Present: All the Justices DONALD KARL STOCKDALE, JR. v. Record No. 002485 PER CURIAM

September 14, 2001 PATRICIA MAXWELL STOCKDALE

FROM THE COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA

We awarded this appeal to review a judgment of the Court of Appeals holding that the trial court's statement that the respondent, Donald Karl Stockdale, Jr., bore the burden of showing by a preponderance of the evidence that his relationship with his children would be substantially impaired by their relocation was error, but that the error was harmless. Stockdale v. Stockdale, 33 Va. App. 179, 532 S.E.2d 332 (2000).

For the reasons set forth in the opinion of the Court of Appeals, we will affirm that court's judgment.