In Re: J.J.C., D.M.C., S.J.B. vs. John Calabretta
W2002-01400-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
This is a termination of parental rights case. While the father was incarcerated for driving offenses, the mother was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. As a result, the parties' two young children were placed in state custody. When the father was released from prison, he contacted the state to enter into a plan of permanency. Subsequently, the state filed a petition to terminate the parental rights of both the mother and the father, alleging that they had failed to comply with the permanency plan, and that they abandoned the children by willfully failing to pay child support to the state. Almost a year later, the trial court conducted a trial in the matter. After the trial, the trial court entered an order terminating the parental rights of both the mother and the father. The father's parental rights were terminated based, in part, upon abandonment. Only the father has appealed from the trial court's decision. We reverse, finding that the evidence does not establish by clear and convincing evidence that the father's failure to make support payments was willful.

State of Tennessee, ex.rel. Vikki Davis vs. John Davis
W2001-02565-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: George R. Ellis
This case involves a judge's sua sponte decision not to enforce a Tennessee statute. The parties divorced in 1997, and the mother was awarded custody of the parties' minor daughter. The father was required to pay child support. The father failed to pay, and the State filed a petition for contempt on the mother's behalf. The father was found in contempt for his failure to pay. Sua sponte, the trial judge refused to enforce the Tennessee statute requiring the payment of a child support processing fee, citing a perceived violation of an unspecified federal law. The State appeals. We reverse, finding that the trial judge erred in refusing to apply the statute.

State of Tennessee v. Kevin D. Guffey
E2002-02527-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Rebecca J. Stern

The appellant, Kevin D. Guffey, pled guilty in the Hamilton County Criminal Court to driving under the influence (DUI), a Class A misdemeanor. The trial court sentenced the appellant to eleven months and twenty-nine days in the county workhouse, to be suspended after serving forty-eight hours, and imposed a fine in the amount of three hundred sixty dollars ($360). The trial court also suspended the appellant's driver's license for one year and ordered the appellant to attend "DUI school." Pursuant to the plea agreement, the appellant reserved the right to appeal a certified question of law challenging the trial court's denial of his motion to suppress. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Torrance Maurice Knight
E2003-00079-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Douglas A. Meyer

The defendant pled guilty to three counts of aggravated assault, two counts of solicitation of a minor, four counts of indecent exposure, and possession of a dangerous weapon. He agreed to an effective five-year sentence, with the manner of service to be determined by the trial court. The defendant contends that the trial court erred in denying him an alternative sentence. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Charles R. Newman v. The City of Knoxville,
E2003-00841-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Sr. J.
Trial Court Judge: Sharon Bell, Chancellor
In this appeal, the employee insists the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of the employer. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the trial court erred in granting the employer summary judgment.

W2002-03139-COA-R3-CV
W2002-03139-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Kay S. Robilio

W2003-00017-COA-R3-CV
W2003-00017-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Joseph H. Walker, III

Nadia Coffer v. State of Tennessee
W2003-00529-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Arthur T. Bennett

The petitioner, Nadia Coffer, appeals the lower court’s denial of her post-conviction relief petition. The petitioner originally entered guilty pleas in the Shelby County Criminal Court to especially aggravated kidnapping and attempted first degree murder and received two concurrent fifteen-year sentences, the minimum sentences for these Class A felonies. On appeal, the petitioner contends her pleas were unknowingly and involuntarily entered due to ineffective assistance of counsel. We affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

W2002-02228-COA-R3-CV
W2002-02228-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Trial Court Judge: Robert L. Childers

Mohammad Rafieetary v. Maryam Khoshroo Rafieetary
W2003-00121-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: John R. Mccarroll, Jr.

State of Tennessee v. Eslie L. Morgan
W2003-00172-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Otis Higgs, Jr.

A Shelby County jury convicted the defendant, Eslie L. Morgan, of attempted voluntary manslaughter. The trial court sentenced him to eight years in confinement as a Range II multiple offender. On appeal, the defendant contends: (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction; and (2) the trial court erred in permitting the prosecutor to ask the victim an improper question during redirect examination. Upon review of the record and the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. John Johnson
W2002-01333-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Joseph B. Dailey

The jury convicted the defendant of especially aggravated robbery and theft over $10,000. The trial court imposed consecutive twenty-five-year and ten-year sentences, respectively. On appeal, the defendant argues: (1) there was insufficient evidence to support his conviction for especially aggravated robbery; (2) the trial court erred in not allowing him to move from the defense table to view evidence on a monitor; and (3) the trial court erred in sentencing him. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

W2003-00461-COA-R3-CV
W2003-00461-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Karen R. Williams

CH-01-1611-3
CH-01-1611-3
Trial Court Judge: D. J. Alissandratos

Larry Neeley v. Southern Tank Leasing Company,
M2002-01526-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: James L. Weatherford, Sr.J.
Trial Court Judge: Carol A. Soloman, Judge
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated _ 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this case, the employer appeals the trial court's award of 75% vocational disability for a head injury resulting in vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss and 25% vocational disability for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome caused by employee's work activities. The employer asserts, among other issues, that the evidence preponderates against a finding that: 1) the head injury symptoms were compensable, and 2) the employee's wrist and hand symptoms were work related. The employer also contends that it was deprived of a fair trial as a result of the trial court's apparent bias against it or its counsel. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed as modified. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e) (1999) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Circuit Court Affirmed JAMES L. WEATHERFORD, SR.J., in which FRANK F. DROWOTA, III, C.J., and JOE C. LOSER, JR., SP.J., joined. Dale A. Tipps, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellants, Southern Tank Leasing Co. and HCC Administrators, Inc. Joseph K. Dughman, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellee, Larry Neeley. MEMORANDUM OPINION Mr Larry Neeley was 49 years old at the time of trial and had an 11th grade education. He earned his G.E.D. while in the Army. He is a Vietnam veteran and a retired Army National Guardsman. He had worked for Southern Tank Leasing (or its predecessors) for over 21 years as a welder and mechanic at the time of his head injury. Southern Tank repairs, leases and inspects over-the-road type tankers. His job duties included climbing ladders to work on tankers and using hand held vibrating tools and air-operated jacks. THE HEAD INJURY On March 28, 2, while working at Southern Tank, Mr. Neeley moved a 12 foot ladder that had a 4 pound hammer resting at the top of it. The hammer fell and struck Mr. Neeley on the head. He began to bleed profusely from the head wound, became dizzy and weak, and struggled to maintain consciousness. A co-worker took him to CentraCare from which he was sent to the emergency room for treatment for head trauma and a deep head laceration. Mr. Neeley told the emergency room physician that he had extreme dizziness. He sustained a 5 inch scar on the top of his head resulting from the injury. On April 1, 2, Mr. Neeley sought follow-up treatment for dizziness from Dr. Justice at CentraCare who prescribed Antivert for nausea and dizziness and placed him on work restrictions of no lifting more than 1 pounds and no climbing ladders. Mr. Neeley was off work for a couple of days. He returned to CentraCare for a follow-up visit on April 3, 2, complaining of dizziness that "comes and goes." He was released to return to work with restrictions of no climbing and no lifting over 3 pounds. The medical records from these visits also list tinnitus in the diagnosis section. On April 3, 2, Mr. Neeley returned to work at Southern Tank. Mr. Ricky DuRard, general manager at Southern Tank, stated that Mr. Neeley was a good employee who performed his job well. Mr. DuRard admitted that even though Mr. Neeley could not do his job within his medical restrictions, he went back to full duty even though CentraCare had not given him a full release. Mr. DuRard stated that from April 3, 2 until August 2, 2, Mr. Neeley did not miss work because of the head injury or seek further medical treatment. According to Mr. Neeley, he continued to suffer periodic dizziness and headaches. Sometime in April or May of 2, he began to develop persistent ringing in his ears.1 He continued to do his job duties at Southern Tank, including climbing ladders, but his symptoms gradually worsened. He had to take frequent breaks to sit down and try and regain his equilibrium: Well, I knew I had to work, ... the dizziness _ was with me all day long, the headaches , the dizziness. I would just try to work, and when I got dizzy, I would try to sit down at different places. I'd sit down on a crate ... or stool .... Then when it passes, you know, get up and try something else or do something else. 1 He had had no previous history of dizziness prior to his work related head injury. He did not have a previous history of tinnitus other than the time he suffered from a temporary bout with the flu in 1997. -2-

Jose Santiago v. The Hartford,
M2002-03036-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Sp. J.
Trial Court Judge: Larry B. Stanley, Chancellor
In this appeal, the employer, Powermatic, and its insurer insist the trial court erred (1) in finding that the employee's injury did not progress during his tenure at his last place of employment and (2) in determining the extent of the employee's vocational disability. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the evidence fails to preponderate against the findings of the trial court.

Traci L. Nolan v. Covenant Health
E2003-00288-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Sr. J.
Trial Court Judge: Frank V. Williams, III, Chancellor
The trial court found the plaintiff did not prove that she contracted Hepatitis C while in the course and scope of her employment. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

W2002-02676-COA-R3-CV
W2002-02676-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Walter L. Evans

Jeanne L. Schuett v. Egon Horst Schuett, Jr.
W2003-00337-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Rita L. Stotts

State of Tennessee v. Thomas Anthony Talley
W2002-02620-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Clayburn L. Peeples

The defendant was convicted of driving under the influence, fourth offense, and violation of the implied consent law. He contends on appeal that (1) there was no reasonable suspicion for the stop and (2) the evidence was insufficient because the officer used a non-standardized test. Crossing the yellow line on several occasions and almost hitting a trooper provided sufficient probable cause for the stop, and the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Maria Louise Bernhard Kollasch Krahn v. Todd Michael
W2002-02931-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown

CH-00-0939-2
CH-00-0939-2
Trial Court Judge: Floyd Peete, Jr.

CH-02-1470-3
CH-02-1470-3
Trial Court Judge: D. J. Alissandratos

State of Tennessee v. Tim Holt
E2002-02471-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge James E. Beckner

The defendant, Tim Holt, appeals as of right from his conviction by a jury in the Hancock County Criminal Court for first degree, premeditated murder. The defendant received a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. He contends that (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction, (2) the trial court erroneously allowed the defendant's wife to testify, violating his privilege regarding marital communications, (3) the trial court erroneously allowed prejudicial exhibits to be entered into evidence, and (4) the trial court erroneously instructed the jury on second degree murder. We affirm the trial court.

Tavares Hill v. State of Tennessee
M2002-02997-CCA-R3-CO
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge Stella L. Hargrove

The appellant, Tavares Hill, appeals the denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus, which the trial court dismissed as an untimely petition for post-conviction relief. He argues that due process tolled the statute of limitations for post-conviction relief. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.