APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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E2000-00824-C0A-R3-CV

E2000-00824-C0A-R3-CV

Originating Judge:John B. Hagler, Jr.
Bradley County Court of Appeals 01/22/01
Perry vs. Campbell

M1998-00943-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a prisoner's challenge to a prison disciplinary board's decision to place him in involuntary administrative segregation. After exhausting his remedies within the Department of Correction, the prisoner filed petitions for a common-law and a statutory writ of certiorari in the Chancery Court for Davidson County complaining that he had been denied the right to call witnesses, that the board's decision was racially motivated, and that the board's decision lacked evidentiary support. The trial court granted the State's motion for summary judgment and dismissed the prisoner's petitions. We affirm the trial court's judgment.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Davidson County Court of Appeals 01/22/01
Garrison vs. Burch

M1999-02819-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a dispute regarding an order of protection. After the petitioner was threatened and attacked by his girlfriend's former husband, he sought an order of protection from the Davidson County General Sessions Court. The general sessions court granted the order of protection, and the former husband appealed to this court. We reverse and vacate the general sessions court's order because the parties are not within the degree of relationship required by the statute authorizing the issuance of orders of protection.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Casey Moreland
Davidson County Court of Appeals 01/22/01
Janine S. Taylor Hines vs. Richard Michael Tilimon

E2000-00912-COA-R3-CV
This is an interstate custody dispute. Janine S. Taylor Hines ("Mother") filed this action seeking a declaratory judgment pertaining to the custody of the parties' minor child. She also sought to modify certain foreign orders pertaining to the visitation rights of the defendant, Richard Michael Tilimon ("Father"). The trial court (a) entered a default judgment against Father, (b) declared Tennessee to be the child's home state, (c) decreed that custody would remain with Mother, and (d) limited Father's visitation to supervised visits in the state of Tennessee. The court later denied Father's motion to set aside the default judgment. Father appeals, raising issues as to subject matter jurisdiction, in personam jurisdiction, venue, and service of process. He also argues that the trial court erred (1) in denying his request for a continuance of the hearing on the plaintiff's motion for default judgment; (2) in not allowing him to participate by telephone in the hearing on his motion to set aside the default judgment; (3) in denying his motion to set aside the default judgment; (4) in ordering supervised visitation; and (5) in awarding Mother her attorney's fees. By a separate issue, Mother seeks attorney's fees for this appeal. We affirm and remand for a hearing to set Mother's fees on appeal.
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Bill Swann
Knox County Court of Appeals 01/19/01
Joseph Hough v. State of Tennessee

E2000-01621-COA-R12-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:Michael S. Lacy
Greene County Court of Appeals 01/19/01
Custom Packaging, Inc. vs. Patti Holliday, et al

E2000-01744-COA-R3-CV
Custom Packaging, Inc., appeals a summary judgment granted against it in its suit seeking recovery on a sworn account for merchandise sold according to the complaint to "Patti Holliday, Ind. & d/b/a Repeat Fibre." The Trial Court sustained Ms. Holliday's motion for summary judgment, finding there are no material disputed facts. We vacate the judgment below and remand the case for further proceedings.
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:Daryl R. Fansler
Knox County Court of Appeals 01/19/01
State Department of Children's Services vs. RC

E2000-01939-COA-R3-CV
In this action to terminate parental rights, the mother didn't appear for trial and the Trial Court terminated her parental rights. On appeal, she argues her constitutional rights were violated by proceeding to trial in her absence, and termination was not supported by clear and convincing evidence. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:William H. Russell
Loudon County Court of Appeals 01/19/01
In Re: Estate of Constantine Anagnost

E2000-02321-COA-R3-CV
This litigation involves a claim against an estate. The claimant asserts that the decedent breached a contract which purportedly obligated the decedent to convey to the claimant a certain parcel of property upon the claimant's satisfaction of his contractual obligations. The estate moved for summary judgment, arguing that the issues relating to the existence of the purported contract had been decided adversely to the claimant in an earlier suit, thereby barring the present claim under the doctrine of res judicata. The trial court granted summary judgment to the estate, and the claimant now appeals, asserting that the prior judgment does not bar the instant claim. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Daryl R. Fansler
Knox County Court of Appeals 01/19/01
Brian Mayes v. Ronald LeMonte

M2002-00625-COA-R3-CV
In this dog bite case, the trial court awarded a meter reader $5000 in compensatory damages against the dog owner. The dog owner claims on appeal that he was not negligent in handling his dog and that the sitting trial judge was biased and prejudiced against him. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Russ Heldman
Montgomery County Court of Appeals 01/17/01
Sheila Goodner and Amy Goodner vs. Arthur Sass

E2000-00837-COA-R3-CV
The Trial Judge granted defendant's Motion to Dismiss for insufficient process. We reverse and remand.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:L. Marie Williams
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 01/16/01
Todd Hutcheson v. Irving Materials

M2002-03064-COA-R3-CV
Plaintiff filed suit for breach of contract and negligence alleging that concrete provided by Defendant did not meet specifications. Defendant filed counterclaim for Plaintiff's unpaid bill. Plaintiff failed to timely respond to requests for admissions. Defendant filed motion to have requests deemed admitted, which the trial court granted. Plaintiff took no remedial action until seven months later, after Defendant filed its motion for summary judgment that was primarily based on the now disputed admissions. Plaintiff then filed Tenn. R. Civ. P. 36.02 motion for relief from the admissions. Trial court denied Plaintiff's motion for relief, granted Defendant's summary judgment, awarding damages against Plaintiff, and dismissed Plaintiff's cause of action against Defendant. This is an appeal from the trial court's denial of Plaintiff's motion for relief pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. 36.02, and the trial court's granting of Defendant's motion for summary judgment, rendering judgment in favor of Defendant. We affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Frank Clement, Jr.
Originating Judge:Robert E. Burch
Cheatham County Court of Appeals 01/16/01
John Rogers, Sr. vs. Est. of Newton Russell, Larry Holbert, Pers. Rep .

E2000-01054-COA-R3-CV
Plaintiff's claim in Probate Court against the estate of his stepfather was denied by the Probate Court because it was not filed timely. The Probate Court advised Plaintiff, who appeared at the hearing pro se, that he should seek counsel if he wished to challenge the ruling of the Probate Court. Although Plaintiff immediately retained counsel, no further action was taken on the matter for eleven months. With new counsel, Plaintiff then filed a Motion to Set Aside Order Denying Claim pursuant to Tenn. R. Civ. P. Rule 60.02. This Motion was heard on the pleadings, documents in the case file, including the Affidavit of Plaintiff, and arguments of counsel. The Probate Court dismissed the Motion. We affirm the Judgment of the Probate Court.
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Hugh E. Delozier
Blount County Court of Appeals 01/16/01
Javius vs. Javius

M2000-00314-COA-R3-CV
After a stormy and sometimes violent marriage, the trial court awarded a divorce to the wife, divided the marital property, and ordered the husband to pay alimony. The husband claims on appeal that the wife's fault should have resulted in the divorce being granted to both parties; that the property was divided in an inequitable manner; and that the trial court should have ordered rehabilitative alimony rather than alimony in futuro. We affirm the grant of divorce to the wife and the property division, but modify the alimony award.
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Jeffrey S. Bivins
Williamson County Court of Appeals 01/11/01
Madge Fell,e t al vs. Gloria Rambo, et al

M2000-02100-COA-R3-CV
This case is before the Court on appeal from the action of the trial judge in overruling a Rule 60.02 Motion for Relief From a Final Judgment. Non-jury trial on the merits of the case resulted in a judgment of the trial court finding no lack of capacity of Nannie Bell Crockett and no undue influence exerted upon her. That same final judgment held that Plaintiffs, as remaindermen, under the will of John E. Crockett, received at the death of Nannie Bell Crockett, the remaining proceeds from the sale of a farm during her lifetime, which farm had been willed to her for life by her husband, John E. Crockett, with unlimited power of disposition. On appeal, this Court reversed the judgment of the trial court, finding that the pre-1981 version of Tennessee Code Annotated section 66-1-106 (1993) applied to the case, and that the sale of the farm by the life tenant with unlimited power of disposition, terminated the interest of the remaindermen, and that the remaindermen were not entitled to the proceeds of the sale of the farm still remaining in the possession of Nannie Bell Crockett at the time of her death. This judgment is now final and is reported in Fell v. Rambo, 36 S.W.2d 837 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2000). On remand, the trial court denied the Rule 60.02 motion in issue on this appeal and we affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Lee Russell
Marshall County Court of Appeals 01/10/01
Lon Walker v. William Cameron

M2000-01903-COA-R3-CV
This is a legal malpractice action which was dismissed on motion for summary judgment. Fourteen months before suit was filed the plaintiff sent a holographic letter to the Disciplinary Counsel complaining, in considerable detail, of the defendant's purported shortcomings. The trial judge held that the action was barred by the one-year statute of limitations. Judgment affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:John J. Maddux
Putnam County Court of Appeals 01/10/01
Omawali Ashanti Shabazz, a/k/a Fred Dean vs. Donal Campbell, et al

M2000-01780-COA-R3-CV
Appellant, a prison inmate, filed suit under the Tennessee Public Records Act against the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections and others seeking disclosure to him of various records alleged to be public records, together with injunctive relief. The Chancellor dismissed the complaint with prejudice and we affirm the Chancellor.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Davidson County Court of Appeals 01/10/01
Clarence Lewis vs. State

M2000-01529-COA-R3-CV
A prisoner in the custody of the Department of Correction suffered a severe hand injury while working in a prison industries workshop. He submitted a claim to the Tennessee Claims Commission, contending that negligence on the part of his supervisors caused his injuries. Following a hearing, the Commissioner dismissed his claim, finding that the prisoner's own negligence was more than 50% of the cause of his injuries. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Court of Appeals 01/10/01
State Dept. of Children's Services vs. T.M.L.

M2000-01785-COA-R3-JV
The juvenile court granted a petition to terminate parental rights to three of the children of a Nashville woman. On appeal, the mother challenges the termination in regard to her oldest child only, on the ground that it is not in the child's best interest to be permanently separated from her. We affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Betty Adams Green
Davidson County Court of Appeals 01/10/01
Melissa Suzanne Dew v. ProTemp, et al.

E2000-01750-COA-R3-CV

This appeal arises from a grant of summary judgment to Pro-Temp ("Defendant"), a temporary employment agency. Melissa Suzanne Dew ("Plaintiff") brought suit against her employer, Defendant, and Eagle Bend Manufacturing, Inc. ("Eagle Bend"). Defendant assigned Plaintiff to work in a temporary position at Eagle Bend where Plaintiff sustained a work-related injury. A few months later, Plaintiff received a reprimand from her Eagle Bend supervisor related to Plaintiff's work performance. Thereafter, Defendant terminated Plaintiff's assignment at Eagle Bend. Plaintiff claims Defendant terminated her employment in retaliation for exercising her worker's compensation rights. Plaintiff argues there are genuine issues of material fact which preclude the granting of summary judgment to Defendant. We affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Chancellor William E. Lantrip
Anderson County Court of Appeals 01/05/01
Fred Birdsall, et al., v. Floyd Birdsall

E2000-01544-COA-R3-CV

Plaintiffs/Appellants sought the return of several items, including a shotgun, tiller and lawn mower, as well as $1,500 in damages to a 1980 Ford pick-up truck, from Defendant/Appellee. The Trial Court found the matter too speculative and dismissed the case. We have no transcript and no Statement of the Evidence. Accordingly, we must assume that the record, had it been preserved, would have contained sufficient evidence to support the Trial Court's factual findings. Judgment of the Trial Court affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Judge Conrad E. Troutman, Jr.
Campbell County Court of Appeals 01/05/01
Unifirst Corporation, v. Harry Lane, et al.

M2000-00357-COA-R3-CV

This is an appeal from an award of damages by the Chancery Court of Davidson County for a breach of a contract. The defendants assert that the individual executing the contract did not have the authority to bind the corporation and that the contract ended when the corporation sold its assets. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Chancellor Claudia C. Bonnyman
Davidson County Court of Appeals 01/04/01
River City Resort, Inc. v. Norfolk Southern Ry Co., Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific R. Y. Co. & Jit Terminal, Inc.

E1999-02567-COA-R3-CV

This is a dispute over the validity of an easement between River City Resort, Inc. (“River City”), and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (“Railroad”) which is across a certain property owned by River City. River City brought this declaratory judgment against the Railroad and JIT Terminal, Inc. (“JIT”), an adjoining landowner who derives benefit from the easement.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel Pickens Franks
Originating Judge:Chancellor W. Frank Brown, III
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 01/03/01
Eddie Williams vs. Alton Hesson

W2000-02725-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a claim of discrimination and denial of access to the courts by a maximum security inmate in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction. The court below granted summary judgment to the defendants. For the following reasons, we affirm the trial court's entry of summary judgment.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III
Lauderdale County Court of Appeals 12/29/00
Maria Nelson vs. Dept. of Safety

M2000-01147-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises from entry of a default judgment by the Appellee against the Appellant following the Appellant's failure to appear at a scheduled hearing. The Appellant filed a petition for judicial review with the Chancery Court of Davidson County. The trial court affirmed. The Appellant appeals from the Chancery Court of Davidson County's decision affirming the default judgment entered against the Appellant. For the reasons stated herein, we reverse the trial court's decision.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Davidson County Court of Appeals 12/29/00
Wayford Demonbreun, Jr. vs. Dennis J. Hughes, et al

M2000-01116-COA-R3-CV
Plaintiff, inmate acting pro se, sued two former attorneys alleging that after the first attorney was removed from his criminal case and ordered to refund part of the retainer fee paid, the second attorney was appointed to represent plaintiff. Subsequently, the second attorney, without authorization, compromised and settled plaintiff's claim against the first attorney and converted the proceeds of the settlement to his own use. The first attorney was never served with process, and the trial court granted summary judgment to the second attorney. Plaintiff has appealed.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Hamilton V. Gayden, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 12/29/00