APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

This is a post-divorce action involving the interpretation of certain provisions of the parties’ marital dissolution agreement (“MDA”) and allegations of contempt of court for failure to comply with the MDA. The Blount County General Sessions Court (“trial court”) conducted a bench trial, took the matter under advisement, and directed the parties to each prepare proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. The trial court subsequently adopted verbatim the wife’s proposed findings and conclusions with what we determine to be insufficient explanation regarding the trial court’s decision-making process. The husband has appealed. Because we are unable to ascertain whether the trial court’s final order is an independent judgment of the court, we vacate the order and remand for sufficient findings of facts and conclusions of law that reflect the trial court’s independent analysis and judgment. 

The Petitioner, Martin Hughes, appeals the Trousdale County Circuit Court’s summary dismissal of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. In 2014, the Petitioner entered a guilty plea to several offenses and received an effective five-year sentence. He was later convicted of two new offenses and received concurrent sentences of ten and fifteen years, served consecutively to his five-year sentence. On appeal, the Petitioner alleges that his five-year sentence has expired and that he is being held illegally because the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) incorrectly calculated this sentence and erred in denying him a parole hearing. We affirm the summary dismissal of the petition.

The Petitioner, Jerome Maurice Teats, filed for post-conviction relief from his conviction of one count of aggravated robbery and four convictions of especially aggravated kidnapping. The Petitioner alleged that based upon the advice of trial counsel, he rejected plea offers and decided to go to trial. The Petitioner further alleged that appellate counsel was ineffective by failing to include a suppression issue in the application for permission to appeal to the supreme court. The post-conviction court found that the Petitioner failed to prove that either trial counsel or appellate counsel were ineffective. On appeal, the Petitioner challenges this ruling. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Following an appeal in which this Court affirmed the judgment of the chancery court, the unsuccessful appellants moved the chancery court for relief from the judgment under Rule 60.02 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure. The chancery court granted the motion by reducing the amount of the original judgment. The matter is now before us again on the grant of Rule 60 relief. Because the Rule 60 motion was untimely, we reverse the grant of relief.    

I concur in all aspects of the opinion, save one. The majority concludes that the Chancery Court of Lincoln County erred in denying the motion of Nancy J. Strong to hold Larry E. Parrish personally liable for the obligations of Larry E. Parrish, P.C. The majority vacates the trial court’s decision and “remands for a hearing” on that issue. Because I would affirm the denial of the motion, I respectfully dissent from that part of the opinion.  

A professional corporation through which a lawyer practiced law brought suit against a former client seeking to recover the “res” transferred to the corporation under an assignment of chose-in-action executed by the client as a means of paying fees owed to the corporation for its representation of the client in a legal malpractice action. The client counterclaimed for breach of contract. A jury found in favor of the client and awarded her compensatory and punitive damages. We find in favor of the client on all issues raised by the corporation. As to the client’s issues, we find that the trial court erred in failing to require the corporation to file a bond with regard to the injunction restraining the client from using certain funds during the pendency of the litigation and in failing to hold a hearing on the issue of piercing the corporate veil.       

A mother placed the children that are the subject of this appeal with a child placement agency because she was unable to provide a stable home for them. Ten months later, the agency filed a petition to have the children declared dependent and neglected; the court appointed a guardian ad litem for the children and in due course declared the children to be dependent and neglected and continued custody with the agency. The guardian ad litem initiated this proceeding to have the mother’s parental rights terminated on the grounds of abandonment by failure to visit and support, abandonment by failure to establish a suitable home, substantial non-compliance with permanency plans, and persistence of conditions; the agency later filed a separate petition on most of the same grounds also seeking termination of mother’s rights. Following a trial, the court terminated the mother’s rights on the grounds of abandonment by failure to visit, substantial non-compliance with the permanency plans, and persistence of conditions; the court also found that termination of mother’s rights was in the children’s best interest. The mother appeals, denying that grounds existed to terminate her rights and that termination was in the children’s best interest; the guardian ad litem and agency appeal the failure of the court to sustain the ground of abandonment by failure to support. Upon our de novo review, we affirm the determination that the evidence established the grounds of abandonment by failure to visit, substantial non-compliance with the permanency plans, and persistence of conditions; we vacate the holding that termination of mother’s rights was in the children’s best interest and remand the case for further consideration.  

In 2009, a Shelby County jury convicted the Petitioner, Deandre Blake, of first degree felony murder during the perpetration of aggravated child abuse and first degree felony murder during the perpetration of aggravated child neglect, and the trial court merged the convictions and sentenced the Petitioner to life in prison. This court affirmed the Petitioner’s convictions and remanded the case for the entry of a modified judgment. State v. Deandre Blake, No. W2010-00468-CCA-R3-CD, 2011 WL 4433651, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Jackson, Sept. 23, 2011), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Feb 15, 2015) (designated not for citation). The Petitioner did not appeal his convictions but did file a timely post-conviction petition, which was denied. This court affirmed. Deandre Blake v. State, W2015-01423-CCA-R3-PC, 2016 WL 4060696, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Jackson, July 27, 2016), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Nov. 22, 2016). The Petitioner filed a petition for habeas corpus relief alleging that his counsel was ineffective, and the habeas court summarily dismissed the petition, finding that the Petitioner had failed to comply with the habeas corpus statute by failing to attach his judgments and failing to raise a colorable claim. The Petitioner filed a motion to alter the order dismissing his petition, attaching the judgments and asking the habeas court to consider previous post-conviction testimony. The habeas court denied his motion. On appeal to this court, the Petitioner maintains that he is entitled to habeas corpus relief. After review, we affirm the habeas
court’s judgment.

The Petitioner, Leterpa Mosley, along with two co-defendants, was convicted of first degree premeditated murder, felony murder, and especially aggravated robbery. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of life in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, this court affirmed the Petitioner’s convictions and sentences. See State v. Charles McClain, No. W2013-00328-CCA-R3-CD, 2014 WL 4754531, (Tenn. Crim. App., Jackson, Sept. 24, 2014), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Jan. 15, 2015). The Petitioner filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief and, after appointment of counsel, filed amended petitions alleging ineffective assistance of counsel and violation of his due process rights. Additionally, the Petitioner filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus, claiming the trial court lacked jurisdiction to sentence him and a petition for writ of error coram nobis, claiming newly discovered evidence in the form of an exculpatory letter written by a trial witness. After hearings, the post-conviction court denied the petitions. After review, we affirm.

Petitioner, Anmichael Leonard, appeals from the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. Petitioner was convicted by a Shelby County Criminal Court jury of theft of property valued at $1000 or more but less than $10,000, identity theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card. The trial court sentenced Petitioner to an effective sentence of twentyfour years in confinement. A panel of this court affirmed Petitioner’s convictions on direct appeal. State v. Anmichael Leonard, No. 2015-01313-CCA-R3-CD, 2016 WL 1446440 (Tenn. Crim. App. Apr. 12, 2016), perm. app. denied (Tenn. Aug. 19, 2016). Petitioner filed a timely petition for post-conviction relief, alleging that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance. Following an evidentiary hearing, the post-conviction court denied relief. Having reviewed the record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

In this unlawful detainer action, the defendant appeals the dismissal of his appeal by the Loudon County Circuit Court (“circuit court”) from an order to disburse funds entered by the Loudon County General Sessions Court (“general sessions court”). Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.

The Defendant, Jason D. Kubelick, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual battery. By agreement, the Defendant’s sentence was four years with six years on the sex offender registry with the manner of service to be determined by the trial court. The trial court ordered the Defendant to serve his four-year sentence in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred when it denied him judicial diversion and imposed a sentence of confinement. After a thorough review of the record and applicable law, we affirm the trial court’s judgment.

Defendant, Kennedy Fleming, appeals from the trial court’s order revoking his sentence of probation and ordering him to serve the balance of his sentence in confinement. Based upon the record and the parties’ briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

The Defendant, Teresa Diana Poston, pleaded guilty to theft of property valued over $2,500 with an agreed sentence of two years of probation. The parties agreed to a separate hearing to determine whether the trial court would grant the Defendant judicial diversion. After the hearing, the trial court denied the Defendant’s request for judicial diversion and imposed the agreed upon sentence. On appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred when it denied her request for judicial diversion. After review, we vacate the judgment of the circuit court and remand for a new hearing.

Petitioner, Rashan Lateef Jordan, appeals from the dismissal of his petition for writ of habeas corpus relief. He contends that the trial court’s failure to inform him of the “direct and punitive consequences” of his accepting a guilty plea requiring community supervision for life renders his guilty plea void and that habeas corpus relief should have been granted. Upon consideration of the record and the applicable authorities, we affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court.

Mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her child. The juvenile court found three statutory grounds for termination: (1) abandonment by failure to establish a suitable home; (2) persistence of conditions; and (3) mental incompetence. The court also found that termination of Mother’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest. We conclude that the record contains clear and convincing evidence to support two of the three statutory grounds for termination. We further conclude that the record contains clear and convincing evidence that termination is in the child’s best interest. So we affirm the termination of Mother’s parental rights.

The defendant, Franklin Dee Rose, appeals the Sullivan County Criminal Court’s denial of alternative sentencing for his guilty-pleaded convictions of kidnapping, aggravated domestic assault, possession of a schedule I controlled substance, possession of XLR 11, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Discerning no error, we affirm.

This appeal arises from an action for personal injuries incurred in a vehicle collision. The alleged tortfeasor died subsequent to the injury-causing accident. The plaintiffs, unaware of the death of the decedent, commenced this action and named him as a defendant. The plaintiffs also sued their uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance carrier. Upon learning of the death of the decedent, the plaintiffs moved for the trial court to appoint an administrator ad litem. The trial court eventually dismissed the matter in its entirety with prejudice upon finding, inter alia, that it did not possess subject matter jurisdiction to appoint an administrator ad litem and that the action was barred by the statute of limitations. We affirm.

Mother and Father jointly appeal from the order terminating their parental rights as to their minor child based upon the statutory ground of abandonment by willful failure to support, as well as a finding that termination was in the child’s best interest. Because we conclude that Petitioners/Appellees failed to show by clear and convincing evidence that Mother and Father willfully failed to support the child, we reverse.

The Petitioner, Antonio Oliver, appeals the Shelby County Criminal Court’s denial of his petition for post-conviction relief from his first degree murder conviction, for which he is serving a life sentence. The Petitioner contends that he received the ineffective assistance of trial counsel. We affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

A mother and her husband petitioned the court to terminate the biological father’s parental rights to his son on the grounds of abandonment by failure to visit and failure to support. After a trial, the court terminated Father’s rights on those grounds and upon its holding that termination of Father’s rights would be in the best interest of the child. Father appeals. Upon our review, we affirm the judgment in all respects.

Petitioner, Demarcus Nelson, appeals the denial of his post-conviction petition. Petitioner argues that he received ineffective assistance of counsel in litigating his motion to suppress; that the State presented false testimony at the suppression hearing; that trial counsel was ineffective in failing to provide accurate advice concerning the gang enhancement statute; and that his guilty plea was involuntary. Following a review of the briefs of the parties and the entire record, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

In this matter involving a petition for writ of certiorari filed by a self-represented petitioner, the trial court dismissed the petition for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Determining that the petitioner failed to properly verify the truth of the contents of his petition in accordance with the requirements of Article VI, Section 10 of the Tennessee Constitution and Tennessee Code Annotated
§ 27-8-104(a), we affirm the dismissal of the petition.

A commercial landlord filed suit against its tenant and the guarantor of the lease. After obtaining a default judgment against the tenant, the landlord moved for partial summary judgment on the question of the guarantor’s liability. The chancery court concluded that the guarantor was liable under the guaranty. And following a trial on damages, the court entered judgment against the tenant and the guarantor. The guarantor appeals solely on the issue of his personal liability, arguing that his guaranty was conditional. Because the guaranty was an absolute undertaking, we affirm.  

Defendant appeals the trial court’s refusal to dismiss the State’s claim that he violated Tennessee’s implied consent statute. Discerning no error, we affirm.