COURT OF APPEALS OPINIONS

In re: Stephanie Ann Linville, a Minor
M2000-01097-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Judge Ben Hall McFarlin, Jr.

This appeal arises from the trial court's grant of an award of child support to the appellee, the child's paternal grandmother and legal custodian, from the child's mother. For reasons stated herein, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Robert Lafferty, et al., v. City of Winchester, et al.
M1997-00224-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Curtis Smith

This appeal involves a dispute between the owners of a bed and breakfast and the City of Winchester regarding a proposed expansion of the business's bar and banquet facilities. When the city's Board of Zoning Appeals declined to approve the expansion, the owners of the bed and breakfast filed a petition for a common-law writ of certiorari in the Circuit Court for Franklin County challenging the Board's decision. After reviewing the record of the proceedings before the Board, the trial court determined that the Board acted within its discretion when it declined to approve the proposed expansion of the bed and breakfast. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Harry Barnett and Elizabeth Barnett, vs. Gary L. Lane and Donna L. Lane
E2000-00967-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor John F. Weaver

Plaintiffs, purchasers of house from defendants, were awarded damages for defects in house not revealed by defendants. Plaintiffs appeal, asking punitive damages and an increase in compensatory damages. We affirm.

Harry Fletcher, et al., v. Anthony Edwin Bickford, et al.
E2000-01020-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Neil Thomas, III

Plaintiff's car was caught between the minivan in front of him and the dump truck behind him when the minivan and Plaintiff's car stopped to avoid an obstruction in the roadway. The dump truck was unable to stop and hit Plaintiff's car. The jury returned a verdict for Plaintiff for $225,000. The jury allocated 80 percent of the fault against the dump truck driver and owner and 20 percent of the fault against Plaintiff's uninsured motorist insurance carrier on behalf of the unknown driver of a truck which dropped the obstruction onto the road. The dump truck driver and owner appeal, raising issues of law including the introduction of claimed inadmissible evidence, prejudicial final argument, improper and incomplete jury instructions, jury misconduct and the failure of the Trial Court to grant Defendants' motions for directed verdict and judgment notwithstanding the verdict. We affirm the judgment of the Trial Court.

Kennedy vs. Kennedy
M1997-00219-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Muriel Robinson
This appeal involves a man's efforts to use his voluntary early retirement as a basis for ending his spousal support obligation. Three years after the divorce, the man filed a petition in the Circuit Court for Davidson County seeking to end his responsibility to pay child support. His former wife responded by filing a petition seeking to hold him in contempt for failure to pay spousal support. Following a bench trial, the trial court dismissed the man's petition, held him in contempt, and entered a $3,106 judgment against him for back spousal support. On this appeal, the man asserts that the trial court erred by declining to relieve him of his alimony obligation because of his inability to pay and his former spouse's lack of need. We affirm the trial court's judgment.

Hodges vs. TN Atty. General
M2000-00550-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
This appeal arises from the dismissal of a prisoner's pro se complaint for failure to prosecute. The Chancery Court for Davidson County dismissed the complaint eleven months after it was filed because the prisoner had failed to provide summonses and copies of the complaint for service on the defendants. The prisoner has appealed to this court. Instead of arguing that the trial court erred by dismissing his complaint for failure to prosecute, the prisoner has simply renewed the assertions he made in the trial court that his sentence credits have been calculated incorrectly and that he should be released on parole. We determined that the trial court properly dismissed the complaint for failure to prosecute.

Angela Joan Wagner, v. Rodney Keith Wagner
M1999-01045-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Robert E. Corlew, III

The trial court granted the parties a divorce, ordered joint custody of the parties' minor son, and divided the marital property. On appeal, Ms. Wagner contends that the trial court's award of joint custody on an alternating week basis was improper, that the division of marital property was inequitable, and that the trial court's order requiring her to bear one-half of the child's medical insurance was improper. We disagree and affirm the trial court's judgment.

James W. Hunter vs. Shirley C. Hunter
E2000-00662-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Telford E. Forgerty, Jr.
In this divorce case, Shirley C. Hunter ("Wife") appeals, arguing that the trial court erred (1) in classifying and dividing the parties' property; (2) in refusing to find James W. Hunter ("Husband") in contempt for failing to pay Wife's medical bills; (3) in restricting Wife's spousal support award to one of alimony in solido of $7,200; (4) in awarding Husband a judgment against Wife for $5,068.53 in connection with Wife's use of his vehicle; and (5) in failing to award Wife her attorney's fees. We vacate the trial court's judgment ordering Wife to pay for her use of Husband's vehicle. In all other respects, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Tindell's Inc. vs. Mary Ava Partin
E2000-01640-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: Billy Joe White
This is a suit to recover the sales price of certain materials sold to the Defendant and to enforce a lien against certain property if the judgment rendered is not paid. The Trial Court found in favor of the Plaintiff, resulting in this appeal, wherein the Defendant questions the introduction of certain proof and insists the preponderance of the evidence is contrary to the Trial Court's determination. We affirm.

G.L. Omohundro, et al vs. Paul Harrison, et al
E2000-00666-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Daryl R. Fansler
This is a suit by investors in The Great Smoky Mountain Opry Corporation against a number of defendants including Paul Harrison. The trial court found a violation of the Tennessee Securities Act of 1980 and awarded the plaintiffs a judgment for $56,932.50. Harrison appeals, contending that the judgment should be reversed. We affirm.

Department of Children's Services, vs. D. & G.M.
E1999-01359-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Suzanne Bailey
The Trial Judge terminated mother's parental rights to her three minor children. We affirm.

Berman Kennedy vs. Darlene Lane-Detman, et al
E2000-01315-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: W. Frank Brown, III
The defendant Herbert G. Adcox guaranteed, in part, payment of a $35,000 promissory note executed by Darlene Lane-Detman in favor of the plaintiff Berman D. Kennedy. Adcox's guaranty took the form of a post-dated check in the amount of $30,000. When Detman defaulted on the note and Adcox then stopped payment on the check, the plaintiff sued Adcox on the check. The trial court granted Adcox summary judgment, finding that the record before it established a number of affirmative defenses. We affirm the trial court's decision to grant summary judgment to Adcox, because we find that Kennedy modified the repayment terms of Detman's note without Adcox's consent.

Estate of Annie Hamilton et al. v. Walter Morris,et al.
W1998-00191-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: J. Steven Stafford
Proponents of 1992 will of testatrix offered the will for probate, and three beneficiaries of testatrix's 1987 will filed a complaint contesting the 1992 will. Proponents of the 1992 will filed a response to the complaint contesting the 1992 will which, inter alia, denies that the 1987 will is the last will and testament of the testatrix. The chancellor granted summary judgment against the proponents of the 1992 will, holding that the will was void by virtue of proponents' undue influence on testatrix. The chancellor also granted summary judgment for residuary beneficiary of the 1987 will and admitted the 1987 will to probate as the last will and testament of the testatrix. Appellants, the proponents of the 1992 will and contestants of the 1987 will, have appealed.

Elpidio Placencia vs. Lauren Placencia
W1999-01812-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown

Elpidio Placencia vs. Lauren Placencia
W1999-01812-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown

Elpidio Placencia vs. Lauren Placencia
W1999-01812-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown

Elpidio Placencia vs. Lauren Placencia
W1999-01812-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown

Terry Lynn vs. City of Jackson
W1999-01695-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Roy Morgan
Plaintiffs, personal representative of decedent, an adult child of decedent, and a minor child of decedent, filed a wrongful death suit more than one year after decedent's date of death against the City of Jackson pursuant to the Tennessee Governmental Tort Liability Act (TGTLA). Plaintiffs had filed suit within one year of the date of death in federal court, and after federal court dismissed the case, they filed the instant case two days later in circuit court. The circuit court dismissed plaintiffs' case because it was not filed within one year of the accrual of the cause of action as mandated by TGTLA. Plaintiffs have appealed.

Mary Slack vs. Bryan Antwine
W2000-00961-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Joe C. Morris
Plaintiffs sued to quiet title to property and to establish boundary line. The trial court found that the deed description of plaintiffs' property established their title to the disputed property. Defendant has appealed. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Jason Kim vs. Nancy Boucher
W2000-00427-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown
A minor pedestrian and his father sued automobile driver for personal injury damages sustained by minor when struck by driver's vehicle. The trial court directed a verdict for the automobile driver at the close of plaintiff's proof. Plaintiff has appealed.

Harry Tusant vs. City of Memphis
W2000-01431-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Floyd Peete, Jr.
Petitioners, Memphis police officers, filed a petition in chancery court for writ of mandamus to require the city to promote them to certain civil service ranks after they successfully completed the promotional process and are otherwise eligible and qualified for promotion. The trial court denied the petition, and petitioners have appealed.

HMC Technologies Corp.vs. Siebe, Inc.
E2000-01093-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Sharon J. Bell
In this declaratory judgment action, the plaintiff, HMC Technologies Corp. a/k/a HMC Technologies, Inc. ("HMC"), sued to enforce an indemnification provision contained in a proposal submitted to, and accepted by, the defendant, Siebe, Inc.

David Roberts vs. Essex Microtel Assoc.,et al
E2000-01356-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Richard E. Ladd

David Roberts v. Essex Microtel Associates, Ii, L.P. D/B/A
E2000-COA-R3-CV
Trial Court Judge: Richard E. Ladd

Martino vs. Dyer
M1999-02397-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Trial Court Judge: William M. Dender
The trial court granted the motion of an attorney seeking collection of a pro rata share of his fee from a hospital lien against his client's settlement. The effect of the trial court's order is to require the hospital to pay fees to an attorney it did not hire. We reverse the judgment.