APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

State of Tennessee v. Carlos Mcdonald

W1999-01459-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:Chris B. Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/24/00
Knoxville's Community Development Corp. vs. Woodfam Investments, L. P.,

E1999-02317-COA-R3-CV
Plaintiff sued to reform or void release of deed restrictions on property owned by defendant. The Trial Court ruled plaintiff failed to establish a basis for relief by clear and convincing evidence. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:Sharon J. Bell
Knox County Court of Appeals 07/24/00
Investments, Inc. vs. Hackney Petroleum, Inc.

E1999-02665-COA-R3-CV
In a dispute over the meaning of a notice of termination provision in the Lease, the Trial Judge ruled the notice given did not comply with the Lease and awarded damages for breach. We reverse.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:Jacqueline E. Schulten
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 07/24/00
Willard Hawk, Jr., et al vs. Chattanooga Orthopaedic Group, P.,C., et al

E1999-00687-COA-R9-CV
This is a medical malpractice case. We granted the plaintiffs' Tenn. R. App. P. 9 application for an interlocutory appeal in order to review an order of the trial court dismissing the amendments to the plaintiffs' original complaint and granting the defendants' motion in limine pertaining to evidence of a disabling hand condition of the defendant surgeon, Dr. David M. O'Neal. We reverse.
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Samuel H. Payne
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 07/24/00
R. David Ashley and E. Diana Ashley vs. Thomas A. Snapp

E1999-00908-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises from a grant of summary judgment in the Knox County Circuit Court. On appeal, R. David Ashley and E. Diana Ashley, the Appellants, argue that there are genuine issues of material fact with respect to their suit for malicious prosecution and abuse of process against Thomas A. Snapp and Robin Gratigny, the Appellees, and thus, the Trial Court erred in granting summary judgment. We vacate the Circuit Court's grant of summary judgment on the issue of malicious prosecution and remand to the Trial Court on that issue, and we affirm the Trial Court's grant of summary judgment on the issue of abuse of process.
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:Harold Wimberly
Knox County Court of Appeals 07/21/00
Logan vs. Winstead

E1999-01056-SC-R11-CV
This appeal arises from a prisoner's pro se action for legal malpractice against the attorney who represented him in criminal court on the charges underlying his sentence. The attorney filed a motion for summary judgment supported by an expert affidavit. The prisoner, relying upon Whisnant v. Byrd, 525 S.W.2d 152 (Tenn. 1975), filed a motion to hold the proceedings in abeyance until he was released from prison and able to appear in court. The trial court failed to rule on the motion for abeyance. The trial court entered summary judgment in favor of the attorney on the grounds that the prisoner had not offered an expert affidavit to rebut the attorney's proof. The Court of Appeals upheld the judgment. We granted review to determine under what circumstances an incarcerated plaintiff is entitled to have a civil action held in abeyance until he or she is released from custody.
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:John K. Wilson
Hawkins County Supreme Court 07/21/00
Bobby Ray Carper v. Ramer Wood Products

W1999-02147-WC-R3-CV
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated _5-6-225(e) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The defendant, Ramer Wood Products (Ramer), appeals the judgment of the McNairy Chancery Court awarding permanent partial disability of thirty percent (3%) to the right arm and twenty-five percent (25%) to the left arm. For the reasons stated in this opinion, we affirm the judgment of the trial court as modified to a single award of twenty-seven and one-half percent (27-1/2%) permanent partial disability to both arms.
Authoring Judge: William Michael Maloan, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Dewey C. Whitenton, Chancellor
McNairy County Workers Compensation Panel 07/21/00
State of Tennessee v. James Admeral Yandal

W2002-01521-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:William B. Acree
Obion County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/21/00
Vowell Ventures vs. City of Martin

W1999-01445-COA-R3-CV
Vowell Ventures, a partnership, sued the City of Martin alleging that the City denied Vowell Ventures' application for a building permit due to the fact that there was a sewer line and storm drain crossing the property. The complaint alleged that the denial of the application for the building permit constituted a taking of property without just compensation and sought judgment against the City for the taking. The trial court granted the City of Martin's Motion To Dismiss Or For Summary Judgment and we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:William B. Acree
Weakley County Court of Appeals 07/21/00
Metropolitan Development & Housing Agency vs. Trinity Marine Nashville, Inc .

M1999-02162-COA-R3-CV
In this eminent domain condemnation proceeding, the Trial Court granted partial summary judgment to the condemnor on the amount of relocation expenses to be awarded the property owner as incidental damages based upon deposition testimony of an officer of the property owner. The property owner argues on appeal that summary judgment is improper in condemnation proceedings, and that the Trial Court erred in excluding from incidental damages amounts for a "burden rate" the property owner added to its actual hourly labor costs incurred in relocating from the condemned property. As the issue is a question of law and there are no questions of disputed material fact, summary judgment is appropriate. As the "burden rate" claimed by the property owner is not recoverable under the applicable statute, the judgment of the Trial Court is affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Barbara N. Haynes
Davidson County Court of Appeals 07/21/00
In re: K.A.H.

M1999-02079-COA-R3-CV
This case involves the termination of parental rights regarding a child who was removed from the mother's home by the Department of Children's Services in 1996 and placed in foster care. DCS devised a Plan of Care for the mother, which, among other things, required her to address her drug and alcohol addictions. During the two years between the removal from the home and the filing by DCS of the petition to terminate parental rights, the mother made some efforts to improve her situation, but her substance abuse continued. The trial court terminated the mother's parental rights on grounds (1) that the conditions that led to the child's removal continued to persist with little likelihood of remedy and (2) that the mother failed to comply with the Statement of Responsibilities as provided in the Plan of Care. Because DCS has established grounds for termination and has established that termination is in the best interest of the child, we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Wayne C. Shelton
Montgomery County Court of Appeals 07/21/00
Dempsey vs. Dempsey

M1998-00972-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves the award of alimony and the division of one particular piece of marital property at the dissolution of a nineteen year marriage. Mr. Dempsey appeals the award of alimony in futuro rather than rehabilitative alimony, the amount of alimony as beyond his ability to pay, and the award of a tax refund for the year of the divorce to Ms. Dempsey. We modify the award of alimony in futuro to an award of rehabilitative alimony and affirm the distribution of marital property.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Henry Denmark Bell
Williamson County Court of Appeals 07/21/00
Larry Simpson vs. Donal Campbell, Commissioner, et al

M2000-00218-COA-R3-CV
Larry Simpson, a prison inmate, appeals the dismissal by the trial court of his Petition for Declaratory Judgment asserting that he was entitled to mandatory parole under former Tennessee Code Annotated Section 40-3614 and Tennessee Code Annotated Section 40-20-115. We affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 07/20/00
Joe H. Walker v. Sidney Gilreath &Amp; Associates,

E1999-01012-COA-R3-CV-

Originating Judge:Dale C. Workman
Knox County Court of Appeals 07/20/00
Watauga Industries, Inc. vs. Harry W. Greenwell, et al

E1999-00699-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:G. Richard Johnson
Carter County Court of Appeals 07/19/00
Watauga Industries, Inc. vs. Harry W. Greenwell, et al

E1999-00699-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:G. Richard Johnson
Carter County Court of Appeals 07/19/00
First Utility District of Knox County, Tennessee v. Eleanor Jo Jarnigan-Bodden

E1999-01674-COA-R3-CV

The property owner objected to service of process and asserted due process violations relating to a utility district easement condemnation. Service of process by publication was proper notice to the non-resident Cayman Islands resident, there was no showing that the condemnation for public purpose was not necessary, and there was no right for the property owner to demand a jury of view to determine the proper easement for a water line. Judgment of the Trial Court is affirmed and the case remanded for determination of the compensation due the property owner for the taking.

Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Judge Harold Wimberly, Jr.
Knox County Court of Appeals 07/19/00
First Utility District of Knox County vs. Eleanor Jo Jarnigan-Bodden

E1999-01674-COA-R3-CV
The property owner objected to service of process and asserted due process violations relating to a utility district easement condemnation. Service of process by publication was proper notice to the non-resident Cayman Islands resident, there was no showing that the condemnation for public purpose was not necessary, and there was no right for the property owner to demand a jury of view to determine the proper easement for a water line. Judgment of the Trial Court is affirmed and the case remanded for determination of the compensation due the property owner for the taking.
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Harold Wimberly
Knox County Court of Appeals 07/19/00
State vs. Wayne Joseph Burgess, Jr.

M1999-02040-CCA-R3-CD
The appellant, Wayne Joseph Burgess, Jr., was convicted by a jury in the Giles County Circuit Court of one count of first degree felony murder, with the underlying felony being aggravated child abuse. The trial court sentenced the appellant to life in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The appellant raises the following issues for our review: (1) whether the trial court erred in overruling the appellant's motion to strike the jury panel because the appellant's race was substantially under- represented on the venire from which the petit jury was selected under a practice providing "the opportunity for discrimination;" (2) whether the trial court erred in overruling the appellant's motion to suppress a confession that was obtained by the use of intimidation, threat, and coercion by the Pulaski Police Department; (3) whether the trial court erred in overruling the appellant's objection to allowing the prior inconsistent statement of Rickey Sikes to be entered into the record as substantive evidence; (4) whether the evidence was sufficient to support the appellant's conviction of first degree murder in the perpetration of aggravated child abuse as the State failed to prove the requisite mental status of "knowing" to commit that offense. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Jim T. Hamilton
Giles County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/19/00
Kelly vs. So. Central Corr. Facility Disciplinary Bd.

M1999-02083-COA-R3-CV
Petitioner, Henderson Kelly, appeals the action of the trial court in granting a Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 12.02(6) motion to dismiss his petition for a writ of certiorari requesting review of an agency decision. We affirm the action of the trial judge.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Robert L. Jones
Wayne County Court of Appeals 07/19/00
State of Tennessee v. James E. Mathis

II-1098-328-C

Originating Judge:Timothy L. Easter
Williamson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/19/00
State ex rel Graham vs. Cherry

M1999-01623-COA-R3-CV
669. The trial court granted child support from the time of the filing of the petition. However, the court denied retroactive support on the basis of the delay of the State of Tennessee in filing the petition finding that such a judgment would be burdensome to the respondent, David R. Cherry, Jr., the father of the children. The State of Tennessee appeals, and we reverse and remand on the issue of retroactive child support.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Muriel Robinson
Davidson County Court of Appeals 07/19/00
State vs. Michael N. Grey

M1999-01428-CCA-R3-CD
The appellant, Michael N. Grey, was convicted by a jury in the Dickson County Circuit Court of two counts of aggravated robbery, a class B felony, and two counts of theft under $500, a class A misdemeanor. The trial court sentenced the appellant to ten years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction for the aggravated robbery convictions. The trial court also sentenced the appellant to eleven months and twenty-nine days incarceration in the Dickson County Jail for the theft convictions.The trial court further ordered that the appellant's sentences be served concurrently. The appellant raises the following issue for review: whether the appellant was denied due process because the State failed to provide him with proper pre-trial exculpatory evidence. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm in part and reverse in part the judgments of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Allen W. Wallace
Dickson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/19/00
State vs. Jeffery Leon Medley

M1998-00439-CCA-R3-CD
The appellant, Jeffrey Leon Medley, appeals his sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days incarceration imposed by the Warren County Circuit Court pursuant to the appellant's conviction of improper influence of a juror. Following a review of the record and the parties' briefs, we dismiss this appeal.
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Charles D. Haston, Sr.
Warren County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/19/00
Travis Plummer vs. State

M1999-01406-CCA-R3-PC
The petitioner, Travis Plummer, was convicted by a jury in the Criminal Court of Davidson County of one count of rape of a child, and subsequently also pled guilty to one count of rape. The trial court sentenced the petitioner to twenty years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction for rape of a child and to twelve years incarceration for rape. The trial court further ordered that the petitioner's sentences be served consecutively. In this post conviction proceeding, the petitioner raises the following issue(s) for review: whether the petitioner was denied his constitutional rights at trial and at the plea proceeding when his counsel(s) failed to investigate and evaluate his competency to stand trial and to plead guilty. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Seth W. Norman
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/19/00