COURT OF APPEALS OPINIONS

James Prince, D/B/A/ Big Jim, Inc., v. Charles Campbell, Individually and D/B/A Limosines by K.C.
01A01-9806-CV-00276
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee Russell

This appeal involves a motion to set aside a judgment. Defendant/cross-plaintiff,Charles Campbell (Campbell), appeals the judgment of the trial court awarding money damages to The day of trial, Prince filed a motion to amend the complaint to reduce the amount requested as damages from $97,000 to $77,000. There is no record as to the trial court’s action plaintiff/cross-defendant, James Prince (Prince). This case arose from a contract entered into between the parties in April 1995 in which Campbell agreed to transfer a limousine from his business to Prince in exchange for the opportunity to run Prince’s “World Famous Stagecoach Lounge.” Prince filed suit against Campbell for breach of contract and fraud in August 1995 alleging that Campbell failed to make lease payments on the property and refused to transfer the limousine agreed upon in the contract. Campbell’s answer denied the material allegations and asserted a counterclaim for conversion, fraud, and breach of contract.

Marshall Court of Appeals

State of Tennessee, Department of Childrens Services v. Tamra Leann Viar and John Fitzgeral Gross, In the Matter of Katlyn Nicole Viar
01A01-9806-JV-00275
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge William H. Inman
Trial Court Judge: Judge John B. Melton, III

We have reviewed the Petition to Rehear filed on behalf of the Attorney General and conclude that the Petition should be denied for the following reasons.

Cannon Court of Appeals

State of Tennessee, ex rel., Doug Sizemore, Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance for the State of Tennessee, v. United Physicians Insurance Risk Retention Group - Concurring
01A01-9706-CH-00253
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch

I concur with the court’s opinion. Insurance companies have the right to assume that the risk they undertake will not later be enlarged by the courts. See Schultz v. Tennessee Farmers Mut. Ins. Co., 218 Tenn. 465, 474, 404 S.W.2d 480, 484 (1966). Accordingly, the courts are not at liberty to rewrite policies of insurance to provide coverage where no coverage was intended. See Spears v. Commercial Ins. Co., 866 S.W.2d 544, 548(Tenn. Ct. App. 1993). Dr. Johnson did not contract for prior acts coverage when he purchased his UPI insurance policy. Accordingly, UPI never provided coverage for claims such as Blendora Ann Echols.

Court of Appeals

State of Tennessee, Commissioner Doug Sizemore, Commerce and Insurance v. United Physicians Insurance, Risk Retention Group State ex rel Doug Sizemore vs. United Physicians Ins.
01A01-9706-CH-00253
Authoring Judge: Special Judge Walter W. Bussart
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Carol L. McCoy

This is an appeal from a memorandum and order of the chancellor affirming and adopting the Special Master's report pursuant to Rule 53 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure. The issue is whether the lower court erred in this action. Our review is de novo upon the record accompanied by a presumption of correctness as to the findings of fact by the chancellor. Tenn.R.App.P.13(d).

Davidson Court of Appeals

Melissa (Buckley) Hatchell, v. Jerry Buckley
02A01-9801-CV-0008
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge William H. Inman
Trial Court Judge: Judge D. J. Alissandratos

These parties were divorced in Arkansas on April 17, 1996. A Property Settlement Agreement was incorporated in the judgment which awarded custody of two children to Mother.

Shelby Court of Appeals

Chris Hill Construction Company, v. State of Tennessee
02A01-9803-BC-
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Judge William H. Inman

Court of Appeals

Larry Aubrey Henson v. Elizabeth Ellen Sorrell
02A01-9805-JV-00135
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge William H. Inman

The child of these parties, who were never married to each other, was born March 11, 1996. The paternity issue was determined in June, 1996 by the Juvenile Court, which also directed the payment of child support. The appellant questioned his liability for support because the child was conceived without his consent. He did not prevail.

Shelby Court of Appeals

Linda Chaney v. Robert Dickinson
03A01-9803-JV-00107
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: Judge Suzanne Bailey

Robert Lee Dickinson, Jr., appeals the ruling of the Juvenile Court of Hamilton County, Tennessee at Chattanooga, insisting that the Juvenile Court erred in its determination of Mr. Dickinson’s Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure 60.02 motion for relief from child support payments based upon evidence that he is not the father of the child he has been supporting. The Juvenile Court ruled that Mr. Dickinson’s motion was barred by res judicata; therefore, Mr. Dickinson is still obligated to pay current and past due child support payments.

Hamilton Court of Appeals

Todd Frederick Brooks v. Linda Faye Carter
02A01-9709-CV-00225
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Karen R. Williams

Defendant Todd Frederick Brooks (Father) appeals, and Plaintiff Linda Faye Carter (Mother) cross-appeals, the final divorce decree entered by the trial court which awarded the parties joint custody of their three minor children, designated the Father as the primary custodial parent, ordered the Father to pay child support to the Mother, and distributed the parties’ property. We affirm the trial court’s distribution of the marital property, with one modification, but we reverse the court’s custody decision and we remand for the court to recalculate the Father’s child support obligation pursuant to the Child Support Guidelines.
 

Shelby Court of Appeals

Antonio Sweatt v. Billy Compton, et al.
02A01-9710-CV-00252
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly Kirby Lillard
Trial Court Judge: Judge R. Lee Moore Jr.

This is a medical malpractice case brought by an inmate at a state correctional facility. The
plaintiff brought the lawsuit against various prison officials and the prison doctor alleging federal
constitutional violations as well as medical malpractice. The trial court granted the defendants’
motion for summary judgment. We reverse the trial court’s grant of summary judgment on the
plaintiff’s claims under the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and remand for further
discovery. We affirm the grant of summary judgment on the remainder of the claims.

Lake Court of Appeals

State of Tennessee, ex rel., Kimberly Norfleet v. Tommy Dobbs, Jr.
01A01-9805-CV-00228
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Muriel Robinson

This appeal involves a parent’s efforts to avoid paying child support for her two children. Approximately two years after the Circuit Court for Davidson County awarded custody of the parties’ two children to their father, the children’s mother, with the assistance of a lawyer furnished by the IV-D contractor for Davidson County, filed a petition to eliminate her child support obligation because she was unemployed and her only income was Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) payments. Following a bench trial, the trial court denied the mother’s petition on the ground that she was voluntarily unemployed. The mother asserts on this appeal that the trial court’s order conflicts with the child support guidelines because she will be required to use her SSI payments to pay her child support. We have determined that the evidence does not preponderate against the trial court’s finding that the mother is voluntarily unemployed and that the trial court’s order is consistent with the child support guidelines. Therefore, we affirm the trial court.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Loyal Miller vs. Tennessee Board of Paroles - Concurring
01A01-9806-CH-00293
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.

This appeal involves the fundamental fairness of the procedures used by the Tennessee Board of Paroles to revoke the parole of a person accused of committing child sexual abuse. The Board revoked the parole based solely on hearsay testimony concerning statements made by his alleged victim. The parolee filed a petition for a common-law writ of certiorari in the Chancery Court for Davidson County seeking judicial review of the Board’s decision-making process. After the trial court denied the petition, the parolee appealed to this court. We have determined that the Board’s hearing officer acted arbitrarily and illegally by applying an incorrect standard to determine whether good cause existed for not allowing the parolee to confront or to cross-examine his only accuser.  Accordingly, we reverse the trial court’s denial of the parolee’s petition for a common-law writ of certiorari and remand the case to the trial court for the entry of an order directing the Board either to conduct a proper parole revocation hearing forthwith or to return the parolee to parole status.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Robert Leland Bryant, and wife Linda Kay Wolfson Bryant, Sandry Lynn Todd Bryant, v. James Ashley Bryant
01A01-9806-CV-00337
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Judge Muriel Robinson

This is a termination of parental rights and adoption case. Petitioners-Appellants, Robert 1 Sandra Lynn Todd Bryant, wife of Respondent and mother of the minor children involved, joined the Petitioners in the petition to terminate the Respondent’s parental rights. In the petition, she consents to the termination of her parental rights. 2 Respondent’s wife subsequently left the couple’s home in Colorado to pursue job training in Florida. Upon completion of the two month job training course in Florida, she moved to Utah while Respondent continued his military career in Colorado. 2 Leland Bryant and Linda Kay Wolfson Bryant,1 appeal the trial court’s order denying their petition to terminate the parental rights of Respondent-Appellee, James Ashley Bryant, with respect to his minor children, Megan Rae Bryant, born December 13, 1991, and Devon Michael Bryant, born December 30, 1993.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Margaret McCormick, v. Donald McCormick
01A01-9801-CH-00019
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Tom E. Gray

This case concerns a dispute over the division of marital property, alimony, and attorney’s fees. Appellant, Donald F. McCormick (Husband), appeals from the Final Decree of Divorce that, inter alia, awarded Appellee, Margaret Ann McCormick (Wife), proceeds from a 1 Husband’s W-2 form from the Frigidaire Company reveals that his wages for 1996 were $94,063.26. 2 In 1996, Wife’s gross annual earnings were approximately $9,000.00. 2 401K account, rehabilitative alimony, and attorney’s fees.

Sumner Court of Appeals

Scottie Allen Yant v. Arrow Exterminators, Inc.
01A01-9801-CV-00004
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Judge Barbara N. Haynes

The manager of an exterminating company brought criminal charges against the owner of a competing company for the alleged theft of a piece of equipment. The general sessions court determined that probable cause existed, but the grand jury declined to indict. The defendant in the criminal case subsequently filed suit for malicious prosecution. The trial court granted summary judgment to the civil defendant. We affirm.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Randall Craig Cobb, v. Sharon Ruben Cobb
01A01-9803-CV-00127
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Trial Court Judge: Judge Muriel Robinson

In this case Appellant challenges the action of the trial court in denying his application for relief under Rule 60.02 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure, holding him to be in criminal contempt of court and denying his application for modification of alimony.
 

Davidson Court of Appeals

Carl G. Berning v. State of Tennessee, Department of Corrections
01A01-9804-CH-00180
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.

The Tennessee Civil Service Commission upheld the termination of a veteran supervisory employee for sexual harassment, conduct unbecoming a state employee, and failure to maintain a satisfactory and harmonious working relationship with fellow employees. The Chancery Court of Davidson County affirmed the Commission’s order. On appeal the employee asserts that he was denied progressive discipline prior to termination, and that he was denied due process of law. On the strength of the proof, he also claims that his conduct does not fit the definition of “conduct unbecoming” or support a conclusion that he failed to maintain a harmonious working relationship, and that his conduct was constitutionally protected. We affirm the trial court.

Davidson Court of Appeals

Paula Lynn Barnett vs. Robert McAlister Barnett, III - Concurring
03A01-9709-CH-00414
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly Kirby Lillard
Trial Court Judge: Judge L. Marie Williams

This is a post-divorce action to modify child support and alimony. The mother sought to increase child support, and the father sought to terminate periodic alimony payments. The trial court granted the mother’s request for an increase in child support, with a portion of the child support to be placed in an educational trust, and denied the father’s petition for modification of alimony. Both parties appealed. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and modify.

Hamilton Court of Appeals

Curtis G. Mayes v. Margaret C. Culpepper, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Employment Security and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
03A01-9801-CH-00032
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Frederick D. McDonald

This is an appeal from the denial of unemployment compensation benefits. Through the entire procedure, including an appeal to the Chancery Court for Knox County, the appellant has been denied unemployment compensation benefits because he had been guilty of misconduct arising out of the scope and course of him employment and  T.C.A . § 50 -7-303( a ) ( 2 ) bars him from recovery of unemployment compensation benefits. We reverse the judgment of the Chancery Court and remand this case to the trial court for entry of an order awarding unemployment benefits as provided by law.

 

Knox Court of Appeals

Olympia Child vs. City Maryville
03A01-9804-CV-00136

Court of Appeals

Simmons vs. Simmons
03A01-9805-CV-00158

Bradley Court of Appeals

Macklin vs. Macklin
03A01-9807-CV-00232

Knox Court of Appeals

Slate vs. Hooper
03A01-9809-CH-00299
Trial Court Judge: Ben W. Hooper, II

Sevier Court of Appeals

Scott vs. Scott
03A01-9708-CH-00305

Court of Appeals

Chatt. Regional vs. T.U. Parks Const.
03A01-9712-CH-00524

Court of Appeals