COURT OF APPEALS OPINIONS

Christopher Woods vs. Ellis Woods
W1999-00733-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: D'Army Bailey
This appeal arises from a dispute between Plaintiff Christopher Lamar Woods and Defendant Ellie Joan Woods regarding Mr. Woods' financial obligations under the parties' final decree of divorce. The trial court approved the ruling of the arbitrator, which was that Mr. Woods is responsible for the expense of Ms. Woods' "tummy tuck" and breast reduction surgery but is not responsible for the expense of Ms. Woods' Obagi cream treatments, collagen injections, lip implants, and other topical procedures. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the ruling of the trial court.

25840-COA-R3-CV
25840-COA-R3-CV
Trial Court Judge: Samuel H. Payne

Larry Ward on behalf of Antonio Ward
W1999-01324-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Kay S. Robilio
This is a dispute between Plaintiff Larry D. Ward and Defendants A.C. Gilless, Jr., The Shelby County Sheriff's Office ("Sheriff's Office"), Ted Fox, and The Shelby County Division of Public Works ("Division of Public Works") regarding the cause of an automobile accident that resulted in the death of Reco Antonio Ward ("Decedent"), Mr. Ward's son. The trial court found that the Decedent was negligent, that the Decedent's own negligence was the proximate cause of his death, and that any negligence on the part of the Defendants was exceeded by the negligence of the Decedent. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the ruling of the trial court.

Ella Pruett vs. Wal-Mart
W1999-01026-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Plaintiff sued employer under Americans With Disabilities Act and case was tried before a jury. After a jury verdict for plaintiff, defendant moved for judgment notwithstanding the verdict which the court granted. Plaintiff has appealed. The record reflects that defendant failed to move for a directed verdict at the conclusion of all of the evidence and also reflects that no judgment was entered on the jury verdict. Appeal dismissed.

Richardson vs. Miller
M1997-00205-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Marietta M. Shipley

Richardson vs. Miller
M1997-00205-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Marietta M. Shipley

Mills vs. Solomon
M1998-00393-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Robert E. Corlew, III
These proceedings began when David Mills filed a complaint seeking to condemn an easement across Linda Solomon's property. In bifurcated proceedings, the jury first determined the location of Mills' easement across Solomon's property and, later, found that Solomon was entitled to an award of damages totaling $11,908 for the easement, including $9900 in incidental damages. On appeal from the trial court's judgment entered on the jury's verdict, Mills challenges only the award of $9900 in incidental damages. We agree with Mills' contention that the record fails to contain material evidence to support the award of incidental damages, and we reverse that portion of the trial court's judgment.

Kenneth L. Bonner vs. TN Dept. of Correction
M1999-00343-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Trial Court Judge: Ellen Hobbs Lyle
The petitioner contends that the trial court erred in dismissing his petition regarding the Department of Correction's calculation of his release eligibility date. An adjustment of the release eligibility date, made subsequent to the filing of this appeal, has rendered most of the petitioner's arguments moot. As to the remaining issue, we affirm the dismissal of the petition because we agree with the trial court that it lacked jurisdiction to consider the petition.

Heathman-Wood vs. Wood
M1999-00341-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Leonard W. Martin
This is a post-divorce child custody case. When the mother and father divorced, by agreed order, they gave custody of their minor child to the child's maternal aunt and uncle. The aunt and uncle later petitioned the trial court to allow them to move with the child to another state. The father then sought custody of the child. The trial court found that the father had failed to prove a change in circumstances warranting a change in custody from the aunt and uncle. Consequently, the father's petition for custody was dismissed and the aunt and uncle's petition to move to another state was granted. We reverse, finding that an erroneous legal standard was used. The cause is remanded for a determination of whether granting the father's petition for custody would result in substantial harm to the child.

Welborn vs. Sellars
M1999-00164-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Robert E. Corlew, III
This is an insurance case. The plaintiff was driving a motorcycle when he was involved in an accident with an automobile driven by an uninsured motorist. The plaintiff's motorcycle was not listed in his insurance policy. The plaintiff filed suit seeking damages for his injuries sustained in the accident. The plaintiff's insurance company moved for summary judgment in the case based on an exclusion in the plaintiff's insurance policy which denied uninsured motorist coverage for vehicles for which insurance was not afforded under the policy. The trial court granted the insurance company's motion and the plaintiff appealed. We affirm, finding that the policy exclusion applies to the plaintiff's motorcycle.

International Flight Center vs. City of Murfreesboro
M1999-00324-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Royce Taylor
This appeal arises out of a dispute between Plaintiff International Flight Center ("IFC") and Defendants City of Murfreesboro ("City") and City of Murfreesboro Airport Committee ("Airport Committee") regarding the alleged breach of a lease agreement and the nonpayment of certain property taxes. The trial court granted a judgment in favor of IFC in the amount of $174,718.00 plus ten percent prejudgment interest. Additionally, the court ruled that the City is estopped from collecting the property taxes allegedly owed to the City by IFC. On appeal, we reverse the trial court's finding that the City breached the parties' 1989 lease agreement, vacate the court's ruling regarding the jet fuel equipment that was purchased by IFC but that remained at the Airport following the expiration of the parties' 1989 lease agreement, remand the cause for further findings of fact regarding this jet fuel equipment, affirm the court's ruling regarding the matter of prejudgment interest to the extent hereinafter discussed, and reverse the court's ruling that the City is estopped from collecting the real and personal property taxes allegedly owed to the City by IFC.

American Airlines vs. Johnson
M1999-02390-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Carol L. Mccoy
American Airlines, Inc., appeals the trial court's final judgment denying its request for a refund of use taxes paid on aviation fuel purchased out of state during the years 1992 through 1995. We affirm the trial court's judgment.

Ross vs. Campbell
M1999-01805-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Ellen Hobbs Lyle
An inmate in custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction brought an action for declaratory judgment contending that the Department failed to give him all sentence credits due. The trial court granted the respondent's motion for summary judgment and we affirm on the basis that no genuine issue of material fact was shown.

Hartsville Hospital vs. Bay Nat'l Bank & Trust Co.
M1999-01276-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: C. K. Smith
This appeal arises from a dispute over the ownership of monies held in a bond fund. Hartsville Hospital Incorporated ("Hartsville") filed suit against Bay National Bank ("Bank") seeking the contents of the fund. The court below entered judgment for Hartsville, holding that Bank had no claim to the bond fund money pursuant to a release agreement between the parties and that Hartsville was not estopped from asserting ownership. Bank appeals.

Huffer vs. State
M1999-01278-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
The claimants sought to hold the State liable for the personal injuries and deaths caused in an automobile accident on U.S. Highway 64 in Franklin County. After first holding that the State's negligence was the cause of twenty-five percent of the damages, the Claims Commissioner modified his findings and concluded that the State had a discretionary function immunity and that the sole proximate cause of the accident was the negligence of the driver of the automobile in which the injured persons were riding. We affirm on the proximate cause issue.

Johnson vs. Allstate
M1999-01639-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Buddy D. Perry
Insured sued his insurer to recover policy coverage due on a fire loss to his automobile after the insurer denied coverage under the fraud provision of the policy. Judgment was entered on a jury verdict for the insured, and the insurer has appealed.

Wright vs. Hull
M1999-02307-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Billy Joe White
Plaintiff/Appellee, Bill D. Wright, sued to set aside a 1986 deed whereby he conveyed a certain tract of land to Defendant/Appellant, Bonnie S. Hull. He charged failure of consideration and fraud. Defendant, Ms. Hull, asserted that she and Mr. Wright cohabited without marriage for twelve years until their separation in 1998. She asserted that the property conveyance was a gift and was also conveyed to her by Mr. Wright to put the property out of the reach of his creditors. The trial court held the parties to be equal tenants in common and ordered the property sold. We reverse the trial court and dismiss the case.

Paul Wallace vs. Rhonda Mitchell
W1999-01487-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Ron E. Harmon
Tenured teacher was discharged after an evidentiary hearing before the school board upon finding that the teacher inappropriately touched students and failed to discontinue the practice after warnings. The teacher filed a petition for writ of certiorari for review by the chancery court and after the chancery court's review of the record of the school board hearing, the action of the board dismissing the teacher was affirmed. The teacher has appealed to this Court.

Walter Jefferson vs. Captain D's et al
W1999-00574-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown
In this personal injury action, plaintiff timely filed suit, which was subsequently dismissed for failure to prosecute. Another suit was commenced within one year of the first dismissal. This suit was voluntarily nonsuited at a later date. A third suit was commenced within one year of the voluntarily nonsuit, but more than one year from the date of the first dismissal. The trial court granted summary judgment on the ground that the suit was barred by the statute of limitations. Plaintiff has appealed.

Carl O. Koella, Jr. vs. Fred McHargue, et al
E1999-02752-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: C. K. Smith
This is the second time that this case has been before us on appeal. On the first appeal, which was filed with respect to an order entered pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 54.02, we affirmed the trial court's grant of partial summary judgment to the plaintiff on the primary issue raised by the original complaint for declaratory judgment. While that case was pending on appeal, the original plaintiff, Carl O. Koella, Jr., died, and, on motion of his counsel, we entered an order substituting his widow, Maribel Koella, in his place. On remand, the plaintiff -- not otherwise identified in the pleading -- filed a motion in the trial court to dismiss the defendants' still-pending counterclaim. That motion was based on the failure of the defendants, in their capacity as counter-plaintiffs, to file a motion "to substitute the proper party for [Mr. Koella] in the trial court." The trial court granted the motion. We reverse.

Byron Lowell Mitts vs. Virginia Ann Jones Mitts
E2000-00374-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: W. Neil Thomas, III
The trial court dissolved a marriage of over 26 years. Wife appeals, arguing (1) that the increase in value of Husband's separate property interest in two stock holdings is, in each instance, marital property; (2) that the trial court erred in its award of alimony; (3) that the trial court erred in calculating Husband's child support obligation; and (4) that she is entitled to an award of attorney's fees, both at the trial level and on appeal. We affirm the trial court's classification of the increase in value of Husband's Rivermont stock as his separate property. We also affirm the trial court's finding that no portion of the value of the Coca-Cola stock is marital property. We modify the award of rehabilitative alimony so as to provide for a monthly payment of $2,000 for a period of four years beginning with the first full month after the entry of the divorce judgment below. We find that Wife is entitled to her attorney's fees at both stages of this proceeding. We remand this case for the trial court to determine if the child support obligation should be increased due to Husband's lack of standard visitation.

State of Tennessee, Department of Children Services, v. MR
E1999-02703-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Judge David Schulty

The Trial Judge granted the Department's petition to terminate parental rights of the mother to her ten year old child on numerous grounds. The mother has appealed, and we affirm termination.

Union Planters vs. Island Management
W1999-00541-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: D. J. Alissandratos
This is a dispute regarding the repayment of a $350,000.00 loan that Union Planters National Bank ("Union Planters") made to Island Management Authority, Inc. ("Island Management") in 1989. The trial court found that Mr. Criss, Mr. Tigrett, and Mr. Richards, each of whom had executed a guaranty in favor of Union Planters, are jointly and severally liable to Union Planters for the outstanding balance of this loan. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the ruling of the trial court.

Emmanuel Page vs. Doctor R. Crants
W1999-02127-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Jon Kerry Blackwood
An inmate sentenced in Wisconsin and transferred to Tennessee, where he is presently incarcerated, appeals from the trial court's order dismissing his petition for writ of habeas corpus. We affirm.

Lisa Alfaro Munday vs. William Mark Munday
E1999-02605-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Daryl R. Fansler
In this post-divorce proceeding, the trial court designated William Mark Munday ("Father") as the primary residential custodian of two of the parties' children. He had been awarded primary residential custody of the parties' third child at an earlier time. Lisa Alfaro Munday ("Mother") appeals, arguing (1) that the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction to modify the custodial arrangement and (2) that there had not been a material change of circumstances to warrant a change in custody. We affirm.