State vs. Michael Addison
W1999-00432-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Bernie Weinman
Because the evidence does not preponderate against the trial court's determination that the petitioner received the effective assistance of counsel at trial and on direct appeal, the order denying post-conviction relief is affirmed.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Jenniefer Oakley
W1999-00850-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Bernie Weinman
Jennifer E. Oakley entered guilty pleas to three counts of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. The manner of service, including the request for judicial diversion, was submitted to the trial court. The trial court denied a grant of judicial diversion based upon the circumstances of the offenses and the inherent dangerous effect of drugs to our communities. After review, we conclude that the record supports the trial court's denial of diversion. The judgment, accordingly, is affirmed.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Michael Upshaw
W1999-00777-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: James C. Beasley, Jr.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Gilford Williams
W1999-01556-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: John Franklin Murchison

Madison Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Gilford Williams
W1999-01556-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: John Franklin Murchison

Madison Court of Criminal Appeals

Clementine Newman vs. Allstate Insurance Co.
W1999-02064-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Trial Court Judge: Robert L. Childers
Automobile owner sued body shop and her insurance company for alleged faulty repairs to vehicle after it was involved in a collision. The body shop repaired what the insurance company authorized, but owner initially claimed other damages which the insurance company and body shop determined were not a result of the collision. During attempts to resolve the dispute, body shop was willing to repair anything authorized by the insurance company, but requested the owner to pay the deductible and retrieve her automobile from their facility. Owner refused to take the automobile, and the body shop, after notification to her, started charging storage charges. In the suit that was initially tried in general sessions court, then de novo in the circuit court, owner sought to recover storage charges paid an additional award for other damage to her vehicle and for relief under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. The trial court awarded owner a judgment against the insurance company for additional damages and denied her claims under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act and for repayment of the storage charges. Owner has appealed.

Shelby Court of Appeals

State vs. Jackie Gooch
W2000-00032-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: R. Lee Moore Jr.
The appellant, Jackie L. Gooch, appeals from the trial court's denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the appellant entered a "best interest" plea to the charge of voluntary manslaughter. On appeal, the appellant contends: (1) that his guilty plea was coerced and, thus, involuntarily entered; and (2) that trial counsel was ineffective. After review, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Lake Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Ronald Ballard
W2000-00033-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Roy Morgan
The appellant, Ballard, was found guilty by a jury of facilitating first degree murder. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court imposed a sentence of twenty-five years, the maximum sentence permitted for a class A felony. Ballard now appeals the sentencing decision of the lower court, arguing that the court erred in its application of two enhancing factors and failed to apply a mitigating factor. Finding the record incomplete for review of these issues, the trial court's sentencing determination is afforded the presumption of correctness and the sentence is affirmed.

Henderson Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Darron Lenon
W1999-01951-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Dick Jerman, Jr.
In this case the Defendant, Darron Lenon, was found guilty of unlawful delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance, a Class B felony, following a jury trial. The trial court imposed a maximum Range I sentence of twelve years. In this appeal, the Defendant, in three issues, argues that the trial court erroneously applied an enhancement factor; failed to apply a mitigating factor; and failed to follow the mandates of the Tennessee Criminal Sentencing Reform Act of 1989. The Defendant asks this court to reverse the trial court and impose the minimum sentence of eight years. We decline to do so, and therefore affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Gibson Court of Criminal Appeals

Jimmy Lee Pierce v. State of Tennessee
W2000-00630-CCA-R3-CD
Trial Court Judge: Jon Kerry Blackwood

Fayette Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Dereke Fitzgerald
W2000-01279-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Julian P. Guinn
The appellant, Dereke Emont Fitzgerald, was convicted by a jury of aggravated assault and was sentenced to six years incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the appellant raises one issue: Whether the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on the issue of self-defense. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment.

Henry Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Johnny Jones
W2000-01241-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Jon Kerry Blackwood
This appeal follows dismissal of the Appellant's petition for post-conviction relief. The Appellant, Jones, was convicted by a Fayette County jury of possession of cocaine (over 26 grams) with intent to sell and possession of marijuana. On direct appeal, his convictions and sentences were affirmed. The Appellant filed this post-conviction petition asserting the following errors: (1) the trial court erred in not granting the Appellant's motion to sever; (2) the trial court erred in sentencing the Appellant; and (3) deficient representation by defense counsel including failing to timely file a Rule 11 application to the supreme court from this court's decision. We find that Appellant's defense counsel was ineffective with respect to his failure to timely file a Rule 11 application. Accordingly, the Appellant is granted the right to seek a delayed appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Denial of post-conviction relief is affirmed as to the remaining issues.

Fayette Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Michael Upshaw
W1999-00777-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: James C. Beasley, Jr.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Jerry Elliott
W1999-00361-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: John Franklin Murchison
The Defendant, Jerry Wayne Elliott, pled guilty to three counts of aggravated assault, reserving his right to appeal a certified question of law, pursuant to Tenn. R. Crim. P. 37(b)(2)(i). Defendant had filed a Motion to Suppress evidence obtained from an allegedly unconstitutional search and seizure of Defendant, which the trial court denied following an evidentiary hearing. The denial of this Motion to Suppress is the basis of the certified question of law. After review of the record and the briefs we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Henderson Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Shannon Corley
E2000-00382-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
The defendant seeks full probation after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary and theft. She claims the trial court erred in requiring her to be incarcerated for ninety days of her four-year sentence. We affirm the sentence as imposed.

Blount Court of Criminal Appeals

William Collins vs. State
E1999-02759-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Trial Court Judge: Lynn W. Brown
Because the trial court properly treated a habeas corpus petition as one for post-conviction relief and because the statute of limitations barred any review of constitutional issues, the petition was properly dismissed.

Washington Court of Criminal Appeals

E1999-02594-COA-R3-CV
E1999-02594-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: William R. Brewer

Blount Court of Appeals

State vs. Myra L. Smith
E1999-02196-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Mary Beth Leibowitz
Myra L. Smith appeals the sentencing decision of the Knox County Criminal Court revoking her non-incarcerative sentence and ordering service of the sentence in the TDOC. In September 1998, Smith pled guilty to the class C felony of facilitating aggravated robbery and was placed under the supervision of the Knox County Community Alternative to Prison Program (CAPP). Four months later, a violation warrant issued. On appeal, Smith argues that the trial court acted arbitrarily in revoking her suspended sentence by failing to consider her extreme drug addiction, her history of mental illness, and her lack of intent to violate the conditions of probation. Finding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion, we affirm.

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Joe C. Anderson a/k/a Uncle Tom
E1999-02485-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: E. Eugene Eblen
Raising issues of sufficiency of the evidence and improper sentencing, Joe C. Anderson appeals from his conviction of second degree murder in the Loudon County Criminal Court. Because we discern no error requiring reversal, we affirm.

Loudon Court of Criminal Appeals

E2000-00256-COA-R3-CV
E2000-00256-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Trial Court Judge: Wheeler A. Rosenbalm

Knox Court of Appeals

Peter A. Smith v. Asplundh Tree Expert Co.
E1999-01376-WC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: John K.Byers, Sr. J.
Trial Court Judge: Howell N. Peoples, Chancellor
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. The defendant appeals from the judgment of the trial court which awarded the plaintiff temporary total benefits from May of 1992 until November 2, 1995, and found the plaintiff had sustained a forty percent permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. The plaintiff suffered a compensable injury, returned to work for the pre-injury employer, then left that position and obtained employment with another employer. We affirm the award of permanent partial disability, reverse the award of temporary total disability and remand the case to the trial court for a determination of the amount owed consistent with our findings.

Smith Workers Compensation Panel

State vs. Sandra Cooper
W2002-01036-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Roy B. Morgan, Jr.
Defendant, Sandra Hoyle Cooper, appeals the trial court's revocation of her community corrections sentence. Defendant received two community corrections sentences of eleven months and twenty-nine days each following two separate convictions for theft and for filing a false police report. While serving her community corrections sentences, Defendant was arrested for aggravated robbery. Following a revocation hearing, the trial court revoked her community corrections sentences and ordered the imposition of her original sentences. Defendant argues that the trial court improperly based its revocation on circumstantial evidence that she committed the offense for which she was arrested. After a careful review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Madison Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Emit Keith Cody
E2000-02188-CCA-RM-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Trial Court Judge: Ben W. Hooper, II
The Defendant, Emit Keith Cody, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed, and we reversed his conviction and remanded the case for a new trial based on our conclusion that the trial court's failure to give a limiting instruction to the jury on the use of the State's main witness's prior inconsistent statement constituted plain error. See State v. Emit Keith Cody, No. E1999-00068-CCA-R3CD, 2000 WL 190227 (Tenn. Crim. App., Knoxville, Feb. 16, 2000). The State applied for permission to appeal to the supreme court, which granted permission for the purpose of remanding the case to this Court for reconsideration in light of the supreme court's recent decision in State v. Smith, 24 S.W.3d 274 (Tenn. 2000). After revisiting this issue, we remain of the opinion that the trial court committed plain error by failing to give a limiting instruction. Accordingly, the Defendant's conviction is reversed, and the case is remanded for a new trial.

Cocke Court of Criminal Appeals

Eddie Copeland vs. James A. Bowlen, Warden
E1999-01753-CCA-R3-CD
Trial Court Judge: Buddy D. Perry
The trial court dismissed the petitioner's pro se petition for habeas corpus relief. The petitioner alleges that various credits should reduce his sentence. The trial court determined that it lacked jurisdiction to address this issue or, in the alternative, that the sentence had not expired. We affirm the dismissal of the petition.

Bledsoe Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Rosalind Marie Johnson & Donna Yvette McCoy
E1999-02468-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Defendant, Rosalind Marie Johnson, appeals her convictions for facilitation of first degree felony murder and aggravated burglary, for which she received concurrent sentences of 15 years and 3 years, respectively. Defendant, Donna Yvette McCoy, appeals her convictions for first degree felony murder and aggravated burglary, for which she received concurrent sentences of life with the possibility of parole and 3 years, respectively. Both defendants raise the issue of sufficiency of the evidence to support their convictions. Defendant Johnson raises the following additional issues in her appeal: 1) whether the trial court erred in failing to sever the defendants' trials; 2) whether the trial court erred in failing to remove a juror for cause; and 3) whether the trial court erred in failing to suppress statements made by Johnson. We conclude that the issues raised by both defendants in this appeal are without merit. The judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

Hamilton Court of Criminal Appeals