State of Tennessee v. Cortino Harris
W2009-00457-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Donald H. Allen

The defendant, Cortino Harris, was convicted by a Madison County Circuit Court jury of possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, Class E felonies, and evading arrest, a Class A misdemeanor. The court merged the felony drug convictions and sentenced the defendant as a Range II multiple offender to four years in the Department of Correction. The court sentenced the defendant to eleven months, twenty-nine days on the misdemeanor conviction, to be served consecutively to the felony sentence. On appeal, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence and the trial court’s imposition of consecutive sentences. After review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

James Carr v. State of Tennessee
W2009-00683-CCA-R3-CO
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Otis Higgs, Jr.

The petitioner, James Carr, appeals the dismissal of his petition for writ of error coram nobis. He was convicted on November 4, 1984, of aggravated rape and sentenced to life imprisonment as a Range II offender. The trial court ruled the petition should be dismissed because it did not set out any newly discovered evidence and contained no exception to the one-year statute of limitations. On appeal he argues that the dismissal was an unconstitutional denial of his right to due process. After careful review, we affirm the judgment from the trial court.

Katherine Dodge Gribben Warwick v. Edward Joseph Warwick, Sr.
E2009-00635-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Jeffrey Hollingsworth

After ten years of marriage, Katherine Dodge Gribben Warwick (“Wife”) filed a complaint
for divorce against her spouse, Edward Joseph Warwick, Sr. (“Husband”). Pursuant to the
parties’ pre-trial stipulation, the court granted Husband a divorce; incorporated the parties’
agreed permanent parenting plan; and distributed some of the parties’ personal property.
Following a bench trial, the court classified, valued, and distributed the balance of the
parties’ property. Husband appeals, challenging (1) the court’s decree as to how Wife was
to receive her equity in the marital home, (2) the classification and allocation of certain debts,
and (3) the overall property division. We affirm.

Corporacion Euanitos, S.A., et al. v. Montlake Properties, Inc. et al.
E2008-01548-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor W. Frank Brown, III

Corporacion Euanitos, S.A. (“Plaintiff”) sued Montlake Properties, Inc.; Montlake Property
Owners Association, Inc.; and Luken Properties, LLC seeking, in part, a restraining order and
a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants from pumping water from a lake,
Montlake, located in Hamilton County. After a trial, the Trial Court entered its order finding
and holding, inter alia, “[t]hat Luken Properties, LLC, has an easement right to withdraw
water from Montlake.” Plaintiff appeals to this Court. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Bethany Dawn Hunt
M2008-01983-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert G. Crigler

Appellant, Bethany Dawn Hunt, was convicted on her open guilty plea to a Marshall County Grand Jury indictment for burglary, illegal possession of a debit card, and two counts of theft of property valued at less than $500. The trial court merged the theft convictions and imposed an effective sentence of three years and three months in confinement. Appellant appeals, asserting the sentence is excessive and contrary to law. We affirm.

E. W. Stewart Lumber Co., d/b/a Stewart Builder Supply v. Meredith Clark & Associates, LLC and Leroy Dodd
MC-CH-CV-RE-08-40
Authoring Judge: Judge Richard H. Dinkins
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Laurence M. Mcmillan

Supplier of building materials filed materialman’s lien on property after contractor failed to
pay for materials provided for building a house on the property. On cross motions for
summary judgment, the trial court struck down liens the supplier had filed against the subject
property and dismissed the supplier’s action; supplier appeals. Finding error, we reverse and
remand to the trial court for further proceedings.

The Hamilton-Ryker Group, LLC v. Tammy L. Keymon
W2008-00936-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor W. Michael Maloan

This appeal involves a noncompete agreement and the Trade Secrets Act. The defendant employee worked for fourteen years for the plaintiff employer. The employee executed a covenant not to compete, prohibiting the employee from soliciting the employer’s clients for one year after termination. During her employment, the employee became the contact person for a particular customer. The defendant employee was temporarily laid off. The day after the layoff, the employee and the customer entered into an arrangement under which the laid off employee performed the same work for the customer that the employer had been performing. The employee then emailed numerous documents related to the customer from her work email address to her personal email address. After that, the customer ended the business relationship with the plaintiff employer. Subsequently, the employer sued the employee for, inter alia, breach of contract, misappropriation of confidential information, and violation of Tennessee’s Trade Secrets Act. The trial court entered judgment for the employer on all counts; the damages award included over $900,000 as doubled damages under the Trade Secrets Act. The employee now appeals. We affirm, finding that the covenant not to compete was enforceable despite the lack of any territorial limitation, that the information emailed to the employee’s personal email was a trade secret, and that the evidence supports the award of damages.

Dexter Johnson v. Howard Carlton, Warden
E2008-02032-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lynn W. Brown

The petitioner, Dexter Johnson, filed a petition in the Johnson County Criminal Court seeking habeas corpus relief from his multiple felony convictions. The petitioner argued that because the trial court failed to enumerate enhancing and mitigating factors on the record and because the judgments of conviction fail to specify whether his sentences are to be served concurrently or consecutively, his convictions and sentences are therefore void. The habeas corpus court dismissed the petition, and the petitioner appeals. Upon review, we affirm the judgment of the habeas corpus court.

James Crowley et al. v. Wendy Thomas
M2009-01336-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joe P. Binkley, Jr.

The issue on appeal is whether a defendant, who appealed from an adverse judgment rendered against her in the general sessions court, may dismiss the appeal at any time in the circuit court and thereby dismiss the plaintiff’s additional claims asserted in an amended complaint in the circuit court. Following the defendant’s appeal to the circuit court, the plaintiff/appellee filed an amended complaint adding his wife as an additional plaintiff, asserting additional claims and seeking additional damages. On the eve of trial, the defendant filed a Notice of Dismissal of Appeal and Motion to Affirm General Sessions Judgment. The plaintiffs objected to the dismissal of their amended complaint, insisting that they had the right to proceed with their new and additional claims. The circuit court held that the party appealing from a general sessions judgment is entitled to dismiss the appeal at any time, without the consent of the adverse party, and the affirmance of the general sessions judgment. We affirm the decision of the circuit court.

Susan L. Bowman, Individually and as Surviving Spouse of Anthony J. Bowman, Deceased and as Next Friend of Joel Bowman, a Minor v. City of Memphis
W2009-00084-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Donna M. Fields

The trial court dismissed Plaintiff’s claim under the Governmental Tort Liability Act for
damages arising from alleged malicious harassment under Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 4-
21-101 & 701 based on Plaintiff’s failure to allege malicious harassment based on race,
color, religion, ancestry or national origin. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Agatha Rannah Hodge
M2009-00751-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert G. Crigler

Appellant Agatha Rannah Hodge was charged with fifty counts of theft and one count of burglary. She pled guilty to one count of theft of property valued between $1,000 and $10,000 and one count of burglary. The remaining charges were dismissed. She was sentenced to four years for the theft conviction and three years for the burglary conviction, with the sentences to run consecutively. The trial court ordered the Appellant to serve seven months in confinement, with the remainder to be served on probation. She subsequently pled guilty to violating the rules of her probation, and the trial court ordered her to serve her sentences in confinement. She appeals, arguing the revocation was excessive. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Stephanie Mayfield
W2008-02534-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Donald H. Allen

The defendant, Stephanie Mayfield, appeals the Madison County Circuit Court’s revocation of her community corrections sentence and subsequent resentencing. The defendant, in two separate cases, pled guilty to ten counts of Class D felony identity theft and received an effective four-year sentence to be served in the Community Corrections Program. A violation warrant was later issued, alleging that the defendant had violated the terms and conditions of her agreement. Following a revocation hearing, the trial court ordered revocation of the defendant’s community corrections sentence. After a sentencing hearing, the court again imposed sentences of four years for each conviction but ordered that the two sentences be served consecutively for an effective sentence of eight years. On appeal, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in ordering revocation based upon the testimony of the current case officer. The defendant further challenges the imposed sentence due to the reliance on prior criminal charges and the imposition of consecutive sentencing. Following review of the record, we find no error and affirm the judgments of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Pamela Michelle Hubanks
W2008-02379-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Camille R. McMullen
Trial Court Judge: Judge Donald H. Allen

The Defendant-Appellant, Pamela Michelle Hubanks, was convicted by the Madison County Circuit Court of one count of theft of property valued at $500 or less, a Class A misdemeanor, and sentenced to eleven months and twenty-nine days, with 180 days of confinement to be served day-for-day in the county jail and the balance to be served on supervised probation. On appeal, Hubanks argues: (1) the evidence was insufficient to support her conviction; (2) the trial court erred in ordering her to serve 180 days in confinement, erred in ordering her to serve her 180 days of confinement day-for-day, and erred in denying full probation. Upon review, we affirm the trial court’s judgment but remand for entry of a corrected judgment to remove the day-for-day provision from the 180 days of confinement and to insert a service percentage of 75 percent.

Octavia Cartwright v. State of Tennessee
W2008-02682-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Paula L. Skahan

The petitioner, Octavia Cartwright, appeals the denial of her petition for post-conviction relief. She is currently serving a ninety-one-year sentence for her convictions for attempted first degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated burglary, four counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, and one count of evading arrest in a motor vehicle with risk of death or injury. On appeal, she contends that she received ineffective assistance of counsel. After careful review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s denial of relief.

State of Tennesse v. Richard H. Green
M2008-02308-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. C. McLin
Trial Court Judge: Judge Larry B. Stanley, Jr.

The appellant, Richard H. Green, pled guilty to driving on a revoked license, second offense, a Class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days, with 120 days to serve in jail and the remainder of his sentence to be served on probation. On appeal, the appellant contends that the trial court erred when it ordered him to serve part of his sentence in confinement. After a through review of the evidence and the applicable law, we affirm the trial court’s judgment.

Michael Sneed v. Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee
M2009-00720-SC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Cornelia A. Clark
Trial Court Judge: Senior Judge Donald P. Harris

In this direct appeal of a lawyer disciplinary proceeding involving eight separate complaints, we must determine whether the trial court correctly affirmed the hearing panel’s finding that attorney Michael Sneed violated numerous ethical rules and should be disbarred from the practice of law. Sneed contends that his disciplinary proceedings were procedurally unlawful because the hearing panel did not (1) conduct a prehearing conference as required by Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, section 13.6, (2) authorize the filing of two supplemental petitions for discipline, or (3) allow him to call as witnesses disciplinary counsel or the Board of Professional Responsibility’s executive secretary. He also asserts that the evidence does not support the hearing panel’s findings of professional misconduct and that he was denied a meaningful review in the trial court because the trial court failed to properly schedule and review his appeal from the hearing panel. Finally, Sneed challenges the finding of the hearing panel and the trial court that he should be disbarred from the practice of law. After careful review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court disbarring Mr. Sneed.

State of Tennessee v. Stephen Gregory Spencer, Alias Gregory Spencer
E2009-00389-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Don W. Poole

The Defendant, Stephen Gregory Spencer, pled guilty to two counts of possession of marijuana, Class E felonies, one count of possession of a handgun with the intent to go armed, a Class A misdemeanor, one count of theft of property valued at over one thousand dollars, a Class D felony, and one count of theft of property valued at over ten thousand dollars, a Class C felony. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of eight years as a Range I, standard offender to be served in community corrections. A community corrections violation warrant issued alleging that the Defendant failed to report and continued to use illegal drugs. Following an evidentiary hearing, the trial court revoked the community corrections sentences and ordered the sentences to be served in incarceration. In this appeal as of right, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred in ordering the service of his sentences in incarceration. Discerning no error, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Lavon Denise Ransom
M2009-00150-C-CA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert G. Crigler

Appellant, Lavon Denise Ransom, pled guilty in Bedford County to two counts of possession of cocaine for resale, two counts of possession of cocaine for delivery, and one count of selling cocaine. Several of the convictions were merged by the trial court, and Appellant received an effective ten-year sentence. She appeals the denial of alternative sentencing. After a review of the record, we determine that the trial court properly denied alternative sentencing where Appellant had an extensive criminal history, had failed to comply with conditions of sentences involving release into the community and confinement was needed to protect society by restraining a defendant who has a long history of criminal conduct, and to avoid depreciating the seriousness of the offenses. Therefore, the judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

Leornard Porter, Jr. et al. v. City of Clarksville et al.
MCCC-CVCMC-08-1157
Authoring Judge: Judge Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Ross H. Hicks

This action arises from the issuance of stop work orders that prevented the plaintiffs from
completing the construction of their new residence. The plaintiffs brought this action against
the City of Clarksville and the Clarksville Building and Codes Department under the
Governmental Tort Liability Act (GTLA) asserting numerous and varied claims, including
claims for false statements, fraud, deception, conspiracy, discrimination, malicious
harassment, coercion, and violation of due process, and requested financial damages,
emotional damages, and punitive damages. The defendants filed a Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.02(6)
Motion to Dismiss on the grounds that the action was a de facto appeal of the administrative
hearing on the stop work orders and that the defendants were immune under the GTLA. The
trial court granted the motion to dismiss finding that the plaintiffs failed to state a claim upon
which relief could be granted. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Angela Ann Collins
22CC-2008-CR-415
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge George C. Sexton

Appellant, Angela Ann Collins, was indicted by the Dickson County Grand Jury for driving under the influence (“DUI”) and violation of the implied consent law. She was convicted by a jury. Appellant appeals her conviction and the sentence imposed by the trial court. Because we determine that the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction and that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Appellant, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

State of Tennessee v. Laura June Mays
W2008-02144-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Camille R. McMullen
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Weber Mccraw

The Defendant-Appellant, Laura Mays, was convicted by a Hardeman County jury of theft of property between $10,000 and $60,000, a Class C felony. She received a three-year sentence, but was subsequently placed on probation. Her probation was revoked by the trial court because of her failure to make restitution payments. In her first appeal, this court reversed the trial court’s revocation of her probation and directed the trial court to set a reasonable amount for restitution payments. On remand, the trial court again revoked Mays’ probation. Mays now appeals the revocation of her probation, claiming the trial court did not follow this court’s mandate from her first appeal. Upon review, we again reverse the judgment of the trial court, and remand this matter for a determination of Mays’ ability to pay restitution.

State of Tennessee v. Gerraldo White
W2008-02579-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

The Defendant, Gerraldo White, was charged with one count of first degree premeditated murder and one count of felony murder. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-202(a)(1), (2). He was also charged with one count of especially aggravated robbery, a Class A felony. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-403(b). Following a jury trial, he was convicted of one count of felony murder, one count of especially aggravated robbery, and one count of second degree murder, a Class A felony. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-210(c). The trial court sentenced the Defendant as a Range I, standard offender to fifteen years for second degree murder and fifteen years for especially aggravated robbery. It also sentenced him to life in prison for felony murder. The trial court ordered that the Defendant serve his sentences concurrently with one another, for a total effective sentence of life in the Department of Correction. In this direct appeal, the Defendant contends that: (1) the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress a statement he made to police; and (2) the State presented evidence insufficient to convict him of felony murder, second degree murder or especially aggravated robbery. After our review, we affirm the Defendant’s conviction for first degree felony murder. We direct that the second degree murder conviction be merged into the first degree murder conviction. We modify the conviction for especially aggravated robbery to a conviction for aggravated robbery, and we remand for sentencing on the aggravated robbery conviction.

Judith Ann Lesko v. Tennessee School Board, et al.
M2009-00060-WC-R3-WC
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Lee Russell

This workers’ compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers’ Compensation
Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated § 50-6-225(e)(3) for a hearing and a report of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The employee alleged that she had sustained a permanent disability as a result of a work-related injury to her lower back. The trial court ruled that she had no permanent disability. She has appealed, contending that the trial court erred in accepting the testimony of the treating physician over that of the evaluating physician. We find no error, and affirm the judgment.

Carlos Hardy v. State of Tennessee
M2008-02851-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

A Davidson County jury convicted Petitioner, Carlos Hardy, of second degree murder, and the trial court sentenced him to twenty-five years as a Range I, violent offender. State v. Carlos Hardy, No M2004-02249-CCA-R3-CD, 2006 WL 359677, at *6 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Nashville, Feb. 10, 2006), perm. app. denied, (Tenn. Jul. 3, 2006). Petitioner was unsuccessful in his appeal to this Court. Id. at *15. He filed a petition for post-conviction relief raising a number of issues including an allegation that he was afforded the ineffective assistance of counsel. After a hearing, the post-conviction court denied the petition. On appeal, Petitioner argues that the post-conviction court erred in denying his petition with regard to the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel. We have reviewed the record on appeal and conclude that the post-conviction court did not err in denying the petition. Therefore, we affirm the decision of the post-conviction court.

Alisia Arias v. Duro Standard Products Company, et al.
W2008-02772-SC-R3-WC
Authoring Judge: Chief Justice Janice M. Holder
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor James F. Butler

The employee sought workers’ compensation benefits, contending that she had developed occupational asthma as a result of exposure to dust in the workplace. The employee offered into evidence the written report of a physician who performed an independent medical evaluation of the employee at the request of the employee’s attorney. The employer objected to the introduction of the report, contending that Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-235 is the exclusive method of introducing medical proof in workers’ compensation cases and that this statute permits the employer to depose the expert whose report is offered into evidence. Overruling the objection, the trial court admitted the report into evidence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Evidence 803(6) and awarded workers’ compensation benefits to the employee based on the physician’s report. The employer appealed. We conclude that the trial court erred by admitting the evaluating physician’s report into evidence and that the remaining admissible evidence is insufficient to establish either causation or permanency. Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court awarding workers’ compensation benefits is vacated, and the complaint is dismissed.