COURT OF APPEALS OPINIONS

Extendicare International v. James Anderson, III
M2001-02265-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Walter C. Kurtz
Appellants filed a legal malpractice action against James P. Anderson, III on July 20, 1999. Appellants filed an Amended Complaint against Anderson III on February 14, 2001 and, in such Amended Complaint, asserted for the first time a claim against James B. Anderson, II and his law firm, Anderson & Bridges. The trial court granted summary judgment to Anderson II and Anderson & Bridges upon a finding, as a matter of law, that the statute of limitations as to them had expired. We affirm the action of the trial judge.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Christine Bilyeu vs. Bobby Bilyeu
E2001-01556-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Steven C. Douglas
The Trial Court ordered the parties divorced and classified and divided marital property. Both parties appeal. We affirm, as modified.

Cumberland Court of Appeals

Michael Couillard vs. Martha Couillard
E2001-01770-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Thomas J. Seeley, Jr.

Carter Court of Appeals

Michael Couillard vs. Martha Couillard
E2001-01770-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Thomas J. Seeley, Jr.

Carter Court of Appeals

Emily Lewis vs. Life Care Centers of America
E2001-01812-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: L. Marie Williams
Emily Lewis, a student enrolled in a Certified Nursing Assistant's training program operated and supervised by Nursetrainers, Inc., sues Life Care Centers of America, Inc. The suit seeks damages for injuries resulting to Ms. Lewis, who was taking training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. As a result of Life Care's negligence, the original complaint alleged several other causes of action, all of which have been abandoned on appeal. We affirm.

Hamilton Court of Appeals

Roy Gray vs. Nancy Gray
E2001-02470-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: Bill Swann
In this divorce case from the Circuit Court for Knox County the Appellant, Roy William Gray, contends that the Trial Court erred in failing to disqualify counsel for the Appellee, Nancy Jane Gray. Mr. Gray further contends that the Court erred in dividing the marital assets, in granting both parties a divorce, and in awarding Ms. Gray post trial attorney's fees. Ms. Gray asserts that she should be reimbursed for attorney's fees incurred by her in responding to this appeal upon the grounds that the appeal is frivolous and devoid of merit. The judgment of the Trial Court is affirmed in part and reversed in part.

Knox Court of Appeals

Jan W. Gamble v. Alex Grady Gamble, Iii
2001-01392-COA-R3-CV
Trial Court Judge: L. Marie Williams

Hamilton Court of Appeals

Christina Fortenberry vs. G.T.George
E2000-02984-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Dale C. Workman

Knox Court of Appeals

Christina Fortenberry vs. G.T.George
E2000-02984-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Dale C. Workman

Knox Court of Appeals

Elaine Wynn vs. Joseph Hames
W2001-00269-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Julian P. Guinn
This a medical malpractice case. Plaintiff's decedent saw Defendant, an emergency room physician, who diagnosed decedent with pneumonia and sent decedent home with antibiotics. Plaintiff's decedent died the next day from congestive heart failure. Plaintiff, wife of decedent, sued Defendant for malpractice. The jury's verdict found decedent 90% at fault and Defendant 10% at fault, and the trial court entered judgment for Defendant on the jury verdict. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

Benton Court of Appeals

Durnelco, Inc. vs. Double James
E2001-02010-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: W. Frank Brown, III
This case involves the interpretation of a commercial lease agreement. The tenant, Durnelco, Inc. ("Durnelco"), filed a complaint for declaratory judgment, seeking a declaration that it properly terminated the lease agreement on July 31, 2000. Durnelco also asked that it be permitted to remove, at its expense, certain improvements made by it to the leasehold premises, including some flooring, walls, doors, windows, bathroom fixtures, and exterior decking. The present landlord, Double James, LLC ("Double James"), answered and filed a counterclaim asserting that Durnelco had breached the lease and had refused to surrender possession of the premises. It sought damages as a result of Durnelco's alleged holdover tenancy. The trial court allowed Durnelco to remove only two signs and certain light fixtures. The court awarded Double James $7,000 in rent for the period of July through December, 2000. Durnelco appeals. We affirm.

Hamilton Court of Appeals

William J. Vincent v. Reid Troutman, Executor, Et Al.
2001-03035-COA-R3-CV
Trial Court Judge: Billy Joe White

Campbell Court of Appeals

April Grant Ingle vs. Robert Wayne Ingle
E2001-02802-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: W. Neil Thomas, III
This is a post-divorce case. The parties were divorced in 1998. On September 21, 2000, April Grant Ingle ("Mother") filed a petition to modify the parties' divorce judgment. She alleged that Robert Wayne Ingle ("Father") had been unemployed at the time of the divorce, and, consequently, was not ordered to pay child support. She further alleged that he had subsequently become employed and that he should now be ordered to pay child support computed pursuant to the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines ("the Guidelines"). Mother also sought to modify Father's visitation as set forth in the divorce judgment. After comparing the parties' respective incomes, the trial court ordered Father to pay child support of $177 per month. Mother appeals. We vacate the trial court's child support award and the effective date of that award. The remainder of the trial court's order is affirmed. This case is remanded to the trial court for such additional proceedings as may be necessary and for the entry of an order consistent with this opinion.

Hamilton Court of Appeals

In Re: Madelanie Redman, Ray & Martha Bowen v. Nathan Redman
E2001-02730-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Kindall T. Lawson

Hawkins Court of Appeals

In Re: Madelanie Redman, Ray & Martha Bowen v. Nathan Redman
E2001-02730-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks

Hawkins Court of Appeals

E2001-02926-COA-R3-CV
E2001-02926-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: W. Dale Young

Blount Court of Appeals

John Sicard vs. Leon Williams, Inc.
E2001-02928-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: W. Dale Young
The Trial Court awarded plaintiff commission under Agreement between the parties. On appeal, we reverse on grounds that plaintiff's misrepresentation in procuring a contract with a third party, denied his contractual right to the commission.

Blount Court of Appeals

In Re: Mackenzie J. Marlowe, Gregory Marlowe v. Stacy
E2002-00105-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: John W. Walton

Unicoi Court of Appeals

Brendi Kaplan v. John A. Bugalla
M2003-01012-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Donald P. Harris
This case involves a petition to modify child support. By court approved Marital Dissolution Agreement executed May 10, 2002, child support payable by the father was set at $4,000 per month. At the time of the agreement and divorce decree father was earning in excess of $20,000 per month. The parties did not appeal the May 10, 2002 judgment, but on September 4, 2002 the mother filed a petition to increase child support in order to accommodate attendance of the two children to private school. The trial judge denied the petition. We affirm the action of the trial court.

Williamson Court of Appeals

Alberta Dodson v. James Dodson
M2000-01682-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Muriel Robinson
The trial court awarded a divorce to the parties, and ordered the husband to pay $1,000 per month as alimony in futuro. In light of the needs of the wife, and of the husband's ability to pay, we increase the alimony award to $1,500 per month.

Davidson Court of Appeals

William T. Tarpley, v. Ron Searcy, et al.
M2000-03094-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Judge Marietta M. Shipley

The Circuit Court of Davidson County affirmed an arbitrator's award despite the opponent's claim of the arbitrator's bias and of erroneous calculations. We affirm.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Faye R. Taylor v. Andrew R. Dyer, et al.
M2001-00967-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Judge Carol L. Soloman

In a non-jury trial, the Circuit Court of Davidson County awarded $10,920 to a plaintiff injured in a rear-end collision. The defendants assert on appeal that the court erred in allowing the plaintiff to supplement her trial proof with her doctor's statement that his charges were reasonable and necessary. In addition, the defendants assert that most of the medical expenses included in the plaintiff's award were not caused by the accident. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Hannah Robinson v. Charles C. Brewer, et al.
W2001-01745-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Judge Roger A. Page

This is an automobile collision personal injury case. Plaintiff-motorist was stopped in a thru-traffic lane over the crest of a hill behind a vehicle attempting to make a left turn off of the highway. The defendant-motorist came over the crest of the hill and struck the plaintiff-motorist in the rear, causing injuries to the plaintiff. Judgment was entered on a jury verdict for the defendant that the defendant was not at fault in the accident. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

Madison Court of Appeals

Nancy E. Cotter v. Ted A. Burkhalter, et al.
M2000-03183-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Frank Clement, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
This appeal arises from an action by a Trustee against: (1) Ted A. Burkhalter (Burkhalter), an accountant/attorney, and the accounting firm, Burkhalter, Ryan & Co., P.C., for professional malpractice; (2) Burkhalter, a former co-trustee, for alleged breach of fiduciary duties; (3) Burkhalter and his partner, Linda Resha, in a general partnership, for alleged conspiracy to defraud and convert funds from the trust; and (4) Prudential Securities, Inc. for breach of fiduciary duty by allegedly permitting the diversion of funds by Burkhalter. The Chancery Court granted summary judgment in favor of Burkhalter and Burkhalter-Ryan finding that the malpractice claims were time-barred. The Chancery Court also granted summary judgment in favor of Prudential Securities finding that Prudential had not breached a fiduciary duty to the trust. Following a bench trial on the remaining issues, the Chancery Court found that the plaintiff/appellant was judicially estopped from pursuing the claims against Burkhalter for alleged breach of fiduciary duties as a trustee, and found in favor of Burkhalter and Resha on the claim of conspiracy to divert funds, finding there was insufficient evidence to establish that a conspiracy existed. We affirm.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Michael Delaney Galligan v. Linda Medders Galligan
M2001-00619-COA-R3
Trial Court Judge: Robert E. Corlew, III

Warren Court of Appeals