State of Tennessee v. Ronnie Jerome Russell
M2001-03057-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jane W. Wheatcraft

Following an evidentiary hearing, the Criminal Court of Sumner County entered an order finding the Defendant, Ronnie Jerome Russell, to be in violation of the conditions of his supervised probation and ordered him to serve his sentence in the Department of Correction. The Defendant appealed arguing that the trial court failed to exercise a "conscientious and intelligent judgment" in finding that he had violated the terms and conditions of probation and in revoking his probation. After a review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Devon Lee Ramsey
M2001-02445-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee Russell

Defendant, Devon Lee Ramsey, pled guilty to one count of Class D felony theft and three counts of Class E felony forgery. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced Defendant to serve three and one-half years for the theft conviction, and one and one-half years for each of the forgery convictions. The trial court further ordered the sentences for the forgery convictions to be served concurrently with each other, but consecutively to the sentence for theft, for an effective sentence of five years on these convictions. These sentences were further ordered to be served consecutively to an effective sentence of two years for ten forgery convictions in Coffee County. Defendant has appealed arguing that the trial court erred by imposing excessive sentences and by ordering consecutive sentencing. After a review of the entire record, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Donald Johnson Jr.
W2001-02883-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge Bernie Weinman

A Shelby County jury convicted the defendant, Donald Johnson, Jr., of first degree murder in perpetration of robbery, and the trial court sentenced him to life. On appeal, this court vacated the judgment of the trial court and remanded for findings relating to the motion to suppress the defendant's statements to police officers. Upon remand, the trial court made additional findings and again denied the motion. Upon reviewing the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Glenda Cooper vs. State
E2002-02415-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
This is a wrongful death action filed against the State of Tennessee with the Tennessee Claims Commission. The State filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings, asserting that it was not liable for the actions of the Bradley County Sheriff, whose negligence is alleged to be the proximate cause of the death of the plaintiff's intestate. The Claims Commission, relying upon the case of Spurlock v. Sumner County, 42 S.W.3d 75 (Tenn. 2001), held that the sheriff was not a state employee but rather a county officer. It dismissed the claim against the State. We affirm.

The Rogers Group vs. Anderson County
E2002-00409-COA-R9-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Telford E. Forgerty, Jr.
After case was tried, the Trial Judge recused and another Judge was designated who granted a new trial on all issues. On appeal, we affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Clemmie Rhyan
W2001-03019-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

A Shelby County Criminal Court jury convicted the defendant, Clemmie Rhyan, of second degree murder, a Class A felony, and the trial court sentenced him as a Range I, violent offender to twenty-two years in the Department of Correction (DOC). The defendant appeals, claiming (1) that the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction; (2) that the trial court erred by refusing to instruct the jury on self-defense; and (3) that his sentence is excessive. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State vs. Deborah Rainey
W2002-00010-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Rita L. Stotts
This appeal arises from a condemnation proceeding. The trial court awarded the Appellant $38, 040.00 as the fair market value of the property taken and zero dollars for incidental damages to the remaining property. Appellant raises a single issue on appeal. For the following reasons, we dismiss the appeal.

State of Tennessee v. Dennis Cedric Woodard, Jr.
M2002-00122-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Charles Lee

The Defendant, Dennis Cedric Woodard, Jr., was convicted by a jury of first degree premeditated murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. In this appeal as of right, the Defendant argues that the evidence presented at trial is not sufficient to sustain his conviction. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Jet Printing v. Deep South Wholesale Paper
M2001-02582-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: Carol L. Mccoy
This is a breach of contract case. A bag manufacturer ordered printed polyethylene film from a printing company, to be made into bags to sell to chicken packaging companies. The film was treated on both sides. Consequently, the bag manufacturer was unable to properly seal the bags. Later shipments of film that were not treated on both sides sealed properly. The bag manufacturer refused to pay for the initial shipment of film that would not seal, so the seller printing company sued for breach of contract. The trial court found for the bag manufacturer, holding that the seller breached both an implied term of the contract and an implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. On appeal, the seller printing company argues that the trial court erred in finding that the film did not conform to the contract and that the seller breached the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, and that the trial court erred in excluding the testimony of the seller's proffered expert. We affirm, finding that the trial court did not err in finding that the seller breached an implied warranty for a particular purpose, nor in excluding the testimony of the seller's expert witness.

Violet Guarino v. Joseph Corrozzo
M2001-02789-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Royce Taylor
The appellant was ordered in a divorce decree to pay his wife a portion of his pension. He attempted to discharge these payments in a bankruptcy proceeding. The Chancery Court of Rutherford County held that the payments were non-dischargeable because they constituted "support, maintenance or alimony" payments which are not dischargeable under the bankruptcy code. On appeal, appellant argues that wife violated the automatic stay injunction by filing in a state court and that she failed to properly object to the discharge. Appellant also argues that the trial court did not have subject matter jurisdiction. We hold that the payments were in the nature of support and, therefore, not a dischargeable debt. This result means that the issues raised by the appellant are moot. We affirm the trial court's decision.

Brenda Martin, Executor Est. of Dewey Moore v. Jean Moore
M2001-03144-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Vernon Neal
A man who had been diagnosed with dementia executed a power of attorney in favor of his wife. The wife used the power to withdraw all the money from her husband's separately owned bank account, and sent most of it to her brother for investment overseas. She also completed the sale of real property her husband had owned in Kentucky, and placed the proceeds in a marital account. After his death, the man's daughter from a previous marriage brought suit for breach of fiduciary duty, asking for the return of the assets to his estate. The trial court ordered the return of the money taken from the bank account, but ruled that the wife was entitled to keep the proceeds from the sale of the real property. The court also ordered the wife to pay some of the daughter's attorney fees. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Western Express v. Benchmark Electronics
M2001-03151-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Carol L. Mccoy
Western Express, Inc. sued Benchmark Electronics Huntsville, Inc. for detention charges after Western's trailers were unreasonably detained at Benchmark's plant in Pulaski. The Chancery Court of Davidson County granted summary judgment to Benchmark, and Western asserts on appeal that the court erred in finding that the undisputed facts show that Western cannot prevail on its claims. We reverse the judgment of the trial court.

Michael Higgins vs. Sheriff A.C.Gilles Jr.
W2001-02829-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: D. J. Alissandratos
Petitioner, off-duty deputy sheriff, was arrested during bust of known drug house for possession of drug paraphernalia. Upon deputy sheriff's arrest, Internal Affairs twice ordered petitioner to submit to drug test. At time of requests, petitioner did not have assistance of counsel; however, two Sheriff's Association representatives were present and available for consultation. Petitioner refused both orders, but on third day following arrest, after consulting with an attorney, voluntarily requested drug test. Department refused request, and subsequently charged petitioner with insubordination, possession and use of illegal drugs, and conduct unbecoming an officer. After hearing before the Deputy Chief, petitioner was terminated. Civil Service Merit Board upheld termination, and petitioner filed common law writ of certiorari with chancery court. Chancery court affirmed the Civil Service Merit Board. We affirm.

Christopher Ryan vs. James Surprise
W2001-02853-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Trial Court Judge: George H. Brown
This case involves discovery sanctions. The plaintiff sued the defendants, a lawyer and his law firm, for legal malpractice. The plaintiff requested certain documents from the defendants at least three times, which were not produced. The trial court ordered production of the documents at a deposition. The documents were not produced at the deposition. Twenty-eight days after the deposition, on the eve of a hearing on the defendants' alleged discovery abuses, the documents were produced. In response to the plaintiff's request for sanctions, the trial court ordered that the defendants pay the plaintiff's attorney a monetary sanction. The defendants appeal, arguing that the imposition of the sanction was an abuse of discretion, because there was no evidence indicating the amount of attorney time spent on the alleged discovery abuse and, therefore, no evidentiary basis for the amount of the sanction. We vacate the order of the trial court and remand for further proceedings, because the record does not support the trial court's award.

Eddie M. Gurley And Janet R. Gurley v. Hickory Withe
W2002-02050-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Dewey C. Whitenton

Raymond Anthony vs. Christine Rodgers
W2002-01240-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Trial Court Judge: Rita L. Stotts
This case began as a petition for dependency and neglect but evolved into a custody dispute between the mother and father of a child born out of wedlock. Originally, the mother appealed to the Circuit Court of Shelby County which stayed the order of the Juvenile Court granting custody to the father. The father appealed to this Court pursuant to Rule 10 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure and we remanded this case to the Circuit Court for entry of an order transferring the appeal to this Court as the Circuit Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction. For the following reasons, we affirm the decision of the Juvenile Court.

James Jordan Jr. vs. Kelly Jordan
W2002-00854-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Rita L. Stotts
This case involves the enrollment of a foreign divorce decree, enforcement of the child support obligation therein, and the modification of the visitation privileges set out in the decree. The trial court enrolled the foreign decree, entered judgment for arrearages and child support, and amended the enrolled judgment as to the visitation privileges for Father. Father appeals. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Lester E. Elliott
M2002-00037-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Curtis Smith

The Defendant, Lester E. Elliott, was convicted by a jury of driving in violation of the Motor Vehicle Habitual Offenders Act. He was sentenced to two years in the Department of Correction for this offense. The Defendant now appeals as of right, arguing that the evidence is not sufficient to sustain his conviction. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Maurice Lamont Davidson
M2002-00178-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman

The Defendant, Maurice Lamont Davidson, was convicted by a jury of one count of second degree murder, one count of voluntary manslaughter, and one count of attempted voluntary manslaughter. The trial court subsequently sentenced the Defendant to twenty-two years for the second degree murder, three years for the voluntary manslaughter, and two years for the attempted voluntary manslaughter, with the first two sentences to be served concurrently and the third sentence to be served consecutively, all to be served in the Department of Correction. In this direct appeal, the Defendant contends that the trial court erred in excluding certain expert testimony; that the evidence is not sufficient to support his convictions; and that the sentences are excessive. We affirm the Defendant's convictions, reduce his sentence for the second degree murder to twenty years, and order that his sentence for attempted voluntary manslaughter be served concurrently.

State of Tennessee v. Art Mayse
M2001-03172-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Judge E. Shayne Sexton

The Defendant, Art Mayse, was convicted by a jury of eleven counts of rape of a child, each a class A felony, and seven counts of aggravated sexual battery, each a class B felony. After a sentencing hearing, he was sentenced as a Range I offender to an effective sentence of fifty years to be served in the Department of Correction. In this appeal as of right, the Defendant challenges: (1) the adequacy of the bill of particulars, (2) the constitutionality of the delay between the commission of the offenses and the disclosure to authorities, (3) the trial court's denial of his request for a change of venue and motion to excuse a juror for cause, and (4) the sufficiency of the evidence. Because the evidence is insufficient to support two of the aggravated sexual battery convictions, those convictions are reversed and dismissed. The remaining convictions are reversed and the case is remanded for a retrial on those charges because the trial court failed to require the State to elect the offenses on which it relied to support the convictions.

State of Tennessee v. Robert Wayne Herron
M2002-00951-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Leon C. Burns, Jr.

The Appellant, Robert Wayne Herron, was convicted by a Putnam County jury of felony possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, simple possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  In this appeal, Herron contends that (1) the trial court erred in admitting evidence of his prior drug activity in violation of Tennessee Rule of Evidence 404(b) and (2) the evidence is legally insufficient to support these convictions. After review, we find these contentions are without merit. Although not raised as error, we find Herron’s multiple convictions for simple possession and felony possession, stemming from a single cocaine possession, violate principles of double jeopardy. The misdemeanor cocaine conviction is, therefore, merged with the felony cocaine conviction. We remand for entry of judgments of conviction consistent with this holding. Herron’s convictions for felony possession with intent to deliver and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia are affirmed.

Avis Estes, Etc. v. Edgar Meek
M2001-02695-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Sp. J.
Trial Court Judge: Leonard Martin, Chancellor
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the employer questions the trial court's finding that the death of Walter B. Estes was the caused by a work related accidental injury. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment should be affirmed. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e) (21 Supp.) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Chancery Court Affirmed JOE C. LOSER, JR., SP. J., in which ADOLPHO A. BIRCH, JR., J., and WILLIAM H. INMAN, SR. J., joined. Blakely D. Matthews and Jay N. Chamness, Cornelius & Collins, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellant, Edgar Meek Jerred A. Creasy, Vandivort & Creasy, Charlotte, Tennessee, for the appellee, Avis Estes, surviving spouse of Walter B. Estes MEMORANDUM OPINION The claimant, Avis Estes, initiated this civil action to recover workers' compensation benefits for the allegedly work related death of the employee, her late husband, Walter Estes. By its answer, the employer, Edgar Meek, admitted the employee suffered a compensable injuryby accident on July 1, 1998, but denied that his death on September 29, 1998 was causally related to that accident. After a trial on the merits, the trial court found the accident to be the cause of Mr. Estes's death and awarded benefits to Mrs. Estes. The employer has appealed. For injuries occurring on or after July 1, 1985, appellate review is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of correctness of the findings of fact, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(2) (21 Supp.). The reviewing court is required to conduct an independent examination of the record to determine where the preponderance of the evidence lies.

Michael Story v. The Holland Group of Tennessee d/b/a
M2001-03078-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Sp. J.
Trial Court Judge: Allen W. Wallace, Judge
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the employer and its insurer question the trial court's finding relative to the extent of the employee's permanent disability, as being excessive. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment should be affirmed. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e) (21 Supp.) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Circuit Court Affirmed JOE C. LOSER, JR., SP. J., in which ADOLPHO A. BIRCH, JR., J., and WILLIAM H. INMAN, SR. J., joined. Kenneth M. Switzer, Ruth, Howard, Tate & Sowell, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellants, The Holland Group of Tennessee d/b/a The Holland Group and CGU Insurance Group Charles L. Hicks, Camden, Tennessee, for the appellee, Michael Story MEMORANDUM OPINION The employee or claimant, Mr. Story, initiated this civil action to recover workers' compensation benefits for a work related injury. The employer, The Holland Group, denied liability. After a trial on October 26, 21, the trial court awarded, among other things, permanent partial disability benefits based on 5 percent to the body as a whole. The employer and its insurer have appealed. Appellate review is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied bya presumption of correctness of the findings of fact, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(2) (21 Supp.). The reviewing court is required to conduct an independent examination of the record to determine where the preponderance of the evidence lies.

State of Tennessee v. Mark A. Griffin
E2001-02006-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge James B. Scott, Jr.

The appellant, Mark A. Griffin, was convicted by a jury in the Anderson County Criminal Court of first degree murder committed in the perpetration of an aggravated robbery and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. On appeal, the appellant raises several evidentiary questions, contests the jury charge, and challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Allen Dale Cutshaw v. State of Tennessee
E2002-00438-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Judge James E. Beckner

The petitioner, Allen Dale Cutshaw, appeals the trial court's denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. In this appeal, the petitioner asserts that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.