COURT OF APPEALS OPINIONS

John W. Johnson v. Bernice Wade
W2003-02020-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Judge Clayburn L. Peeples

This case involves a dispute over the ownership of certain real property abutting the parcels of two neighboring landowners in Gibson County, Tennessee. The trial court rendered a judgment for Appellee finding that Appellee owned the disputed property. Additionally, the trial court awarded Appellee her attorney’s fees incurred in defending against and counter-suing the Appellant. We affirm the trial court and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
 

Gibson Court of Appeals

In Re: B.N.S.
M2003-02524-COA-R3-PT
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Charles Jenkins

This appeal involves the termination of the parental rights of a twelve-year-old child. The Hamilton County Juvenile Court placed the child in the custody of her uncle and aunt because she was chronically absent from school. The uncle and aunt later moved to Marion County. After the uncle and aunt decided that they no longer desired to have custody of the child, the Marion County Juvenile Court placed the child in the custody of the Department of Children's Services. Approximately fifteen months later, the Department filed a petition in the Marion County Juvenile Court to terminate the biological parents' parental rights. The juvenile court granted the termination petition after overruling the mother's objection that the petition should not have been filed in Marion County. The child's mother has appealed. We have determined that the order must be reversed because venue for this termination proceeding does not lie in Marion County.

Marion Court of Appeals

Chris Birdwell, and wife Virginia Birdwell, v. David Psimer and Patty S. Psimer
E2003-01270-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Herschel Pickens Franks
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Richard E. Ladd

Action for Judgment on loan was defended on grounds defendant sold note to plaintiffs. The Trial Court held agreements violated statute of frauds and plaintiff failed to prove loan. On appeal, we reverse.Action for Judgment on loan was defended on grounds defendant sold note to plaintiffs. The Trial Court held agreements violated statute of frauds and plaintiff failed to prove loan. On appeal, we reverse.

Sullivan Court of Appeals

Castleton Capital Company, LLC. v. Lucius E. Burch, III
M2001-01597-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert E. Corlew, III
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Carol L. Mccoy

The Plaintiff filed suit seeking to recover a deficiency on a loan executed by the Defendant and another left owing after foreclosure upon real estate. The Defendant had purchased a parcel of real estate from a company in which he was a director, and had assumed responsibility for repayment of a loan secured by that real estate. The Defendant denied liability, and alleged mutual mistake and negligent misrepresentation surrounding the loan against the lender because the loan documents he signed contained language regarding cross-collateralization involving a separate parcel of real estate formerly owned by the company in which the Defendant was a director, which real estate was sold two days prior to assumption of the loan obligations by the Defendant. Following a bench trial, the Chancellor granted judgment for the Plaintiff for $134,127.65 and attorneys' fees totaling $73,417.37, for a total judgment of $207,545.02. The Defendant appealed. We affirm.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Great River Insurance v. Edison Automation, Inc.
M2001-01635-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Chancellor Robert E. Corlew, III
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle

The Plaintiff filed suit for Declaratory Judgment seeking the order of the Court declaring that losses suffered by the insured were not covered losses under a general policy of business insurance. At issue is the interpretation of the insurance contract and a determination as to whether insurance coverage existed where the insured expended money and time fabricating parts for a custom project upon the mistaken belief that it had obtained a sub-contract, but where no such agreement existed inasmuch as the purchase order upon which the insured relied was forged by an employee of the insured. Motions for Summary Judgment were filed by each party. The Trial Court granted the insurance company's motion for Summary Judgment, from which the insured appealed. For the reasons stated herein, we affirm the Trial Court, and also determine that Declaratory Judgment should be granted in favor of the insurance company, determining that no coverage exists for the loss suffered by the insured.

Davidson Court of Appeals

William W. York v. Tennessee Board of Parole
M2003-00822-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.

Appellant is an inmate of the Department of Corrections serving two life sentences for two first degree murder convictions with sentences imposed in 1978. He became eligible for parole, and on July 3, 2001, a hearing was held before the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole. His application for parole was denied on July 3, 2001 and review of parole was set for July of 2011. Final disposition denying parole was entered October 2, 2001. On October 29, 2001, Appellant petitioned for a writ of certiorari in the Chancery Court of Davidson County, Tennessee, which petition was dismissed by the trial court on January 10, 2003. We affirm the trial court Order of Dismissal relative to the merits of the denial of parole but hold that postponement of parole review until July of 2011 was an arbitrary exercise of power by the parole board and, therefore, reverse the Order of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Gloria Windsor v. DeKalb County Board of Education, et al.
M2002-00954-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Vernon Neal

This appeal involves an attempt by a dismissed tenured teacher to obtain common-law certiorari review of her dismissal. After voluntarily dismissing her own Petition for Review properly filed pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 49-5-513, she challenges the chancellor's Order dismissing her Petition for Common Law Writ of Certiorari. We affirm the action of the trial court.

DeKalb Court of Appeals

Charlie Spell, III D/B/A CNS Management, et al., v. Patti Labelle, et al.
W2003-00821-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Walter L. Evans

Plaintiff sued Defendant for breach of contract. Defendant filed a motion to dismiss the complaint based upon an arbitration provision contained in the parties’ contract. The trial court entered an order staying litigation pending arbitration but found the site provision, providing that all disputes shall be settled by arbitration in Chicago, Illinois, unconscionable. The trial court reformed the parties’ contract so that the arbitration would be governed by Tennessee law and occur in Memphis, Tennessee. Defendants appealed this decision. We reverse in part, affirm in part and remand.
 

Shelby Court of Appeals

Patrick N. Lawson v. Bridget O'Malley
W2003-00080-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Judge Felicia M. Hogan

This case involves the subject matter jurisdiction of Juvenile Court. The mother and the father were divorced by final decree entered in Chancery Court in 1990. The final Chancery Court decree provided that the mother would have custody of the parties’ two children, and that the father would pay child support to the mother. Subsequently, the father filed a dependency and neglect action in Juvenile Court, and he was awarded permanent custody of the children. Subsequently, he filed a petition in the Juvenile Court below for child support. The Juvenile Court granted the father’s petition, ordering the mother to pay child support to the father. The mother now appeals. We reverse, finding that the Juvenile Court did not have subject matter jurisdiction to decide matters of child support between these parties, because the Chancery Court had previously assumed jurisdiction over such issues.
 

Shelby Court of Appeals

Howard Fisher v. State of Tennessee
M2003-01007-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Patricia J. Cottrell

An inmate in the custody of the Department of Correction filed a claim in the Tennessee Claims Commission for the loss of seventy-eight cartons of cigarettes, which he alleged were removed from his prison cell during a search. The Commission denied his claim. We affirm the Claims Commission.

Court of Appeals

In Re: A.M.F and Z.T.F, State of Tennessee Department of Children's Services v. Lisa Frazier, et al.
M2003-01276-COA-R3-PT
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Judge George L. Lovell

This is a termination of parental rights case. The parents appeal from the order of the Juvenile Court of Maury County, terminating their parental rights. Specifically, the parents assert that the grounds cited for termination are not supported by clear and convincing evidence in the record. Because we find clear and convincing evidence in the record to support the trial court's findings, we affirm.

Maury Court of Appeals

Dept of Children's Srvcs v. Juanita Culbertson; In the Matter of W.J.R.C. and S.D.H.
M2003-01700-COA-R3-PT
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Judge Stephen S. Bowden

This is a termination of parental rights case. Mother appeals from the order of the Juvenile Courtof Marshall County, terminating her parental rights. Specifically, Mother asserts that the grounds cited for termination are not supported by clear and convincing evidence in the record. Because we find clear and convincing evidence in the record to support the trial court's findings, we affirm.

Marshall Court of Appeals

Monumental Life Insurance Company v. Linda Elain Donoho, et al.
M2003-00269-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Frank Clement, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge John D. Wootten, Jr.

In this interpleader action, two former spouses of the decedent who are mothers of the decedent's three surviving children filed conflicting claims under two marital dissolution agreements alleging beneficial interests in a $50,000 life insurance policy. One claimed an interest for herself; the other claimed an interest for her two children. The matters in dispute arise from inconsistencies in marital dissolution agreements resulting from the decedent's two divorces, and pertain to the duty of the decedent to maintain life insurance and the beneficiary designations. The trial court granted one of two competing motions for summary judgment ruling against the second wife by dividing the proceeds equally among the decedent's three children. We reverse and modify holding that the second wife, not the decedent's third child, was the designated beneficiary of the disputed policy pursuant to the second marital dissolution agreement and that the decedent's first two children had vested interests in the insurance proceeds as mandated by the first marital dissolution agreement.

Wilson Court of Appeals

The Lauderdale County Bank v. Lisa Wiggins, et al.
W2003-01479-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Jon Kerry Blackwood

Plaintiff Lauderdale County Bank filed a declaratory judgment action to determine the obligations of the parties arising from its payment of a forged check. The trial court awarded summary judgment in favor of Defendant Newcourt Financial, holding Newcourt Financial was entitled to the proceeds of the check. Plaintiff appeals. We reverse.

Lauderdale Court of Appeals

Kenneth Martin v. Martha Martin
M2002-02350-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Tom E. Gray

After a sixteen-year marriage and two children, Husband and Wife both filed for divorce. Wife stipulated that Husband was entitled to a divorce. After hearing the evidence, the trial court fashioned a parenting plan which named Mother the primary residential parent with visitation for Husband; accepted the parties' stipulation with respect to the marital property; divided the remaining contested marital property; and ordered the parties to pay their own attorney's fees. Husband appeals. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Sumner Court of Appeals

Ronald Stephen Satterfield v. Renata E. Bluhm, M.D., and Occupatient Medical Services, P.C.
E2003-01609-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Herschel Pickens Franks
Trial Court Judge: Judge Harold Wimberly

Plaintiff's claims for defendants aiding and abetting the State in terminating him and for libel and slander, tortious interference with his employment contract, outrageous conduct, and negligence were dismissed in the Trial Court by summary judgment. Plaintiff has appealed. We affirm the Trial Court's Judgment.

Knox Court of Appeals

Daniel Lee Stevenson v. Tracy Dawn Stevenson
M2002-02970-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. S. Daniel

This appeal arises from the trial court’s award of primary residential custody of the parties’ minor
children to their father. We affirm. Daniel Lee Stevenson (Mr. Stevenson) and Tracy Dawn Stevenson (Ms. Stevenson) were married in October 1992 and separated in July 2001. Mr. Stevenson filed for divorce in August 2001. The trial court, sitting without a jury, declared the parties divorced on November 19, 2002, and awarded Mr. Stevenson primary residential custody of the parties’ two minor children. Mother appeals only the award of primary residential custody of the children to Mr. Stevenson.

Rutherford Court of Appeals

JJ & TK Corp., et al. v. Board of Commissioners of the City of Fairview, Tennessee, et al.
M2003-00087-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge James L. Weatherford
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor R.E. Lee Davies

In this case the defendant, the Board of Commissioners of the City of Fairview, declined to grant a certificate of compliance to the plaintiffs, who sought to operate a retail liquor store at the entrance of Bowie Nature Park in Fairview, Tennessee. The plaintiffs contend they met all the legal requirements in effect at the time of their application; and that the defendant based its decision on a pending ordinance which required a minimum distance of 1000 feet between liquor stores and public parks. The trial court granted summary judgment for the defendant. We reverse the decision of the trial court.

Williamson Court of Appeals

Guy Varnadoe v. Shelton McGhee, Jr., et al.
W2003-01341-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Arnold B. Goldin

Following a remand by this Court, the trial court entered judgment in favor of the Plaintiff in the amount of $10,464.80 plus post-judgment interest from the time of filing of the trial court’s original judgment. Defendants appeal. We affirm.

Shelby Court of Appeals

Guy Varnadoe v. Shelton McGhee, Jr., et al. - partial Concurrence/Dissent
W2003-01341-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Crawford

I concur in the majority opinion’s affirmance of the trial court’s money judgment against defendants in the amount of $10,464.80. However, I respectfully dissent from that part of the majority opinion that awards post-judgment interest on the money judgment from the date of entry of the trial court’s judgment in the first trial of this case that was reversed and remanded by this Court.

Shelby Court of Appeals

Nelson Keith Foster v. State of Tennessee
E2003-02740-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Richard E. Ladd

Plaintiff's civil rights action against an Assistant District Attorney for prosecutorial misconduct was dismissed by the Chancellor. On appeal, we affirm.

Sullivan Court of Appeals

Julie Jiles, et al. v. State of Tennessee
E2003-01005-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Vance W. Cheek, Jr., Commissioner

Julie Jiles ("Plaintiff") and her husband, Bryan Jiles, sued the State of Tennessee ("State") for medical malpractice regarding medical care Plaintiff received at the Sevier County Health Department. The case was tried before the Claims Commission and an Order of Judgment was entered in March of 2003, holding, inter alia, that the standard of care was not breached and  dismissing Plaintiff's case. In dicta, the Judgment also suggested that another health care provider was the proximate cause of Plaintiff's damages. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

Sevier Court of Appeals

City of Chattanooga v. Cinema , Inc., et al.
E2003-01038-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Howell N. Peoples

David Franklin ("Franklin") operates an adult bookstore in Chattanooga known as Cinema 1, Inc. ("Cinema 1"). Numerous undercover visits by Chattanooga Police Department officers discovered a significant amount of sexual activity happening at Cinema 1. This sexual activity violated the Chattanooga city ordinance regulating adult oriented establishments. Based on police reports detailing what the undercover officers observed at Cinema 1, the Mayor of Chattanooga revoked Franklin's adult oriented establishment license, a decision later affirmed by the Chattanooga City Council and then the Trial Court. The primary issues on appeal concern whether the Chattanooga ordinance regulating adult oriented establishments provides the necessary procedural safeguards required by the First Amendment to be considered facially constitutional under the federal Constitution. We conclude the licensing scheme provides the necessary First Amendment procedural safeguards. We further conclude that there was sufficient evidence presented to revoke Franklin's license. The judgment of the Trial Court, therefore, is affirmed.

Hamilton Court of Appeals

Kenneth W. Mitchell, et al., v. Homer E. Chance, et al.
M2002-01239-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert E. Burch

This appeal involves a dispute between neighbors regarding the use of a county road in rural Humphreys County. After one of the landowners began to use the road to cross the neighboring landowners' property, the neighboring landowners erected barricades in the road and later filed a trespass action in the Chancery Court for Humphreys County. The landowners who desired to use the road counterclaimed to establish their right of way along the road. Following a bench trial, the trial court sided with the landowners desiring to use the road. On this appeal, the landowners who desire to prevent the use of the road take issue with the trial court's refusal to consider parol evidence regarding the meaning of the references to the road in the deeds. We affirm the trial court's decision that the references to the road in the deeds are not ambiguous, as well as its decision to admit extrinsic evidence to determine the location of the road. We have also determined that the evidence fully supports the trial court's decision regarding the location and dimensions of the road.

Humphreys Court of Appeals

James O. Ward v. Susan Ampferer Ward
W2003-01630-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Walter L. Evans

Wife appeals trial court’s ruling on remand that former husband did not dissipate substantial marital assets through extramarital relationship, specifically asserting that the trial court failed to properly consider or apply the two-prong test set forth by the appellate court for determining whether dissipation has occurred. We affirm.
 

Shelby Court of Appeals