CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. — A long-running child-support and contempt dispute returned to the Cheatham County docket as the parties argued over discovery supplementation, potential sanctions, and the scope of issues previously handled by a special master.

Tara Bailey’s counsel urged the court to impose sanctions under Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 37 for the father’s failure to supplement discovery responses despite prior court orders to do so. Counsel said the missing materials — tax returns, bank statements and business credit-card information for 2022–2024 — were necessary to resolve father’s ability to pay and to calculate child-support obligations through May 2025.

Defense counsel emphasized that many of the issues had already been submitted to and decided by the special master, and that the court had previously set party incomes in earlier rulings. The defense argued reopening the special-master findings would defeat the purpose of that process.

Judge David D. Wolfe said the case file required review before the court could rule. “This is my first day back in Cheatham County. I’ve not had an opportunity to be in my office to work on matters under advisement,” Wolfe said. He took the motions under advisement and told counsel he would review the record and announce his ruling on the morning of the May/next hearing (the court indicated it would notify the parties by email if a ruling was available before the next in-court date).

The judge also noted that one option, if appropriate given the delay and expense, would be to return some issues to the special master rather than re-litigate them in open court. The matter was continued and reset consistent with the court’s calendar and the need for supplemental materials to be produced 30 days before any final hearing ordered by the court.