murphy v. Carron, 536 S.W.2d 30, 32 (Mo. banc 1976).

The State argued that the military exhibits introduced by Tuckness constitute hearsay and were admitted without evidentiary foundation. The State, at trial, asserted that Tuckness did not satisfy the requirements of § 490.680, and therefore, the evidence was not competent nor admissible. Under § 490.680, The Uniform Business Records as Evidence Law, records are competent evidence when,

A record of an act, condition, or event, shall, insofar as relevant, be competent evidence

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Bluebook (online)
949 S.W.2d 651, 1997 Mo. App. LEXIS 1381, 1997 WL 429008, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-tuckness-moctapp-1997.