APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Roane County v. Weston Tucker, et al.

E2003-00446-COA-R3-CV

Weston Tucker and Mary Louise Tucker ("the defendants") subdivided and sold land in Roane County for residential use. Roane County filed a declaratory judgment action against the defendants contending that the defendants "have failed to have a subdivision plat approved by the Regional Planning Commission" and that the new road/easement constructed by the defendant is unpaved and "approximately thirteen (13) feet wide", and "drainage has generated a complaint by a neighboring property owner." Roane County asked the court to, among other things, declare that the land in question is subject to the Roane County Subdivision Regulations ("the regulations"); grant injunctive or other relief; enforce the regulations; and declare the rights and/or liabilities of each party under the regulations. In their answer, the defendants contend that an official in the Roane County Zoning Office represented to them that the subdivision of land into parcels of more than 5 acres does not need approval from the Roane County Planning Commission ("the planning commission"). The trial court dismissed the case, finding, among other things, that Roane County's actions in attempting to prosecute the defendants civilly and criminally were "discriminatory, arbitrary and capricious."

Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Chancellor Frank V. Williams, III
Roane County Court of Appeals 08/31/04
Samuel F. Sanchez v. Saturn Corp.

M2003-01894-WC-R3-CV
The employee suffered a biceps tendon rupture in the course and scope of his employment. While performing arthroscopic surgery to confirm the existence of a rotator cuff tear, the treating physician performed a resection of the employee's distal clavicle. The employee contends that the trial judge erred in failing to consider any impairment for this resection in the calculation of the employee's vocational disability and therefore rendered an inadequate award. The Panel finds that medical testimony refutes any causal connection between the work-related injury and the clavicle resection. The Panel also concludes that the employee has failed to meet his burden of showing that the resection was reasonably necessary to treat the work-related injury. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: John A. Turnbull, Sp. J.
Originating Judge:Hon. R. E. Lee Davies, Judge
Williamson County Workers Compensation Panel 08/31/04
David B. Cloninger v. City of Dyersburg, Tennessee,

W2003-01716-SC-WCM-CV
. The Chancellor determined that the employer rebutted the statutory presumption that the employee's stroke arose out of his employment as a police officer, see Tenn. Code Ann. _ 7-51-21(a)(1) (1998), and that the employee failed to establish that the stroke arose out of his employment. After reviewing the record and applicable authority, we conclude that the evidence in the record does not preponderate against the Chancellor's findings. We therefore affirm the judgment.
Authoring Judge: E. Riley Anderson, Justice
Originating Judge:J. Steven Stafford, Chancellor
Dyer County Workers Compensation Panel 08/31/04
Ceciel Ros Halpern v. Laurence Halpern

W2003-01323-COA-R3-CV

This is an appeal by the appellant-father from an order awarding the appellee-mother child support arrearage and setting prospective child support obligations. Because the support orders appear to deviate from the child support guidelines without specific findings by the trial court, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Chancellor D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 08/31/04
Sharon Taylor v. Douglas Butler and City Auto Sales - Concurring and Dissenting

W2002-01275-SC-R11-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Janice M. Holder
Originating Judge:Honorable D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Supreme Court 08/31/04
Jimmy Darryl Ingle v. Nissan North America Inc., and Royal and

M2003-01912-WC-R3-CV
Plaintiff contends the Chancellor erred in denying his benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act when the only medical evidence presented after his final work at Nissan demonstrated permanency of injury. The chancellor properly found that the plaintiff has not suffered a permanent anatomical injury and therefore no permanent partial impairment under the Tennessee Worker's Compensation Act. Therefore, the plaintiff is not entitled to any further benefits for vocational disability. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: John A. Turnbull, Sp. J.
Originating Judge:Hon. Robert E. Corlew Iii
Rutherford County Workers Compensation Panel 08/31/04
William Seale v. Church of God d/b/a Pathway Press

E2003-01559-WC-R3-CV
The trial court found the claim was compensable and ordered the employer to provide medical treatment of total knee surgery. The employer contends the employee's condition was the result of pre-existing condition of arthritis and did not result from the accident. Judgment of the trial court is affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Roger E. Thayer, Sp. J.
Originating Judge:Jerri S. Bryant, Chancellor
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 08/31/04
Edwin R. Oliver

W2003-00670-SC-WCM-CV
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 facts and conclusions of law. In this case the trial court held that ProLogis Trust and Steve Graves were employers of the employee, Edwin C. Oliver pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-113 and awarded workers' compensation benefits for an injury to his left lower extremity. The sole issue presented for review is whether the defendant ProLogis Trust, at the time of the employee's accident, was the employee's statutory employer as defined by Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-113, and therefore liable for workers' compensation benefits. For the reasons discussed in this opinion, we find that the judgment of the trial court should be reversed as to the defendant, ProLogis Trust Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e) (1999) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Circuit Court Reversed JAMES L. WEATHERFORD, SR.J., in which JOE H. WALKER, III, SP.J., and JANICE M. HOLDER, J., joined. John Robert Cannon, Jr., Memphis, Tennessee, for appellant, ProLogis Trust. Clyde W. Keenan, Memphis, Tennessee, for appellee, Edwin R. Oliver, Individually as next friend of Edwin C. Oliver, a minor. MEMORANDUM OPINION ProLogis Trust is a global company that leases, owns and manages industrial buildings. They have approximately 45 buildings in the Memphis - Shelby County area with approximately seven million square feet. At the time the employee was injured, Steve Graves owned a company called ABC Roofing and Tree Service. The name of his company was later changed to ABC Repair because he did not do much tree work anymore. Mr. Graves described his work as cleaning, repair, fix-up and paint- up. An employee of ProLogis described Graves' work as putting up sheetrock, building some type of office, installing carpet, cleaning up the space, cleaning the windows, and pressure washing the inside of a building to get cobwebs down. On July 19, 1999, Plaintiff, Edwin C. Oliver, called Defendant, Steve Graves, and inquired about summer work with Mr. Graves. Mr. Oliver and Mr. Graves had not met before, but they attended the same church. At this time, Mr. Oliver was 17 years of age. Mr. Graves instructed Mr. Oliver to come to a warehouse owned and operated by ProLogis Trust. When Mr. Oliver arrived at the warehouse, Mr. Graves was not there. Mr. Oliver began to sweep floors in the warehouse. When Mr. Graves arrived, Mr. Graves and Mr. Oliver began to straighten concrete poles. The poles were approximately 4 feet tall and 12 inches in diameter. As a pole was being straightened, the pole broke and struck Oliver's left foot, causing injury to his foot. This injury necessitated the amputation of three toes and the tip of the fourth toe. At the conclusion of the proof, the trial court found that ProLogis Trust and Steve Graves were employers of Mr. Oliver pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-113.1 The trial court found that Graves had an obligation to provide workers' compensation coverage, which he didn't. Further, the trial court found that ProLogis knew that Graves did not have coverage as required under the contract between ProLogis and Graves, and allowed Graves to work nevertheless. The trial court found that Mr. Oliver suffered a disability of 5 percent to the left lower extremity. ANALYSIS Our review of the findings of fact made by the trial court is de novo upon the record of the 1Tennessee Code Annotated _ 5-6-113 provides in pertinent part: (a) A principal, or intermediate contractor, or subcontracter shall be liable for compensation to any employee injured while in the employ of any of the subcontractors of the principal, intermediate contractor, or subcontractor and engaged upon the subject matter of the contract to the same extent as the immediate employer. ........... (d) This section applies only in cases where the injury occurred on, in, or about the premises on which the principal contractor has undertaken to execute work or which are otherwise under the principal's control or management. -2-
Authoring Judge: James L. Weatherford, Sr.J.
Originating Judge:John R. Mccarroll, Jr., Judge
Shelby County Workers Compensation Panel 08/31/04
Mitchell Lloyd MaGill v. Mary R. MaGill

E2003-02209-COA-R3-CV

This is a divorce case. The trial court granted Mary R. MaGill ("Wife") a divorce based upon the inappropriate marital conduct of her spouse, Mitchell Lloyd Magill ("Husband"); awarded Wife rehabilitative alimony of $600 per month for four years, plus attorney's fees of $600; and divided the parties' marital property. Husband appeals the trial court's award of rehabilitative alimony. In a separate issue, Wife contends that the trial court failed to divide marital assets in the form of two businesses, i.e., MaGill Electric and C&M Lounge. She also seeks an award of damages for a frivolous appeal. We affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Dennis W. Humphrey
Roane County Court of Appeals 08/31/04
State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Lamar Tucker

M2003-02847-CCA-R3-PC

The petitioner, Kenneth Lamar Tucker, plead guilty to one count of rape of a child in exchange for a fifteen-year sentence at 100%. In this post-conviction appeal, the petitioner argues that: (1) he did not knowingly and voluntarily enter his plea of guilt; (2) he was denied effective assistance of counsel; (3) he was denied the right to a trial by jury; (4) the state withheld exculpatory evidence; (5) the newly discovered exculpatory evidence entitles him to relief; and (6) the post-conviction court erred in refusing to admit trial counsel’s case file into evidence. For the following reasons, we affirm the dismissal of the post-conviction petition.

Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Originating Judge:Judge Larry B. Stanley, Jr.
Van Buren County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/31/04
Betty Jo Sissom v. State of Tennessee Department of Labor

M2003-01605-WC-R3-CV
The employee in this reconsideration case sustained a work-related back injury and previously sustained other work-related and nonwork-related injuries. Although she initially settled for a permanent partial disability award as compensation for her recent back injury and returned to work, she was later discharged due to that back injury. She argues that the trial court erred in not raising her prior permanent partial disability award to an award of permanent total disability. A reconsideration award is limited to 6 times the medical impairment rating due to the subject injury under Tenn. Code Ann. __ 5-6-241(a)(2) and 5-6-241(b), and the trial court's decision within that maximum is supported by the evidence. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: John A. Turnbull, Sp. J.
Originating Judge:Hon. Robert E. Corlew, III, Judge
Rutherford County Workers Compensation Panel 08/31/04
Thomas Wayne Storm v. Jane Anne Storm

M2002-02882-COA-R3-CV

When the parties divorced in 1999, they entered into a marital dissolution agreement that was incorporated into the final divorce decree. That agreement acknowledged that the alimony payments agreed to "more than likely may have to be modified" if Husband lost his job or his insurance license. In this modification of alimony proceeding, the trial court found Husband had lost his job and was unable to find employment with comparable income. The court interpreted the MDA as authorizing it to reduce the amount of monthly payments but not to reduce the total amount due. We interpret the agreement as allowing modification of the total obligation and remand for reconsideration in light of this holding.

Authoring Judge: Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Chancellor Russell Heldman
Williamson County Court of Appeals 08/31/04
Richard A. Jones and Richard A. Jones, Jr. v. Jody W. Henderson

W2003-02564-COA-R3-CV

This case arises from the discovery of an extramarital affair. The Appellants brought suit against
Appellee, seeking damages on theories of outrageous conduct and interference with a contract.
Appellee filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. After a hearing on the motion, the trial court granted Appellee’s motion to dismiss and this appeal followed. For the following reasons, we affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Judge Robert A. Lanier
Shelby County Court of Appeals 08/30/04
State of Tennessee v. Janice Michele Walker

E2003-02753-CCA-R3-CD

Defendant, Janice Michele Walker, was charged in a four-count presentment with theft over $10,000, forgery over $10,000, computer fraud, and money laundering. Defendant pled guilty as a Range I standard offender to theft and forgery, both Class C felonies, and the other charges were dismissed. Pursuant to the negotiated plea agreement, Defendant was sentenced to four years for each offense, to be served consecutively, and she was ordered to pay restitution. The trial court determined the manner of service of Defendant's sentence. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered Defendant to serve her effective eight-year sentence in confinement. Defendant appeals the trial court's denial of full probation. After a review of the record, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Originating Judge:Judge Ray L. Jenkins
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/30/04
Anthony C. Long v. Tony Parker, Warden

W2003-02609-CCA-R3-CO

The petitioner, Anthony C. Long, appeals the Lake County Circuit Court’s dismissal of his petition for habeas corpus relief. We reverse the dismissal and order habeas corpus relief.

Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge R. Lee Moore Jr.
Lake County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/30/04
State of Tennessee v. Matthew Kirk McWhorter

M2003-01132-CCA-R3-CD

A Montgomery County jury convicted the Defendant, Matthew Kirk McWhorter, of three counts of aggravated sexual battery, and the trial court imposed an eight-year sentence for each conviction, to be served consecutively. On appeal, the Defendant contends that: (1) insufficient evidence exists in the record to support his convictions; (2) the trial court erred by not requiring the State to elect the offenses it wished to submit to the jury; (3) the trial court improperly admitted a law enforcement officer's testimony about the Defendant's uncharged conduct; (4) the trial court erred by permitting a law enforcement agent to testify about a recorded recollection; (5) the trial court erred by denying the Defendant's motion to prohibit testimony of the victim; (6) reversible error occurred when the State failed to disclose, preserve and turn over a law enforcement official's notes made during the Defendant's initial interrogation; (7) the trial court erred by allowing the State to submit an insufficient Bill of Particulars and to deviate from its Bill of Particulars; (8) the trial court erred in denying the Defendant's motion to suppress his written and oral statements made to law enforcement officials in Florida; (9) the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury on child abuse as a lesser-included offense; (10) the State's closing arguments were so improper that they infected the trial with unfairness and denied the Defendant due process; (11) the trial court erred by interrupting the natural flow of jury deliberations to give supplemental instructions; and (12) the trial court erred in ordering the Defendant to serve his sentences consecutively. After thoroughly reviewing the record, we conclude that the trial court erred by failing to require the State to elect which incident of sexual touching the State intended for the jury to consider for Count 1, aggravated sexual battery. Accordingly, we reverse the conviction and the sentence in Count 1. We affirm the remaining convictions and sentences.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge John H. Gasaway, III
Montgomery County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/30/04
State of Tennessee v. Jeffery Parks

M2003-02002-CCA-R3-CD

The Appellant, Jeffery Brian Parks, appeals from the sentencing decision of the Lincoln County Circuit Court. In 2003, Parks pled guilty to two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, two counts of incest, and two counts of statutory rape. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court sentenced Parks, as a Range I standard offender, to six years for each count of sexual battery by an authority figure and incest, both class C felonies, and to two years for each count of statutory rape, a class E felony. These sentences were ordered to be served concurrently in the Department of Correction. In this appeal as of right, Parks argues that the trial court erred in imposing excessive sentences with respect to each sentence and by ordering a sentence of total confinement rather than a less restrictive alternative. The State, on appeal, asserts that consecutive sentencing should be imposed by this court following de novo review. Because the trial court failed to impose a sentence in accordance with our statutory sentencing scheme, we remand the case to the trial court for a new sentencing hearing to determine the length of the Appellant’s sentences, the appropriateness of consecutive sentencing, and the Appellant’s suitability for an alternative sentence.

Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge W. Charles Lee
Lincoln County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/30/04
State of Tennessee v. Jeffery Parks - Dissenting in Part

M2003-02002-CCA-R3-CD

I believe the sentencing in the instant case is controlled by State v. Marshall, 888 S.W.2d 786 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1994), and Rule 4(H)(2) of the Rules of the Supreme Court require it be followed. To the extent that the majority opinion holds this trial judge fashioned an improper sentence, I disagree. The two holdings in Marshall which apply to the instant cases are as follows:

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge W. Charles Lee
Lincoln County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/30/04
State of Tennessee v. Guadalupe Arroyo, Alias

E2003-02355-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant entered guilty pleas to two counts of vehicular homicide by intoxication and was sentenced to consecutive twelve-year terms of imprisonment. The defendant appealed the imposition of maximum sentences and the order to serve the terms consecutively. After this, our second review, we again remand for a new sentencing hearing in light of Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. ___, 124 S. Ct. 2531, 159 L. Ed. 2d 403 (2004), and the trial court's failure to find specific findings justifying the necessity for consecutive sentencing.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Ray L. Jenkins
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/30/04
Ron Colquette v. Peter Zaloum

E2003-2301-COA-R3-CV

Ron Colquette (“Plaintiff”) sued Peter Zaloum (“Defendant”) claiming, in part, that Defendant made fraudulent misrepresentations in connection with the sale of his business and the lease of his land to Plaintiff, and that Defendant violated the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. After a bench trial, the Trial Court entered a Final Judgment holding, inter alia, that Plaintiff was entitled to damages in the amount of $70,054.35, plus pre-judgment interest; that Plaintiff was entitled to punitive damages in the amount of $15,000; and that the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act was not applicable to this case. Defendant appeals, and Plaintiff raises additional issues concerning the applicability of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act to the facts of this case, and the amount of punitive damages awarded to him. We affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge D. Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Chancellor Daryl R. Fansler
Knox County Court of Appeals 08/30/04
Community Bank of East Tennessee v. Tennessee Department of Safety

E2004-00975-COA-R3-CV

The Claim Commissioner held Commission was without jurisdiction to entertain claim on appeal. We vacate Judgment and remand.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel Pickens Franks
Originating Judge:Judge Vance W. Cheek, Jr.
Campbell County Court of Appeals 08/30/04
In re: Estate of Angula Wilson Whitehorn Turner

W2003-02652-COA-R3-CV

Beneficiary of will appeals the order of the chancery court awarding attorney fees, executor fees, and other expenses. Both factual and legal objections are made to the awards made by the court. The legal objections are without merit, and the factual objections are not well-taken, because there is no transcript or statement of the evidence. We affirm.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Chancellor Dewey C. Whitenton
Tipton County Court of Appeals 08/30/04
Rodney McKinney v. Tony Parker, Warden

W2004-00133-CCA-R3-HC

The petitioner, Rodney McKinney, appeals the trial court’s summary dismissal of his claim for writ of habeas corpus. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R. Wade
Originating Judge:Judge R. Lee Moore Jr.
Lake County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/30/04
In Re: The Estate of Kathleen Meade, Deceased, L. Grady Lee, v. Helen Jo Gilliam

E2003-02629-COA-R3-CV

A typewritten document and a handwritten document prepared later in time were offered for probate. The Trial Court rejected the handwritten document and admitted the typewritten document to probate as the Last Will and Testament of Deceased. On appeal, we reverse.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel Pickens Franks
Originating Judge:Chancellor Richard E. Ladd
Sullivan County Court of Appeals 08/30/04
Charles Webb v. Printpack, Inc.

W2003-02309-SC-WCM-CV
The trial court found that the employee has a fifteen (15%) percent medical impairment rating and has a vocational disability of thirty-five (35%) percent permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. In this appeal, the employer contends the trial court erred in relying upon the expert testimony of Dr. Joseph C. Boals, III, the plaintiff's independent medical examiner, and that the trial court's award was excessive. We agree and reverse the trial court's award. We find the Employee has a twenty-five (25%) percent permanent partial impairment rating to the body as a whole.
Authoring Judge: William B. Acree, Jr., Sp. J.
Originating Judge:James Butler, Chancellor
Madison County Workers Compensation Panel 08/30/04