William Roger Shelton v. ADS Environmental Services, et al
M2002-00186-SC-R9-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Robert E. Corlew, III
This workers' compensation case is before this court on interlocutory appeal pursuant to Rule 9 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. We granted interlocutory appeal in this case, as well as in the companion case of McCall v. National Health Corp., to determine whether the trial court has the authority to initiate temporary workers' compensation benefits prior to trial. In accordance with the reasoning and holding in McCall, we find that the trial court has this authority.

State of Tennessee v. Mario C. Estrada
M2002-00585-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert L. Jones

The Appellant, Mario C. Estrada, appeals the sentencing decision of the Maury County Circuit Court imposing a sentence of twelve years incarceration in the Department of Correction. The sentence arose from guilty pleas by Estrada to one count of arson, eight counts of aggravated assault, and one count of possession of a prohibited weapon. The indictment returned against Estrada charged him with one count of aggravated arson, eight counts of attempted first degree murder, and one count of possession of a prohibited weapon. In this appeal, Estrada raises the issue of whether the trial court erred by ordering that his sentence be served in total confinement. After review, we find that plain error dictates that the convictions be vacated and the case remanded for further proceedings because aggravated assault is not a lesser included offense of attempted first degree murder.

Michael Lynn Walton v. State of Tennessee
M2002-00586-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman
Petitioner, Michael Lynn Walton, appeals the trial court's denial of relief under his post-conviction petition. Petitioner alleged he received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial based on counsel’s failure (1) to adequately advise Petitioner of the consequences of proceeding to trial; (2) to adequately cross-examine the victim; (3) to require the State to elect which offenses it was relying upon to support Petitioner’s convictions; and (4) to appeal the State’s failure to make an election.  Based upon a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court denying Petitioner’s claim for relief based on counsel’s failure to adequately advise Petitioner about the potential consequences resulting from two rape convictions and failure to specifically address the victim’s inconsistent statements at the second trial. However, we disagree with the post-conviction court’s finding that counsel’s failure to require an election of offenses was not deficient conduct and that Petitioner was not prejudiced by such conduct. Accordingly, the judgment is reversed, Petitioner is granted post-conviction relief, and the case is remanded to the trial court for retrial on the two counts of rape.

Sharon R. Hurt v. State of Tennessee
M2002-00900-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Seth W. Norman

Petitioner, Sharon R. Hurt, was convicted by a jury of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder. The trial court sentenced Petitioner to serve consecutive sentences of life imprisonment and twenty-four years. On direct appeal, this court affirmed Petitioner's convictions and sentences. State v. James Murray, Marcie Murray and Sharon R. Hurt, No. 01C01-9702-CR-00066, 1998 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 1323, 1998 WL 934578 (Tenn. Crim. App., filed at Nashville, Dec. 30, 1998), perm. to app. denied (Tenn., June 28, 1999). On September 4, 2001, Petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief, in which she alleged the existence of new scientific evidence establishing her actual innocence. The State sought to dismiss the petition. The trial court dismissed the petition, finding that Petitioner failed to show the existence of new scientific evidence, and the petition was therefore barred by the statute of limitations. After a review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Cindy Gentry
M2002-00415-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert E. Burch

The defendant was convicted of aggravated assault, a Class C felony, and was sentenced by the trial court as a Range I, standard offender to three years in the Department of Correction, with the sentence to be suspended and the defendant placed on probation after one year in the county workhouse. She raises two issues on appeal: (1) whether the evidence was sufficient to support her conviction; and (2) whether the trial court erred in ordering that she serve one year of her sentence in the county workhouse. Based on our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Regionol L. Waters v. State of Tennessee
M2002-01712-CCA-R3-CO
Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steve R. Dozier

The petitioner, Reginol L. Walters, was convicted of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, and two counts of aggravated rape and, while his direct appeal was pending, filed a petition pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-30-403 requesting forensic analysis of DNA evidence. The post-conviction court dismissed the petition, as well as a petition to reconsider, concluding that the petitioner could not proceed with his petition while his direct appeal was pending. Following our review, we conclude that the applicable statute does not prohibit the petitioner from proceeding simultaneously with a direct appeal and a petition for analysis of DNA evidence. Accordingly, we reverse the order of the post-conviction court and remand for consideration of the petition.

Carolyn Mitchell Brown vs. John Hilyee Watson, Jr.
E2004-01229-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Daryl R. Fansler
The Trial Court annulled Brown's marriage at the insistence of her conservator. On appeal, we affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Jason R. Garner
W1999-01679-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge Carolyn Wade Blackett

The Appellant, Jason R. Garner, appeals his conviction by a Shelby County jury of second degree murder and especially aggravated robbery. The convictions arose from Garner's involvement in the robbery and shooting of Charles Bledsoe. Garner received consecutive sentences of twenty years for second degree murder and twenty years for especially aggravated robbery. On appeal, Garner argues that: (1) the evidence was insufficient to sustain his convictions; (2) the convictions are "irreconcilable;" (3) the trial court erred by allowing the State to file untimely notice of sentence enhancements; (4) the trial court erred by failing to submit an instruction with regard to accomplice testimony to the jury; and (5) his sentences were excessive and the imposition of consecutive sentences was error. After review, we find these issues without merit. Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

State of Tennessee v. Eric Gene Island
W2002-00816-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge William B. Acree

An Obion County jury convicted the defendant, Eric Gene Island, of attempt to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. The trial court sentenced him to concurrent sentences of four years for each conviction. On direct appeal, the defendant contends: (1) trial counsel was ineffective in failing to investigate the case and secure witnesses; and (2) he was denied his right to testify at trial. Upon reviewing the record, we conclude the failure to conduct a Momon hearing to determine whether the defendant personally waived his right to testify was plain error. Therefore, we remand the case to the trial court for a full hearing on the issue.

State of Tennessee v. Dwayne Nelvis Slocum
W2002-01980-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood

The defendant appeals his effective ten-year community corrections sentence with a requirement of 160 days of jail time after pleading guilty to violating a habitual motor vehicle offender order, driving under the influence - 4th offense, and resisting arrest. The defendant filed no transcripts of the guilty plea submission hearing or sentencing hearing. These hearings are essential for appellate review. Therefore, we must presume that the trial court is correct. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Raymond Nicholus Wallace - Order
W2001-02598-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith

On August 27, 2001, pursuant to a bench trial, the Circuit Court of Tipton County found the defendant, Raymond N. Wallace, guilty of driving under the influence, second offense. For this offense, he received an effective sentence of eleven months, twenty-nine (29) days, suspended on the service of forty-five (45) days. The court fined the defendant $600.00 and suspended his license to drive for two years. The defendant contends that the evidence presented at his trial was insufficient to support the conviction for driving under the influence of intoxicating beverages. After a thorough review of the record before this Court, we affirm the trial court’s judgment pursuant to Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Rule 20.

Emmerick vs. Mountain Valley Chapel Business Trust
E2002-01453-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: O. Duane Slone
The trial court dismissed the complaint of Marc D. Emmerick ("the plaintiff") and awarded one of the defendants, Mountain Valley Chapel Business Trust, a judgment on its counterclaim against the plaintiff for $1,416. The plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

Rick Williams vs. Angela Williams
E2002-01995-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: James W. Mckenzie
The Trial Court in this divorce action, granted the parties a divorce and divided marital property. The husband appeals, seeking additional marital property. We affirm.

James Kyzer vs. Patty Blackburn
E2002-02254-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: C. Van Deacon
This is a custody dispute between James Christopher Kyzer, the father of Haleigh Sharee Kyzer, d.o.b. 10/6/93, and the child's maternal grandmother, Patti Blackburn, which arose after Haleigh's mother, the ex-wife of Mr. Kyzer, was killed in an automobile accident. The Trial Judge awarded custody to the father upon his finding that "there has been no showing of substantial risk of harm to the child." We affirm.

Dennis J. Hughes v. State of Tennessee
M2001-02454-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Walter C. Kurtz

Dennis J. Hughes appeals the Davidson County Criminal Court's denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. He claims on appeal that the lower court erred in (1) denying his claim that his constitutional rights were abridged by the state's failure to disclose evidence against him prior to trial as part of the bill of particulars, and (2) ruling that he could not impeach the prosecutor from the conviction proceedings with the prosecutor's own alleged prior bad acts. Because we are unpersuaded of reversible error, we affirm the post-conviction court's denial of relief.

Charlotte McCall v. National Health
M2001-03166-SC-R9-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Robert E. Corlew, III
We granted interlocutory appeal in this workers' compensation case, and in the companion case of Shelton v. ADS Environmental Services, pursuant to Rule 9 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. These cases present the following issues: whether the trial court has the authority to initiate temporary benefits pre-trial and, assuming the trial court has this authority, whether it must hold a full evidentiary hearing prior to initiating temporary benefits. After careful examination of the workers' compensation statutes and the applicable case law, we hold that the trial court has the power to initiate temporary workers' compensation benefits prior to trial and that it may do so without first holding a full evidentiary hearing.

State of Tennessee v. Melissa Ann Brewer
M2002-01982-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge John W. Rollins

The defendant appeals her sentence of three years imprisonment for the sale of less than .5 grams of cocaine, a Class C felony. The defendant argues she is a favorable candidate for alternative sentencing. The record supports the defendant's assertion that she is entitled to an alternative sentence. The defendant is sentenced to three years in split confinement, with thirty (30) days incarceration and the remainder on supervised probation. We remand this judgment to determine if the defendant continues to hold full-time employment. If the defendant is employed full-time, she is to serve her thirty (30) days in periodic confinement.

State of Tennessee v. James Mario Starnes
M2002-01450-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge W. Charles Lee

The Appellant, James Mario Starnes, was indicted by the Bedford County Grand Jury for first degree murder and especially aggravated robbery. Starnes pled guilty to attempted second degree murder and especially aggravated robbery. Following a sentencing hearing, Starnes received concurrent sentences of ten years, nine months for attempted second degree murder and twenty-five years for especially aggravated robbery. Starnes now appeals his especially aggravated robbery conviction, contending that the evidence is insufficient to establish his guilt for that offense. Because the error complained of was waived as a matter of law by Starnes’ plea of guilty, this issue is not reviewable upon direct appeal. Accordingly, this appeal is dismissed. 

Charles Head v. James Gibson
M1999-00656-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Walter C. Kurtz
This is an appeal from a judgment granting a motion for summary judgment in favor of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. that the uninsured motorist coverage offered to the plaintiffs was not implicated under the circumstances of this litigation. We affirm.

Thomas J. McKee v. State of Tennessee
E2002-00071-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Richard R. Baumgartner

The petitioner, Thomas J. McKee, appeals the Knox County Criminal Court's denial of his petition for post-conviction relief from his conviction for first degree premeditated murder and resulting life sentence. He contends that he received the ineffective assistance of counsel because his trial attorney failed (1) to request a mental evaluation for him; (2) to make a contemporaneous objection to the state's improper closing argument; and (3) to object to the inclusion of the phrase "moral certainty" in the jury's instruction on reasonable doubt. We affirm the trial court's denial of the petition.

Carlos Castillion vs. Sarah Castillion
E2002-01310-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Samuel H. Payne
In this divorce case, the husband questions on appeal the valuation of marital property and distribution made by the Trial Court. We affirm the Trial Court.

Bellsouth Advertising and Publishing v. Commissioner of Revenue
M2000-03091-SC-R11-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Trial Court Judge: Claudia C. Bonnyman
In this use tax case, we address the issue of whether or not the plaintiff should receive a credit under Tennessee law for sales tax it paid to the State of Alabama on the purchase of photocompositions used in printing telephone directories that were later distributed in Tennessee. Under Tennessee Code Annotated section 67-6-203(a) (1998), a use tax is levied at the rate of six percent (6%) of the cost price of each item or article of tangible personal property when the same is not sold but is used, consumed, distributed, or stored for use or consumption in this state; provided, that there shall be no duplication of the tax. (Emphasis added). To avoid duplication of the tax, Tennessee Code Annotated section 67-6-507(a) (1998) provides a credit for like taxes paid to other states on tangible personal property. The trial court and the Court of Appeals both found that the plaintiff was not owed a credit for sales tax paid to Alabama for the photocompositions, since there was no "like tax" paid on the telephone directories. We conclude that the plaintiff is entitled to a credit because the cost of the photocompositions on which the Alabama sales tax was paid is included in the cost of the directories on which Tennessee is seeking to impose a use tax. Accordingly, we reverse the judgments of the trial court and the Court of Appeals and grant summary judgment to the plaintiff.

State of Tennessee v. Charles Eugene Jones
E2001-01639-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Phyllis H. Miller

The defendant, Charles E. Jones, pled guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, and unlawful possession of a weapon. For these convictions, the trial court classified the defendant as a Range I standard offender and ordered him to serve an aggregate one year sentence, consisting of concurrent sentences of one year for his possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver conviction, eleven months and twenty-nine days for his possession of drug paraphernalia conviction, and thirty days for his unlawful possession of a weapon conviction. The state agreed to suspend the two latter sentences, and the trial court sentenced the defendant to serve four years of probation and one year of incarceration, which was to be suspended after the defendant served ninety days in the county jail. The defendant now appeals his sentence, alleging (1) that the trial court erroneously modified his plea agreement with the state after it had been submitted to the trial court for approval, (2) that the trial court improperly denied his request to serve the entirety of his sentence on probation, and (3) that the trial court improperly weighed and applied various enhancement and mitigating factors. After reviewing the record, we find that none of the defendant's allegations merit relief and therefore affirm the defendant's sentence.

Bobby William Smith v. Findlay Industries,
M2002-01315-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Sp. J.
Trial Court Judge: J. Richard McGregor, Special Master
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 employee insists the trial court erred in denying his motion for post-judgment interest. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment denying interest should be reversed and the cause remanded for an award of interest from the date of entry of the original judgment. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e) (22 Supp.) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Chancery Court Reversed and Remanded JOE C. LOSER, JR., SP. J., in which ADOLPHO A. BIRCH, J., and JOHN K. BYERS, SR. J., joined. Barry H. Medley and Frank D. Farrar, McMinnville, Tennessee, for the appellant, Bobby William Smith Patrick A. Ruth, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellee, Findlay Industries/ Gardner Division MEMORANDUM OPINION In the first appeal of this case, this court affirmed the judgment but remanded the cause to the trial court for a determination of the employee's compensation rate. On remand, the trial court corrected the employee's correct compensation rate to $287.58. The judgment was satisfied shortly thereafter. However, the employee 's motion for post-judgment interest was denied. The employee has appealed contending he should be awarded interest. We agree. Conclusions of law are reviewed de novo without a presumption of correctness. Nutt v. Champion Intern. Corp., 98 S.W.2d 365, 367 (Tenn. 1998). The issue before us is one of law and we have reviewed it accordingly. The Workers' Compensation Act expressly requires that it be given "equitable construction" and declares itself to be a remedial Act. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-116. Workers' compensation laws must be construed so as to ensure that injured employees are justly and appropriately reimbursed for debilitating injuries suffered in the course of service to the employer. Story v. Legion Ins. Co., 3 S.W.3d 45, 455 (Tenn. 1999). In a workers' compensation case, if an appeal is taken, interest must be computed from the date the judgment was entered by the trial court. Tenn. Code Ann. 5-6-225(g) (1) (22 Supp.); McClain v. Henry I. Siegel Co., 834 S.W.2d 295 (Tenn. 1992). We find no merit in the appellee's contention that the statute is abrogated by the fact that the judgment was modified by the previous appeal. Construing the statute as required, its language is plain. By it, the claimant is entitled to interest from the date of entry of judgment by the trial court until the judgment was paid. The requirement encourages employers to pay disability benefits in a timely fashion. Moreover, the determination of the correct compensation rate could and should have been known to the employer from its own records; and the employer should have paid benefits at that rate. By failing to do so, the employer accepted the risk of having to pay interest. For those reasons, the judgment of the trial court disallowing interest is reversed and the cause remanded for entry of a judgment consistent with this opinion. Costs are taxed to the appellee. ___________________________________ JOE C. LOSER, JR. -2-

Rudy Ochoa v. Peterbilt Motor Company
M2002-00410-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Sp. J.
Trial Court Judge: J. O. Bond, 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 questions the trial court's findings as to compensability and extent of vocational disability. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the evidence fails to preponderate against the findings of the trial court. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e) (22 Supp.) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Criminal Court Affirmed JOE C. LOSER, JR., SP. J., in which ADOLPHO A. BIRCH, JR., J., and JOHN K. BYERS, SR. J., joined. Terry L. Hill and Stacey Billingsley Cason, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellant, Peterbilt Motors Company William Joseph Butler and E. Guy Holliman, Lafayette, Tennessee, for the appellee, Rudy Ochoa, Jr. MEMORANDUM OPINION The employee or claimant, Mr. Ochoa, initiated this civil action to recover workers' compensation benefits for an allegedly work related injury by accident. The employer denied liability. After a trial on the merits, the trial court awarded, among other things, permanent partial disability benefits based on 4 percent to the body as a whole. The employer has appealed. 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) (22 Supp.). The reviewing court is required to conduct an independent examination of the record to determine where the preponderance of the evidence lies.