Ronald Whitford Et Al. v. Village Groomer & Animal Inn, Inc.
M2020-00946-COA-R3-CV
A property owner filed suit against the owners of a neighboring property, alleging that the neighbors had created a nuisance and trespassed by diverting surface water onto his property and causing a sinkhole to develop. After a trial on the matter, a jury returned a verdict finding that the neighbor had not created a nuisance and had not trespassed. The trial court judge confirmed the jury’s verdict and dismissed all claims against the neighbor with prejudice. Because the record contains material evidence supporting the jury’s verdict, we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Andy D. Bennett
Originating Judge:Judge Ted A. Crozier |
Montgomery County | Court of Appeals | 09/17/21 | |
Sarah H. Richardson v. Benjamin N. Richardson
M2020-00179-COA-R3-CV
Mother appeals the trial court’s decision to change the parties’ permanent parenting plan to designate Father as the primary residential parent of the children. Discerning no reversible error, we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge J. Steven Stafford
Originating Judge:Judge Ross H. Hicks |
Montgomery County | Court of Appeals | 09/17/21 | |
Abraham Best v. City of Memphis
W2021-00020-COA-R3-CV
Former firefighter who alleged miscalculation of his Line of Duty disability benefits brought an action for breach of contract, negligence, and negligent infliction of emotional distress against the City of Memphis. In this appeal from the trial court’s dismissal of the complaint pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 12.02(1) we affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: John W. McClarty
Originating Judge:Judge Mary L. Wagner |
Shelby County | Court of Appeals | 09/15/21 | |
County of Sumner, In Its Own Capacity And For The Use And Benefit Of The State Of Tennessee, Et Al. v. Delinquent Taxpayers As Shown On The Real Property Tax Records, Jay Kalbes
M2020-01119-COA-R3-CV
This is an appeal by a pro se appellant. Due to the deficiencies in the appellant’s brief on appeal, we conclude that he waived consideration of any issues on appeal and hereby dismiss the appeal.
Authoring Judge: Jude Carma Dennis McGee
Originating Judge:Chancellor Louis W. Oliver, III |
Sumner County | Court of Appeals | 09/15/21 | |
In Re Kendall K.
M2021-00204-COA-R3-PT
An issue regarding attorney’s fees remains pending. As such, the order appealed from does not constitute a final appealable judgment, and this Court lacks jurisdiction to consider this appeal.
Authoring Judge: Judge Kristi M. Davis
Originating Judge:Judge Ted A. Crozier |
Robertson County | Court of Appeals | 09/15/21 | |
Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Co. v. John A. Simmons Et Al.
E2020-00791-COA-R3-CV
In the underlying declaratory judgment action, an insurance company sought a judgment that an automobile insurance policy issued to a mechanic does not provide coverage for an accident involving the mechanic. After examining the mechanic under oath, the insurance company moved for summary judgment, arguing that the policy contained a business purpose exclusion for accidents occurring while road testing a vehicle, which the mechanic stated he was doing at the time the accident occurred. The mechanic responded with an affidavit asserting that he was driving the vehicle for personal errands. The trial court denied the motion, finding that there was a genuine issue of material fact as to the mechanic’s purpose for driving the vehicle. At trial, the mechanic testified that he was running personal errands at the time of the accident but offered no explanation for his contradictory sworn statements. Following the close of proof, the insurance company renewed its argument regarding the policy’s exclusion and moved for a directed verdict. The trial court denied the motion and submitted the matter to a jury, which found that the exclusion did not preclude coverage of the accident.
Authoring Judge: Judge Kristi M. Davis
Originating Judge:Judge Michael S. Pemberton |
Loudon County | Court of Appeals | 09/14/21 | |
Lee Ann Polster v. Russell Joseph Polster
M2020-01150-COA-R3-CV
In this divorce case, a husband appeals the trial court’s denial of his motion to alter or amend, arguing that the court should not have granted the divorce on the ground of irreconcilable differences or approved the parties’ marital dissolution agreement when the husband purportedly withdrew his consent to the divorce, lacked the capacity to enter into a marital dissolution agreement, and was under duress at the time he executed it. He also argues that his due process rights were infringed. Upon our review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. We also award the wife her attorney’s fees for this appeal and remand to the trial court for a calculation of those fees.
Authoring Judge: Judge Andy D. Bennett
Originating Judge:Judge Ted A. Crozier |
Montgomery County | Court of Appeals | 09/14/21 | |
In Re Christopher L.
M2020-01449-COA-R3-PT
This case concerns the termination of a father’s parental rights to his son. The trial court predicated termination of parental rights on the ground of abandonment by failure to visit and found termination of the father’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest. We have determined that the record contains clear and convincing evidence to support the trial court’s findings and affirm the termination of the father’s parental rights.
Authoring Judge: Judge Andy D. Bennett
Originating Judge:Judge Michael E. Spitzer |
Lewis County | Court of Appeals | 09/13/21 | |
E Solutions For Buildings, LLC v. Knestrick Contractors, Inc., Et Al.
M2020-01189-COA-R3-CV
This is the third appeal in a dispute among a general contractor, a subcontractor, and an equipment supplier. Each party blamed the others for delays in a construction project. After the first appeal was dismissed for lack of a final judgment, the trial court held each party partially responsible for the delays and partially responsible for liquidated damages assessed by the owner. In the second appeal, this court modified the judgment in part, reversed it in part, and remanded for further proceedings. On remand, the subcontractor sought to recover from the general contractor discretionary costs of $10,962.42, attorneys’ fees of $220,724.53 under the Prompt Pay Act of 1991, Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 66-34-101 to -704, and “[a]dditional charges.” The trial court awarded some of the requested fees but excluded $100,350 of attorneys’ fees attributed to legal services rendered during the first and second appeal because the subcontractor’s request for appellate attorneys’ fees was untimely, i.e., the relief had not been requested in the pleadings in the prior appeals. The trial court also denied $29,685 in fees incurred in the trial court proceedings for legal services that were “unrelated to [the general contractor].” The trial court also found the subcontractor was not entitled to recover the “[a]dditional charges” because the remand from the Court of Appeals did not authorize such expenses. This appeal followed. The principal issues in this appeal concern the subcontractor’s claims for attorneys’ fees and additional expenses and whether the general contractor’s surety is secondarily liable for one of the judgments. Finding no error, we affirm the trial court’s judgment in all respects.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Originating Judge:Chancellor Russell T. Perkins |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 09/13/21 | |
Fred Auston Wortman, III v. State of Tennessee Board Of Parole, Et Al.
M2020-01554-COA-R3-CV
After being denied parole, Fred Auston Wortman, III (“Plaintiff”) filed suit against the State of Tennessee (the “State”), the Tennessee Board of Parole (the “Board”), several board members and other state employees, and two assistant district attorneys in the Chancery Court for Davidson County (the “trial court”). Several defendants moved for dismissal for failure to state a claim for which relief can be granted. The trial court granted the motion to dismiss and Plaintiff appealed to this Court. Because the trial court’s order is not final, however, we lack subject matter jurisdiction to hear this appeal. The appeal is therefore dismissed.
Authoring Judge: Judge Kristi M. Davis
Originating Judge:Chancellor Russell T. Perkins |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 09/13/21 | |
Hunter Ryan Ellis, Et Al. v. Christina L. Duggan, Et Al.
E2020-00723-COA-R3-CV
This is a case involving allegations of undue influence. The plaintiffs are the grandchildren of the decedent. The sole defendant at issue on appeal is the decedent’s niece, who also held power of attorney for the decedent during the last years of her life. The transaction at issue occurred roughly six months before the decedent died and consisted of a gift of $176,000 to the niece for the purchase of a house. The executor of the decedent’s estate declined to pursue the claim for undue influence and assigned the cause of action to the decedent’s four grandsons, who were the residuary beneficiaries of the estate. After a five-day bench trial, the trial court found that a confidential relationship existed between the decedent and the defendant niece and that multiple suspicious circumstances existed to support a finding of undue influence. As such, the trial court entered a judgment against the defendant niece for $176,000. However, the trial court denied the plaintiffs’ request for attorney fees on the basis that they were “not available under the current caselaw relating to undue influence.” The defendant niece appeals, challenging the finding of undue influence. The plaintiffs appeal the denial of their request for attorney fees. Having carefully reviewed the voluminous record, we affirm the finding of undue influence and the judgment against the defendant niece. We reverse the denial of the plaintiffs’ request for attorney fees and remand for a reasonable award of attorney fees incurred by the plaintiffs in the trial court and on appeal.
Authoring Judge: Judge Carma Dennis McGee
Originating Judge:Judge Jeffrey M. Atherton |
Hamilton County | Court of Appeals | 09/10/21 | |
IN RE A.W.
M2020-00892-COA-R3-PT
A mother and an unknown father were the subjects of a petition to terminate parental rights and to adopt a child. Only mother appeals. She argues that she lacked notice of the proceedings and that the petitioners failed to comply with the parental termination statutes. She also contests the statutory grounds relied on for terminating her parental rights and the trial court’s determination that termination was in her child’s best interest. We affirm the termination of the mother’s parental rights. But because the record does not reflect that the unknown father was served under the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure or the statutes governing substituted service, we vacate the judgment terminating his parental rights.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Neal McBrayer
Originating Judge:Judge Darrell Scarlet |
Rutherford County | Court of Appeals | 09/08/21 | |
Bobby Scott Smith v. Barbara Diane (Fuston) Smith
M2019-01834-COA-R3-CV
A husband and wife sought to end their long-term marriage. After a prolonged trial, the court classified, valued, and equitably divided the marital estate. The court also ordered both parties to pay their own attorney’s fees. The wife filed a motion to alter or amend the final decree. Acknowledging errors in the initial decree, the court issued an amended divorce decree. Among other things, the court amended the value of the marital residence. Both parties raise issues on appeal. We find the evidence does not preponderate against the court’s classification of the husband’s interest in several parcels of real property as marital property. We also conclude that the court did not abuse its discretion in amending the value of the marital residence, dividing the marital estate, or declining to award attorney’s fees to the wife. So we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Neal McBrayer
Originating Judge:Judge A. Ensley Hagan, Jr. |
Wilson County | Court of Appeals | 09/07/21 | |
Melissa Ann (Letner) Grayson v. Elmer Wayne Grayson
E2020-01339-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arose from a 2011 divorce decree awarding to the wife one-half of the husband’s military retirement pay that had accumulated during the term of the marriage. At the time of the husband’s retirement in 2018, the United States Defense Finance and Accounting Service would not disburse retirement funds to the wife due to deficient award language contained in the 2011 order. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service explained in a letter addressed to the wife that the 2011 order had failed to provide a method to calculate the marital portion of the husband’s retirement pay and that it had no way to calculate retirement pay that had “accumulated during the term of the marriage.” In order to effectuate the enforcement of its intended division of the husband’s military retirement pay, the trial court attempted to correct its order by replacing “accumulated during the term of the marriage” with language compliant with the United States Department of Defense Financial Management Regulations (“DoD Regulations”) and specifying that the wife should be awarded fifty percent of the husband’s disposable military retired pay based upon his military pay grade rank and his creditable service years as of the date of the divorce.
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas R. Frierson, II
Originating Judge:Judge J. Michael Sharp |
Monroe County | Court of Appeals | 09/03/21 | |
Tennessee Department of Human Services v. Andrew Jackson Heaton
E2021-00791-COA-R3-CV
A non-attorney filed a notice of appeal as next friend of Andrew Jackson Heaton. As a non-attorney next friend may not practice law while acting on behalf of an infant or incompetent, this appeal is hereby dismissed.
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Chancellor John C. Rambo |
Washington County | Court of Appeals | 09/03/21 | |
In Re Kierani C.
W2020-00850-COA-R3-PT
This is a termination of parental rights case focusing on Kierani C., the minor child (“the Child”) of Christopher A., Sr. (“Father”), and Keona C. (“Mother”). In August 2017, Mother surrendered her parental rights to the Child before the Shelby County Chancery Court (“chancery court”).1 At that time, the Child was placed in the legal custody and partial guardianship of Hannah’s Hope United Methodist Adoption and Pregnancy Counseling (“Hannah’s Hope”) and the physical custody of pre-adoptive parents, Katherine B. and Adrian B. In September 2017, Hannah’s Hope filed a petition in the chancery court to terminate Father’s parental rights to the Child. In January 2018, Father filed a petition to establish parentage in the Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court (“juvenile court”), and in May 2018, Katherine B. and Adrian B. filed a petition in the Shelby County Circuit Court (“trial court”) to terminate Father’s parental rights to the Child. Upon motions filed by Katherine B. and Adrian B., all matters pertaining to the Child were subsequently transferred to the trial court, which consolidated the actions. Following a bench trial, the trial court granted both termination petitions upon its finding clear and convincing evidence of ten statutory grounds, including four abandonment grounds, specifically that Father had willfully failed to (1) visit the Child in the four months preceding the petition’s filing by Hannah’s Hope, (2) financially support the Child in the four months preceding each petition’s filing, (3) visit Mother during the four months preceding the Child’s birth, and (4) make reasonable payments toward Mother’s financial support during the four months preceding the Child’s birth, as well as six grounds applicable to a putative father, specifically that Father had failed to (5) pay a reasonable share of expenses related to the Child’s birth, (6) make reasonable and consistent payments for the Child’s support, (7) seek reasonable visitation with the Child, (8) file a petition to establish paternity within thirty days of receiving notice of alleged paternity, and (9) manifest an ability and willingness to assume legal and physical custody of the Child, and, additionally, that (10) placement of the Child in Father’s legal and physical custody would pose a risk of substantial harm to the Child’s welfare. The trial court further found by clear and convincing evidence that it was in the Child’s best interest to terminate Father’s parental rights. Father has appealed. We hold that under Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-1-113(g)(9)(A)(ii) and (iii), a putative father’s efforts made after the termination petition’s filing may be considered in reviewing the respective grounds involving failure to support the child and failure to seek or maintain visitation with the child. Therefore, having determined that clear and convincing evidence did not support the trial court’s findings that Father’s efforts to support and visit the Child made after the respective petitions’ filings were unreasonable or token, we reverse the trial court’s findings as to these two grounds. We affirm the trial court’s judgment terminating Father’s parental rights in all other respects.
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas R. Frierson, II
Originating Judge:Judge Gina C. Higgins |
Shelby County | Court of Appeals | 09/03/21 | |
Guidesoft, Inc. D/B/A Knowledge Services v. State Protest Committee, State of Tennessee, Et Al.
M2020-00964-COA-R3-CV
This appeal concerns a bid protest. UWork.com, Inc., d/b/a Covendis Technologies (“Covendis”) successfully bid on a contract to manage a network of temporary workers for the State of Tennessee. Guidesoft, Inc. d/b/a Knowledge Services (“Knowledge Services”), an unsuccessful bidder, filed a protest with the Central Procurement Office (“the CPO”). The CPO dismissed Knowledge Services’ bid for insufficient bond. Knowledge Services appealed to the State Protest Committee (“the Committee”), which denied the appeal. Knowledge Services then filed a petition for common law writ of certiorari in the Chancery Court for Davidson County (“the Trial Court”). After a hearing, the Trial Court dismissed Knowledge Services’ amended petition. Knowledge Services now appeals to this Court, arguing that under Tenn. Code Ann. § 12-3-514(d), its protest bond should be based on 5% of the lowest evaluated cost proposal rather than 5% of the State’s estimated maximum liability as found below. We hold, inter alia, that the protest bond statute is meant to protect the State, and the appropriate protest bond amount is based on the costs the State may incur rather than a bidder’s proposed cost. Further, the fee relied upon by Knowledge Services to calculate its protest bond is but a small portion of the contract at issue, which is estimated to cost the State $190,000,000. The Committee did not exceed its jurisdiction or act illegally, arbitrarily, or fraudulently. We affirm the Trial Court.
Authoring Judge: Chief Judge D. Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 09/02/21 | |
Regions Bank v. Doctor R. Crants
M2020-01703-COA-R3-CV
This is a collection lawsuit to recover the balance Appellant allegedly owes on a promissory note held by Appellee. On Appellant’s motion, the trial court stayed the proceedings and remitted the matter to binding arbitration pursuant to the terms of the promissory note. Appellant brings the instant appeal under Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 3(a). Because the order appealed is not final, this Court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction over the appeal. Tenn. R. App. P. 3(a). Furthermore, neither the Federal Arbitration Act nor the Tennessee Uniform Arbitration Act provides a mechanism for appeal of Appellant’s issues to this Court. Appeal dismissed.
Authoring Judge: Judge Kenny Armstrong
Originating Judge:Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 09/01/21 | |
Jeremy Khristian Abney v. Kaitlynne Nichole Pace
M2020-00182-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises from a post-divorce proceeding. The father filed a petition to modify child support, and the mother filed a civil contempt action against the father for failure to pay child support as ordered by the court. Following trial, the trial court found that a significant variance existed from the previously ordered child support obligation and granted the father’s petition to modify child support. The trial court retroactively modified the father’s child support obligation from the date the petition was filed, resulting in three modifications while the petition had been pending. In the respective child support worksheets for the modifications, the trial court declined to include a credit to the mother for the health insurance premiums she had paid for the child, determining such expense of additional insurance coverage not to be “a reasonable necessity or requirement.” In consideration of the mother’s civil contempt complaint, the trial court found that the father had been in contempt of court due to his failure to pay child support as ordered by the court but that he had cured his contempt due to an involuntary payment from his income tax refund proceeds and the retroactive modification of his obligation and resultant overpayment of child support while the petition to modify was pending. The trial court further denied an award of attorney’s fees to either party. Discerning no error, we affirm the trial court in all respects.
Authoring Judge: Chief Judge D Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Chancellor Howard W. Wilson |
Rutherford County | Court of Appeals | 08/31/21 | |
In Re Kaelyn R.
E2020-01254-COA-R3-PT
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her daughter. The trial court concluded that there was clear and convincing evidence that the mother had abandoned her child by wanton disregard and by committing severe child abuse against her. The court also concluded that the evidence was clear and convincing that termination of parental rights was in the child’s best interest. We agree and affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Neal McBrayer
Originating Judge:Judge Alex E. Pearson |
Hamblen County | Court of Appeals | 08/31/21 | |
Nigel M. Reid, II v. Colette Jean Wallace
E2021-00181-COA-R3-CV
Following a hearing, the Circuit Court for Hamblen County (“trial court”) entered an order of protection against Nigel Reid II (“Respondent” or “Cross-Petitioner”) and in favor of Collette Jean Wallace (“Petitioner” or “Cross-Respondent”). Respondent appealed to this Court. Because Respondent’s brief fails to comply with Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 27, we dismiss the appeal.
Authoring Judge: Judge Kristi M. Davis
Originating Judge:Judge Beth Boniface |
Hamblen County | Court of Appeals | 08/30/21 | |
Marn Suzanne Larsen-Ball v. William Gordon Ball
E2020-00297-COA-R3-CV
In this post-divorce action concerning enforcement of the trial court’s order distributing the parties’ marital property, the trial court ultimately awarded a judgment to the wife in the amount of $206,868.67. The court also ordered that the wife would be entitled to a certain portion of the proceeds from the sale of the parties’ former marital residence. The court dismissed the wife’s contempt claims and declined to award interest or attorney’s fees. The husband has appealed. Having discerned two relatively minor errors in the judgment, we modify the amount awarded to the wife to increase it by $18,525.24, enlarging the trial court’s award to the wife to the total of $225,393.91 rather than $206,868.67. We affirm the trial court’s judgment in all other respects.
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas R. Frierson, II
Originating Judge:Judge Gregory S. McMillan |
Knox County | Court of Appeals | 08/30/21 | |
In Re PrinceKenyan F.
M2020-01306-COA-R3-PT
This appeal concerns the termination of a mother’s parental rights. The trial court found that seven grounds had been established: abandonment for failure to support; abandonment for failure to visit; abandonment for failure to provide a suitable home; substantial noncompliance with the permanency plan; persistence of conditions; mental incompetence; and failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody. It also found that termination was in the child’s best interest for many reasons, including the mother’s failure to provide a safe home, maintain regular visitation, pay child support, and resolve her legal, mental health, and substance abuse issues. The mother contends the trial court incorrectly calculated the period relevant to the ground of abandonment, erred by admitting her mental health records into evidence in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 24-7-122, and that the evidence failed to meet the clear and convincing evidence standard. Following a thorough review of the record, we have determined that four of the seven grounds for termination as found by the trial court were established by clear and convincing evidence and that termination of the mother’s parental rights was clearly and convincingly in the child’s best interest. Therefore, we affirm the termination of the mother’s parental rights.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Stella L. Harvrome |
Lawrence County | Court of Appeals | 08/30/21 | |
Julie C. W. v. Frank Mitchell W. Jr.
M2019-01243-COA-R3-CV
The Tennessee Supreme Court entered an order vacating our previous judgment in this matter solely with respect to the division of the marital estate and remanding for our further review consistent with its order. We find upon further review that the Circuit Court for Davidson County (“the Trial Court”) abused its discretion in dividing the marital estate as it did. We vacate the judgment of the Trial Court on this one issue and remand for a new and equitable division of the marital estate.
Authoring Judge: Chief Judge D. Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Judge Phillip E. Smith |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 08/30/21 | |
Irene Howard v. State of Tennessee
M2020-00735-COA-R3-CV
Following a car accident involving an employee of the State of Tennessee, Irene Howard (“Claimant”) sought damages against the State based on alleged injuries arising from the accident. The claim was denied by the Division of Claims and Risk Management (the “DCRM”), and Claimant thereafter appealed to the Claims Commission (the “Commission”). Because Claimant failed to appeal the DCRM’s decision within ninety days, however, the Commission concluded it lacked jurisdiction over the case and dismissed the appeal. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Kristi M. Davis
Originating Judge:Commissioner James Haltom |
Court of Appeals | 08/26/21 |