COURT OF APPEALS OPINIONS

Christopher Pope v. Dept of Correction
M2001-02937-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Carol L. Mccoy
A prisoner in the custody of the Department of Correction was found guilty of a disciplinary offense and sentenced to punitive segregation. He subsequently filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari, claiming that he was not afforded due process during the disciplinary hearing at which he was convicted. The trial court dismissed his Petition for failure to state a claim. We affirm the trial court.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Penny Taylor v. Christy Sowell
M2002-00535-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Betty K. Adams
Christy Sowell appeals an Order terminating her parental rights as to her child, S.P.S. The trial court, finding abandonment by willful failure to support and willful failure to visit the minor child, entered an Order terminating her parental rights. We affirm the action of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Appeals

John A. Higginbotham v. Anne Cleve
M2002-00899-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: J. B. Cox
Anne Cleve appeals, pro se, the action of the trial judge in refusing to set aside a judgment entered against her enforcing a foreign judgment entered in the Circuit Court of Madison County, Alabama. We affirm the action of the trial judge.

Lincoln Court of Appeals

Lakewood Park Trusteeship v. Ramsey Johnson
M2002-00244-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Trial Court Judge: John Wiley Rollins
The trustees of a residential/recreational development sued the owner of a number of lots in the development for failure to pay assessments for several years. The owner appeals arguing there was insufficient proof he received the notices for the years in question. We affirm the trial court's judgment in favor of the trustees.

Coffee Court of Appeals

In the Matter of: A.W. & J.W.
M2002-01665-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Barry Tatum
The Juvenile Court of Wilson County terminated the parental rights of both parents to two young daughters. The mother appeals, asserting that the court erred in finding: (1) that the Department of Children's Services made reasonable efforts to reunite the family, (2) that she failed to substantially comply with the goals in the permanency plans, (3) that she failed to remedy the conditions that prevented the children's return to her, and (4) that the best interests of the children required the termination of her parental rights. We affirm the judgment of the juvenile court.

Wilson Court of Appeals

08-99-0024-CC
08-99-0024-CC
Trial Court Judge: A. Andrew Jackson

Dickson Court of Appeals

Basil Marceaux v. Chattanooga Printing
E2001-03072-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: L. Marie Williams

Hamilton Court of Appeals

E2002-1237-COA-R3-CV
E2002-1237-COA-R3-CV
Trial Court Judge: Bill Swann

Knox Court of Appeals

Marcie Allen v. Rashid Al-Qadir
M2001-03009-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: R.E. Lee Davies
This is an appeal from an Order entered on a jury verdict. Plaintiffs sued to set aside a transfer of property to Defendant-purchaser because Plaintiffs had an pre-existing contract on the same property. Plaintiffs also sued the Defendant-seller for specific performance of that pre-existing contract. The Chancery Court entered judgment on the jury verdict, finding, inter alia, that Defendant-purchaser was not a bona fide purchaser for value without notice. The court denied Defendant-purchaser's motions for new trial and to alter or amend. Defendant-purchaser appeals. We affirm.

Williamson Court of Appeals

JWT, L.P. v. Printers Press
M2001-02590-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Corporation sought compensatory and punitive damages for losses sustained as a result of neighboring business property owner's erection of a fence across a valid easement immediately adjacent to appellant's business. The chancery court denied corporation's claim for compensatory and punitive damages, but granted injunctive relief. Corporation appeals. We affirm.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Michael Holeman v. Donna Holeman
M2001-00622-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Trial Court Judge: Steven C. Douglas
After the trial court granted the parties a divorce, awarded them joint custody of their minor child, and granted primary physical custody of Child to Mother for the school year, Father filed a motion to reconsider the custody arrangement. The trial court denied the motion and Father appeals. We affirm the decision of the trial court.

White Court of Appeals

Arlie Bingham vs. John Doles
W2002-00104-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Ron E. Harmon
This appeal arises from a boundary line dispute. The plaintiff filed suit against the defendant, an adjacent land owner, alleging that a proposed addition to the defendant's home would encroach onto the plaintiff's property. The trial court ruled that defendant had gained title to the disputed property under the doctrines of adverse possession and title by acquiescence. The plaintiff appealed challenging the court's ruling on adverse possession. For the following reasons, we affirm the decision of the trial court.

Hardin Court of Appeals

State v. Michael Pate
M2001-00076-COA-R7-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Allen W. Wallace
This case originated in the Juvenile Court of Dickson County, Tennessee and was appealed to the circuit court pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 37-1-159(a). Michael Pate appeals the action of the circuit court adopting the juvenile court action with slight modifications. We affirm the action of the trial court.

Dickson Court of Appeals

Judy Rodriguez v. Metro Gov't. of Nashville
M2001-02500-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Municipal employee filed a petition for review of civil service commission order terminating her employment. The chancery court affirmed the order of the commission, finding that the record contained substantial and material evidence to support the termination. The employee has appealed. We affirm.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Henry Kerr v. Earl Lemoine
M2001-00986-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Carol L. Mccoy
Appellant judgment creditor appeals from the action of the trial court in post-judgment proceedings allowing installment payments of the underlying judgment. The record before the Court is inadequate for appellate review, and acting within our discretion, we remand the case to the trial court for further proceedings.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Anna Lamb v. State
M1998-00910-COA-R12-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
This appeal stems from a mother's allegations that her mentally impaired daughter was sexually abused while in the custody of the Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute. The mother filed a claim on her daughter's behalf with the Division of Claims seeking $300,000 in damages. The claim was transferred to the Tennessee Claims Commission where, following a hearing, a Commissioner dismissed the claim because the mother had failed to establish that her daughter had been sexually abused while she was in the State's custody. The mother asserts on this appeal that the evidence preponderates against the Commissioner's findings. We affirm the Commissioner's dismissal of the claim.

Court of Appeals

Ginnie Leach vs. Tim Taylor
W2002-01091-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Clayburn L. Peeples

Gibson Court of Appeals

Ginnie Leach vs. Tim Taylor
W2002-01091-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Clayburn L. Peeples

Gibson Court of Appeals

Jackie Reynolds vs. Tammy Battles
W2002-00031-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: C. Creed Mcginley
This is an appeal from on order denying a Tenn. R. Civ. P. 60.02 motion to set aside a default judgment entered in favor of the plaintiffs for $1,200,000. We vacate the order of the trial court and remand for further proceedings.

Hardin Court of Appeals

Helen Hall vs. James Hall
W2002-00786-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Martha B. Brasfield
Plaintiff-wife sued defendant husband for a divorce on the grounds of inappropriate marital conduct and irreconcilable differences. After a nonjury trial, a divorce was awarded to wife and she was awarded alimony in futuro and part of her attorney fees. Husband has appealed the award of in futuro alimony. We affirm.

Tipton Court of Appeals

Bruce Martin vs. Beverly Martin
W2002-00819-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Ron E. Harmon
This is a divorce case. Prior to their marriage, the husband and the wife executed a prenuptial agreement. The agreement stated that upon divorce, if jointly-held property were sold, each party would be credited his or her share of separate property contributed to the purchase of the jointly-held property, with the remaining funds divided according to each party's ownership share. After the parties married, they purchased land with the intention of converting it into a catfish farm. The husband and the wife both contributed financially towards the purchase of the land. Both parties worked full time. The husband used his machinery that he owned separately and expended labor to convert the land to a catfish farm. The wife maintained their home. The parties divorced. At the divorce hearing, the husband argued that, under the terms of the prenuptial agreement, he should be credited for his labor and the use of his heavy machinery to improve the farm land. The trial court declined to do so, and credited the husband and the wife with their respective financial contributions. The parties' personal property was divided equally. The husband appeals, arguing that he should have been credited for his labor and the use of his heavy machinery, and also disputing the division of the personal property. The wife asserts that she should have received a larger percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the property. We affirm.

Benton Court of Appeals

2000-00161-COA-R3-CV
2000-00161-COA-R3-CV
Trial Court Judge: Ellen Hobbs Lyle

Davidson Court of Appeals

CH-02-0287-3
CH-02-0287-3
Trial Court Judge: D. J. Alissandratos

Shelby Court of Appeals

Robert Stephenson vs. Mary Stephenson
W2002-01064-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Christy R. Little
This appeal involves a will contest. The trial court found the testator to be competent at the time the will was executed and held that the will was the "complete, whole, true and valid Last Will and Testament" of the testator. For the following reasons, we affirm.

Madison Court of Appeals

Patsy Moss vs. John McGarvey
W2001-02347-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: George E. Blancett
This is an action to collect a child support arrearage. The mother and father of two minor children were divorced in 1973, and custody was awarded to the mother. In July 1981, the trial court entered a consent order requiring the father to pay the mother $35 per week in child support. In May 2000, nineteen years after the consent order was entered and ten years after the younger child turned eighteen, the mother filed a petition to collect the child support arrearage from the father. The father argued, among other things, that the mother's petition was barred by the doctrine of laches. The trial court granted the mother's petition and ordered the father to pay the child support arrearage, plus interest and attorney's fees. The father now appeals that order. We affirm, based on established caselaw holding that the doctrine of laches is not available as a defense in an action to recover child support arrearages.

Shelby Court of Appeals