APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Steve Myers vs. Danny Wilson & Elmo Mayes

E1998-00732-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Claiborne County Court of Appeals 02/24/00
Lee Greer vs. Maureen Zolfagharbik

W1999-01013-COA-R3-CV
This is a will contest case. The defendant/appellant challenges the validity of a mutual release she signed in which she waived any right she had to challenge the revocation of the decedent's will or to establish any rights under the decedent's will, in exchange for a release of any claims the estate may have had against her. The trial court found that the mutual release signed by the defendant/appellant effectively waived any claim she may have had to establish the validity of the decedent's will. We affirm, finding that the mutual release was an effective waiver of any rights the defendant/appellant had under the will or to challenge revocation of the will.
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:Ron E. Harmon
Henry County Court of Appeals 02/23/00
Donald James Alexander vs. Carolyn Paxton Alexander

E1998-00855-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 02/22/00
Ali vs. Professional Real Estate Developers, Inc.

M1999-00082-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Carol L. Mccoy
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
Valerie Humphreys vs. Stuart Breakstone

W1999-02502-COA-R3-CV
This is a legal malpractice action. The plaintiff is the majority shareholder of a corporation as well as a member of the corporation's board of directors. The defendant attorney and law firm represented the corporation. The plaintiff sued the defendant for professional malpractice, negligence, collusion, and interference in economic development, arising out of the defendant's representation of the corporation. The trial court held that the plaintiff did not have standing to bring a derivative suit in her own name since all of the alleged injuries were suffered by the corporation, not the plaintiff. We affirm, finding that a derivative suit to address injuries to a corporation must be filed in the name of the corporation, and that an individual shareholder may not sue pro se on behalf of the corporation.
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:W. Michael Maloan
Shelby County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
Ross vs. Vanderbilt Univ. Medical Ctr.

M1999-02644-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Thomas W. Brothers
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
Estate of Connie S. Bligh

M1999-02645-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
In Re: Nikolas Dean Welch

M1999-02649-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Leonard W. Martin
Dickson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
Stephens vs. Roane State Comm. College

M1998-00125-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Patricia J. Cottrell
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
In the Matter of Renee Valle

W1998-00617-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:George E. Blancett
Shelby County Court of Appeals 02/17/00
Charles Barnett vs. Justin Oliver

W1998-00837-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:Larry J. Logan
Madison County Court of Appeals 02/17/00
Marilyn Powell vs. Brenda Moore

W1998-00001-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 02/17/00
M2002-00258-COA-R3-CV

M2002-00258-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/15/00
Moss vs. Vanderbilt Univ. Med. Ctr.

M1999-01321-COA-R3-CV
Pro se Plaintiff appeals the dismissal by the trial court of his case on the basis of failure to assert a claim upon which relief can be granted. We affirm the action of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/14/00
William Wyatt v. Board of Paroles

M1999-00472-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a dispute between a state prisoner and the Tennessee Board of Paroles over the Board's decision not to parole him in 1998. The Circuit Court for Davidson County dismissed the prisoner's petition for common-law writ of certiorari, and the prisoner perfected this appeal. While his appeal was pending, the prisoner was released from the Department of Correction after serving the two sentences for which he had been incarcerated. Accordingly, we have determined that this appeal is now moot because the prisoner has been released from custody. Therefore, we vacate the trial court's order and remand the case with directions to dismiss the prisoner's petition.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Carol L. Soloman
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/14/00
Jabari Mandela v. Donal Campbell

M1998-00208-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a dispute between a prisoner and the Tennessee Department of Correction regarding the Department's mail policy. After the Department returned two packages addressed to him to their respective senders and denied his request for a declaratory order, the prisoner filed a petition in the Chancery Court for Davidson County seeking a declaratory judgment that the Department's policy should have been promulgated as a rule under Tennessee's Uniform Administrative Procedures Act and that returning the packages was inconsistent with the warden's statutory obligation to "receive" an incarcerated prisoner's property. The trial court upheld the policy and its application to the prisoner, and the prisoner has appealed. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Carol L. Mccoy
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/14/00
Parkey vs. Parkey

M1999-00015-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Thomas Goodall
Sumner County Court of Appeals 02/11/00
Kanbi vs. Sousa

M1999-00025-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Carol L. Soloman
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/11/00
Bomar vs. TN Dept. of Mental Health

M1999-00951-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/11/00
The Realty Assoc., et al, vs. Richter/Dial Builders, Inc., et al

M1997-00168-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Henry D. Bell
Williamson County Court of Appeals 02/11/00
Lyons vs. Farmers Insurance, et al

M1999-00160-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Williamson County Court of Appeals 02/11/00
Williams vs. Berube & Assoc., et al

M1998-00802-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Jeffrey F. Stewart
Marion County Court of Appeals 02/11/00
Christopher Scott Wells, v. Betty Sue Wells

M1998-00748-COA-R3-CV

Christopher Scott Wells (“Father”) and Betty Sue Wells (“Mother”) divorced in October 1997. By the terms of their Marital Dissolution Agreement (MDA), the parties had joint custody of the two children with Mother as primary custodian. Shortly after the MDA was accepted by the court, Father changed his mind. He sought custody of the children based on Mother’s relationships with men. The trial court found no change in circumstances and left custody with Mother. Because of evidence of the children’s altered behavior during their visit with Father, we find it necessary to remand the case to the trial court for a determination of the best interests of the children, including the comparative fitness of the parents at the time of the hearing on remand.

Authoring Judge: Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Judge John Rollins
Coffee County Court of Appeals 02/10/00
Charlotte Brown, v. Birman Managed Care, David N. Birman, Sue d. Birman, William F. Barenkamp, II, and Kathy Barenkamp

M1999-02551-COA-R3-CV

The divorced mother of a minor child claimed that her former husband and his employer conspired to fraudulently understate the husband’s income, in order to defeat her attempts to have his child support obligation increased to an appropriate amount. The trial court granted summary judgment to the defendants. We reverse.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Judge John A. Turnbull
Putnam County Court of Appeals 02/10/00
In the Matter of The Liquidation for United American Bank of Knoxville, TN Security Pacific Equipment Leasing, Inc. v. Federal Deposit Insurance

E1999-00270-COA-R3-CV

Appellant leased equipment to United American Bank (“UAB”) for a seven year term. Three years into the lease, UAB was closed by the Tennessee Commissioner of Banking and FDIC FILED February 9, 2000 Cecil Crowson, Jr. Appellate Court Clerk 2 was appointed as receiver. Appellant filed a claim with FDIC seeking recovery of the full amount due on the lease. The Trial Court granted summary judgment to FDIC, thus upholding the constitutionality and applicability of T.C.A. § 45-2-1504(b), which provides that lessors can recover a maximum of two months’ lease payments after a Tennessee bank fails and is closed. In this appeal, lessor contends that T.C.A. § 45-2-1504(b) violates the Equal Protection Clauses of the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions by treating lessors differently from other contract claimants and that the application of the statute results in an unconstitutional taking of its property without due process of law in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 21 of the Tennessee Constitution. For the reasons herein stated, we affirm the judgment of the Trial Court.

Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Chancellor Daryl E. Fansler
Knox County Court of Appeals 02/09/00