Carri Chandler Lane v. State of Tennessee

The Appellant, Carri Chandler Lane, appeals the Shelby County Criminal Court’s denial of her motion to modify court-ordered restitution. The State responds that the denial of a request to modify restitution is not appealable under Tenn. R. App. P. 3(b), and, even if appealable, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion. While we agree that Rule 3(b) does not provide for an appeal as of right from a trial court’s denial of a motion to modify restitution, we, nonetheless, conclude that the Appellant’s issues are entitled to a review as the appeal may be treated as a writ of certiorari. See T.C.A. § 27-8-101 (2006). After review of the Appellant’s motion on the merits, we conclude that material changes in circumstances have occurred since the order and, further, that it would be unjust to require adherence to the restitution order currently in effect. Accordingly, the trial court’s order denying modification is reversed, and this case is remanded for a hearing to determine, following consideration of the Appellant’s present financial resources and her future ability to pay or perform, the proper amount and method of payment of restitution to be made. See T.C.A. § 40-35-304(d) (2006).