David Weachter v. Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company
Pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 51, this workers’ compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel for a hearing and a report of findings of fact and conclusions of law. Employee was injured in a motor vehicle accident. It is undisputed that his injuries were compensable and that he is permanently and totally disabled as a result of the accident. The issues on appeal are the propriety of the trial court’s calculation of the average weekly wage, the trial court’s denial of a set-off to Employer for a settlement with the third party tortfeasor, and the award of vocational expert witness fees. We find that the trial court correctly calculated the average weekly wage, but erred by denying the set-off and awarding the expert’s fees. The judgment is modified accordingly. |
Sumner | Workers Compensation Panel | |
Linda Lee Kenney v. Shiroki North America, Inc. et al.
The employee alleged that she sustained carpal tunnel syndrome and a right shoulder injury as a result of repetitive work activities. She was examined by several doctors provided by her employer, each of whom found that she had no permanent work injury. She sought and received treatment on her own with a physician who treated her for shoulder impingement and carpal tunnel syndrome. This doctor assigned permanent impairment but also testified that those conditions were not work-related. An evaluating physician assigned permanent impairment and testified that the conditions were work-related. Employee was a part-owner of an upholstery business during a period of time prior to the onset of her symptoms. Her testimony concerning the nature of her work for that business was inconsistent. The trial court found that she had not sustained her burden of proof and entered judgment for her employer. She has appealed, contending that the evidence preponderates against the trial court’s findings. We affirm the judgment. |
Warren | Workers Compensation Panel | |
Sarah Louise Bean v. Tepro, Inc.
Pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 51, this workers’ compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel for a hearing and a report of findings of fact and conclusions of law. Sarah Louise Bean (“Employee”) sustained bilateral shoulder injuries in the course and scope of her employment with Tepro, Inc. (“Employer”). After undergoing surgery on both shoulders, she was released to return to work. Employer was facing reduced work volume at this time, and Employee worked only one day over the course of the next two months. She worked sporadically during the next four months and then was laid off indefinitely due to economic conditions. During the layoff, she applied for and received Social Security disability benefits. When she was called back to work after four months of layoff, she declined to return. At trial, the trial judge heard proof regarding the extent of Employee’s permanent physical impairment from Employee’s evaluating physician, Employee’s treating physician, and a Medical Impairment Registry (“MIR”) physician. After the conclusion of the proof, the trial court determined that Employee had sustained a permanent physical impairment of 19% to the body as a whole, that the impairment rating assigned by the MIR physician was rebutted by clear and convincing evidence, that the Employee was subject to the cap imposed by Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-241(d)(1)(A), and that she was entitled to an award of 28% permanent partial disability (“PPD”) benefits. Both parties challenge the trial court’s decision. After review, we modify the award of PPD to 21%, reduce the award of discretionary costs by $800, and affirm the remainder of the trial court’s judgment. |
Bedford | Workers Compensation Panel | |
Douglas Edward Corder v. Valerie Jean Corder
This appeal involves post-divorce modification of child support. After a prior appeal, the case was remanded to the trial court to determine whether the father was entitled to a reduction in his child support obligation when one of the parties’ children reached majority. On remand, the trial court declined to reduce the father’s child support. The father appeals. We affirm. |
Shelby | Court of Appeals | |
Prianglam Brooks v. Correctional Medical Services
Employee sustained a compensable injury to her lower back. Employer initially provided medical treatment, but Employer’s insurer subsequently declined to provide additional medical treatment. Employee sought treatment on her own. Her treating physician found that she retained a 15% permanent impairment as a result of her injury. An examining physician for Employer opined that she had no impairment. A physician was selected through the Medical Impairment Registry (“MIR”) process. That physician also stated that Employee had no permanent impairment. The trial court found that Employee rebutted the presumption of correctness of the MIR physician’s rating by clear and convincing evidence pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-204(d)(5) and awarded 20% permanent partial disability. Both sides appealed. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Shelby | Workers Compensation Panel | |
Timothy Ruskin v. Ledic Realty Services, Ltd.
In this workers’ compensation action, the employee, Timothy Ruskin, worked as a maintenance technician for Ledic Realty Services, Ltd. (Ledic), which managed several apartment buildings. Mr. Ruskin was injured while responding to an after-hours call from a tenant of one of the apartment buildings. In response to his compensation claim, Ledic asserted as an affirmative defense that Mr. Ruskin’s injuries resulted from his intoxication. After a hearing, the trial court ruled in Ledic’s favor, and Mr. Ruskin appealed. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Shelby | Workers Compensation Panel | |
In Re: Sarah E. L., et al.
The State of Tennessee, on behalf of Kenneth S. L. (“Father”), filed a petition for child support against Melissa G. M. (“Mother”). The hearing for child support was continued on three separate occasions. With each continuance, the trial court instructed Mother to bring medical documentation verifying her inability to work. At the fourth scheduled hearing, Mother failed to produce documentation from her medical providers. The trial court proceeded to set monthly child support payments and imputed a gross income of minimum wage to Mother. Mother appeals. We affirm. |
Sevier | Court of Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Karim El-Amin
The appellant, Karim El-Amin, pled guilty in the Washington County Criminal Court to two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card involving a value more than five hundred dollars but less than one thousand dollars, a Class E felony, and one count of fraudulent use of a credit card involving a value equal to or less than five hundred dollars, a Class A misdemeanor. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the appellant was to receive an effective four-year sentence with the manner of service to be determined by the trial court. On appeal, the appellant challenges the trial court’s denial of his request of alternative sentencing. Based upon the record and the parties’ briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Washington | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Thomas E. Moorehead et al. v. Joy Vail Allman et al.
The sellers of a mobile home park appeal the trial court’s decision to rescind two real estate sales contracts and refund the purchasers their down payment. The purchasers asserted claims for fraudulent misrepresentation, fraud in the inducement, and breach of fiduciary duty, all of which arose from alleged misrepresentations by the sellers regarding the condition and income potential of the property at issue. Following a lengthy and convoluted procedural history, including a jury trial, the granting of a new trial, and several waves of amended pleadings, the parties filed competing motions for summary judgment. The sellers asserted various defenses including, inter alia, that the purchasers’ claims were time barred. Finding that the sellers fraudulently induced the purchasers into buying the property, and that the statute of limitations had been tolled due to the sellers’ concealment of material facts, the trial court denied the sellers’ motion, granted summary judgment to the purchasers. For relief, the trial court rescinded the sales contracts and awarded the purchasers a refund of their down payments. We affirm. |
Bedford | Court of Appeals | |
In Re: John Jay Hooker - Order
John Jay Hooker has filed a motion requesting this Court (1) to set aside its June 21, 2010 order directing the Clerk of the Appellate Courts to decline to accept any of his further filings in this case and (2) to rescind its January 7, 2010 order enforcing the October 20, 2008 order of the Chancery Court for Davidson County suspending his license to practice law for thirty days. Mr. Hooker has also requested that all the members of the Court recuse themselves from this proceeding because they “are prejudiced against him as a consequence of a contentious political dispute before the legislature . . . regarding the [c]onstitutionality of the [r]etention [e]lection [s]tatute.” In order to address Mr. Hooker’s first two requests, the Court must first address his renewed insistence that all the members of this Court are disqualified from any proceedings involving his law license. It is, therefore, ordered that the Clerk of the Appellate Courts is directed to accept and file the motion lodged by Mr. Hooker on January 14, 2011. It is further ordered that Mr. Hooker’s motion requesting all the members of this Court to recuse themselves from this proceeding is denied. |
Supreme Court | ||
Joseph Brown v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Joseph Brown, appeals as of right from the Shelby County Criminal Court’s denial of his petition for post-conviction relief challenging his guilty plea to one count of facilitation of first degree murder and two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping. The Petitioner contends that he received the ineffective assistance of trial counsel and that his guilty plea was not knowingly and voluntarily entered into. Following our review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Shelby | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Jason Lee White v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Jason Lee White, appeals from the order of the trial court dismissing his “Motion to Correct Illegal Sentence.” The State has filed a motion requesting that this Court affirm the judgment of the trial court pursuant to Rule 20 of the Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. We grant the State’s motion and affirm the judgment of the trial court. |
Montgomery | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Kimberly M. Henderson v. Gary N. Wilson
A divorced mother of two children filed a petition for child support, alleging that although the father had legal custody of the children and she had been under an order to pay child support to him, the children had actually resided with her for the past six years. The father did not deny that the children had been living with the mother during that entire period. After negotiation, the parties entered into an agreed order, whereby the father was to pay $35,000 in back child support to his former wife. Twenty-three months later, the father filed a Rule 60.02 motion for relief, contending that the agreed order was void as against public policy because it amounted to an impermissible retroactive modification of child support. The trial court denied the father’s motion on the ground that it was entitled to presume that parties who are represented by counsel and who submit a signed agreement to the court have taken every pertinent factor into consideration. We affirm. |
Robertson | Court of Appeals | |
Fallon Lynn Tallent v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Fallon Lynn Tallent, was convicted in Wilson County of two counts of premeditated murder and sentenced to two, consecutive life terms. The convictions were affirmed on direct appeal, and the supreme court denied permission to appeal. State v. Fallon L. Tallent, No. M2005-00183-CCA-R3-CD, 2006 WL 47090 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Nashville, Jan. 10, 2006), perm. app. denied, (Tenn. May 1, 2006). Petitioner filed a pro se petition for post-conviction relief. It was denied without a hearing. Petitioner appealed to this Court. On appeal, this Court reversed the judgment of the post-conviction court and remanded the case for appointment of counsel. Fallon Lynn Tallent v. State, No. M2007-01336-CCA-R3-PC, 2008 WL 762486, at *5 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Nashville, Mar. 24, 2008). On remand, counsel was appointed, and an amended petition for post-conviction relief was filed. After a hearing on the petition, the post-conviction court denied relief and dismissed the petition. Petitioner has appealed the denial of post-conviction relief. After a thorough review of the record, we determine that Petitioner has failed to show that she received ineffective assistance of counsel. Accordingly, the judgment of the post-conviction court is affirmed. |
Wilson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Ashley Mai Cook
Defendant, Ashley Mai Cook, was convicted of conspiracy to commit first degree premeditated murder, a Class A felony, and first degree premeditated murder. She received consecutive sentences of twenty years as a Range I offender for conspiracy to commit first degree murder and life imprisonment for first degree murder. On appeal, she contends that the evidence is insufficient to support her convictions; that the trial court erred in denying her motion for expert services; that the trial court erred in not charging the jury that Megan Jones was an accomplice; and that her sentence was excessive. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Bedford | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Jonathan Londono
Appellant, Jonathan Londono, was convicted by a Davidson County jury of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, facilitation of felony murder, facilitation of especially aggravated robbery and facilitation of aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to an effective sentence of forty-nine years. Appellant was resentenced after an unsuccessful appeal to this Court, an unsuccessful appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court, a remand from the United States Supreme Court to the Tennessee Supreme Court, and a remand from the Tennessee Supreme Court to the trial court for resentencing. As a result, Appellant’s sentence was enhanced based upon one enhancing factor, that he had a previous history of criminal convictions and criminal behavior. The trial court sentenced Appellant to an effective sentence of forty-nine years. Appellant appeals his sentence arguing that the trial court erred in basing the application of the enhancing factor on convictions that occurred in the time between the commission of the offenses in question and the imposition of his sentence for the offenses in question. We determine that based upon prior case law in this State the trial court did not err. Therefore, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Arlie Ray Thomas v. State of Tennessee
Petitioner, Arlie Ray Thomas, appeals the dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief in which he alleged that he received ineffective assistance of trial counsel because counsel failed to challenge the affidavits supporting the arrest and search warrants, and that counsel failed to properly interview a witness. After a thorough review of the record, we conclude that Petitioner has failed to show that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel and affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court. |
Putnam | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Daniel Cavanaugh, et al., v. Avalon Golf Properties, LLC.
Plaintiffs purchased a residential lot from defendant developer, but the purchase contract required plaintiffs to use defendant construction company to build their home. Before the home was completed, defendant construction company defaulted on paying materialmen and suppliers and abandoned the project. Plaintiffs brought this action alleging that developer knew, or should have know, that the construction company was incapable of performing the required construction services, and that the developer owed plaintiff a fiduciary duty to provide a contractor who could perform the work in a good, workmanlike manner. They further alleged a breach of contract, in violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. A default judgment was entered against the construction company, and the developer filed a Motion for Summary Judgment which the Trial Court ultimately granted against plaintiffs. Plaintiffs appealed and we affirm the Judgment of the Trial Court. |
Loudon | Court of Appeals | |
Curtis Myers v. AMISUB (SFH), Inc., d/b/a St. Francies Hospital, et al.
The trial court denied Defendants’ motion to dismiss in a medical malpractice action initially filed prior to the effective date of the notice and certificate of good faith provisions subsequently codified at Tennessee Code Annotated sections 29-26-121 and 29-26-122, and nonsuited and re-commenced after the effective date of the provisions despite Plaintiff’s failure to fulfill the statutory requisites. We granted permission to appeal pursuant to Rule 9 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure. We reverse and remand for dismissal. |
Shelby | Court of Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. John Anthony Partin
The Sequatchie County Grand Jury indicted Appellant, John Anthony Partin, for one count of driving under the influence (“DUI”) and one count of violation of the implied consent law. Appellant filed a motion to suppress the evidence collected as a result of his interaction with the law enforcement officer. The trial court denied the motion to suppress. Subsequently, Appellant pled guilty to one count of DUI, first offense and reserved a certified question of law for appeal to this Court. After a review of the record on appeal, we conclude that Appellant did not properly reserve his certified question. Therefore, this Court has no jurisdiction to hear this appeal, and the appeal is dismissed. |
Sequatchie | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Conal Decker v. State of Tennessee
The Petitioner, Conal Decker, filed a pro se petition for writ of error coram nobis or writ of habeas corpus challenging judgments in cases from 1994 and 1998 which were used to enhance the federal sentence he is currently serving. He claims in the cases he is challenging that he was never provided counsel or that his waiver of counsel was improper. The coram nobis court dismissed the petition. The State filed a motion requesting that this court affirm the coram nobis court’s denial of relief pursuant to Rule 20, Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. After review, we conclude that the petition was properly dismissed. Accordingly, the State’s motion is granted and the judgment of the coram nobis court is affirmed. |
Hamilton | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
State of Tennessee, Ex Rel. Billie Jo Farris (Satterfield) v. Colin Bryant
This appeal involves child support in a Title IV-D proceeding. In the parents’ divorce trial, the father was not present, so income was imputed to him, and he was ordered to pay child support. In post-divorce proceedings, the State filed contempt petitions on behalf of the mother, alleging that the father was in arrears on his child support obligation. Orders were entered holding the father in contempt and ordering payments on the arrearage. The father filed a motion for modification of his child support obligation, asserting that his income was substantially less than the amount imputed to him, and that he had an additional minor dependent for whom he was required to pay child support. The trial judge denied the father’s motion to modify his child support and sentenced him to jail for contempt. The father appeals the criminal contempt conviction and asserts that the trial court erred in refusing to modify his child support obligation. We vacate the criminal contempt finding and reverse the denial of the father’s motion to reduce his child support obligation. |
Blount | Court of Appeals | |
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County v. Barry Construction Company, Inc., et al.
This matter is before the court for a second time. The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County initiated suit to compel two developers to complete an unfinished portion of a road in a planned unit development or to recover damages equal to the cost of completing the road if it completed the road itself. The trial court dismissed the action, finding that the amended complaint did not provide a legal basis for requiring either developer to complete the road. On appeal this Court vacated the trial court’s order and remanded the case for the court to consider the appropriate allocation of responsibility for construction of the road between the two developers. While the appeal was pending, the Metropolitan Government acquired the land and subsequently completed the unfinished portion of the road. On remand, the trial court assessed costs of constructing the road to the developers equally, but assessed the land-acquisition costs entirely to one developer. The Metropolitan Government appeals. Finding no error in the trial court’s allocation of responsibility, we affirm. |
Davidson | Court of Appeals | |
State of Tennessee v. Amado Rubio Tavera
The Defendant-Appellant, Amado Rubio Tavera, has filed a petition for writ of certiorari seeking review of the Davidson County Criminal Court’s order denying his motion to expunge. The indictment charged Tavera with one count of vehicular assault and one count of aggravated assault. For the charge of vehicular assault, Tavera pled guilty to the lesser included offense of driving under the influence, a Class A misdemeanor. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the State entered a nolle prosequi for the charge of aggravated assault. Tavera subsequently filed a motion to expunge the charge of aggravated assault from all public records. He now appeals the denial of this motion. Upon review, we reverse the judgment of the trial court. |
Davidson | Court of Criminal Appeals | |
Donald J. Roberts IRA, et al. v. Phillip H. McNeill, Sr., et al.
This is an interlocutory appeal from a class certification. The named plaintiffs, former owners of preferred stock in Equity Inns, Inc., filed a class action against the company’s former directors. Their amended complaint asserted breaches of the fiduciary duties allegedly owed to the preferred shareholders during the negotiation and approval of a merger. The trial court granted the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification with respect to “[a]ll holders of Equity Inns preferred stock as of June 21, 2007.” We vacate and remand for further consideration. |
Shelby | Court of Appeals |