APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Sullivan vs. Baptist Memorial Hospital

02S01-9804-CV-00032
Court of Appeals 07/12/99
State vs. Douglas Rains

02C01-9808-CC-00249
Benton County Court of Appeals 07/12/99
Wanda Barker vs. James Barker

02A01-9808-CH-00222

Originating Judge:William Michael Maloan
Obion County Court of Appeals 07/12/99
Morefield vs. O'Brien Heating/Cooling

01A01-9807-CH-00385

Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 07/12/99
Willette Newsom v. Murray, Inc.

02S01-9811-CH-00110
This workers' compensation appeal was referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6- 225(e)(3) (Supp. 1998) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. This is a carpal tunnel syndrome case. Upon hearing the evidence, the trial court found that plaintiff suffered a 6 percent permanent partial disability to her right arm and a 35 percent permanent partial disability to her left arm. Defendant, Murray, Incorporated, appealed the judgment. The sole issue on appeal is whether the trial court's award is excessive. After careful review of the record, we find that the evidence does not preponderate against the trial court's award. Therefore, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. At the time of trial, plaintiff, Willette Newsom, was a 5 year old mother of three with a Bachelor of Science degree in business education. However, her previous work experience did not involve the use of her degree but consisted of employment as a file clerk, a restaurant employee, in home health services, and as a nurse's assistant at a nursing home. She began working for Murray in 1993 on the assembly line. She was subsequently transferred to the parts and service department for approximately two and one half years before being put back on the assembly line. Her job duties on the assembly line included repetitious use of her hands while tightening screws into motors with a power gun. After a few months back on the assembly line, she experienced a sharp pain in her right hand, which she reported to her employer. She was sent to Dr. Bingham for treatment and eventually to Dr. Lowell F. Stonecipher when she did not improve. Plaintiff first saw Dr. Stonecipher, an orthopedic surgeon, on October 11, 1996, when Dr. Bingham's conservative treatment of plaintiff's moderately severe carpal tunnel syndrome was ineffective in relieving her symptoms. On November 13, 1996, Dr. Stonecipher performed an endoscopic carpal tunnel release on plaintiff's right hand. On November 26, plaintiff was released to light duty with restrictions on lifting more than twenty pounds. Because she was doing well in January, Dr. Stonecipher released plaintiff to regular duty on January 17, 1997, but advised her against the use of power tools. The 2
Authoring Judge: F. Lloyd Tatum, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Joe C. Morris,
Madison County Workers Compensation Panel 07/12/99
02A01-9802-CH-00035

02A01-9802-CH-00035

Originating Judge:William M. Maloan
Weakley County Court of Appeals 07/12/99
Gloria Rooker v. Zurich Insurance Co.

W1998-00273-WC-R3-CV
This worker's compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _ 50-6-225(e) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the defendant's insurer appeals the award of 25% disability to the body as a whole, as well as the court ordered payment of medical charges by a physician not authorized by the employer. After thorough review of the record, this panel finds the award of permanent partial disability should be affirmed, but that portion of the judgment ordering payment of medical expenses for charges by an unauthorized physician should be reversed.
Authoring Judge: Special Judge C. Creed Mcginley
Originating Judge:Hon. D'Army Bailey
Shelby County Workers Compensation Panel 07/12/99
State vs. Christie Thomas

02C01-9810-CR-00303

Originating Judge:Chris B. Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/12/99
Bobby White v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber

02S01-9810-CV-00101
This worker's compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Worker's Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann._ 50-6-22-255(e) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the defendant appeals the award of 55% disability to the body as a whole. After a thorough review of the record, this panel finds this award of permanent partial disability should be affirmed.
Authoring Judge: C. Creed Mcginley, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. William B. Acree
White County Workers Compensation Panel 07/12/99
Willie Lane Shannon v. Sipco Services & Marine, Inc., et al

02S01-9902-CH-00013
This workers' compensation appeal was referred to the Special W orkers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6- 225(e)(3) (Supp. 1998) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The standard of review of factual issues in workers' compensation cases is de novo upon the record of the trial court with a presumption of correctness, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(2) (1991 & Supp. 1998); Henson v. City of Lawrenceburg, 851 S.W.2d 89, 812 (Tenn. 1993). Under this standard, we are required to conduct an in-depth examination of the trial court's findings of fact and conclusions of law to determine where the preponderance of the evidence lies.
Authoring Judge: F. Lloyd Tatum, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. C. Creed Mcginley,
Benton County Workers Compensation Panel 07/12/99
GRE Insurance Group vs. Reed

01A01-9806-CH-00300

Originating Judge:John W. Rollins
Coffee County Court of Appeals 07/12/99
State vs. Charles Smith

02C01-9805-CR-00128
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/12/99
William Hall vs. Don Shaw

02A01-9810-CH-00288

Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 07/12/99
State of Tennessee vs. David Eugene Smith, Jr.

01C01-9805-CR-00224

The appellant, David E. Smith, Jr., appeals the verdict of a Davidson County jury finding him guilty of one count of theft of property over $1,000, a class D felony. For this offense, the appellant received a two year suspended sentence. On appeal, the appellant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence and contends that the trial court erred by denying his request for judicial diversion.

Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge Seth W. Norman
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/09/99
State of Tennessee vs. Anand Franklin

01C01-9807-CR-00282

The appellant, Anand Franklin, was convicted by a Davidson County jury of one (1) count of aggravated sexual battery, a Class B felony. The trial court sentenced him as a Range I offender to eight (8) years incarceration. On appeal, the appellant claims that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. After a thorough review of the
record before this Court, we affirm the trial court’s judgment.
 

Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Originating Judge:Judge Thomas H. Shriver
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/09/99
State of Tennessee vs. James Richard Watson

03C01-9809-CR-00325

The defendant, James Richard Watson, appeals from his sentence imposed for aggravated assault, a Class C felony, in the McMinn County Criminal Court. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-102(a)(1)(B) (1997). The trial court imposed a five year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction. In this direct appeal, the defendant challenges the length of the sentence imposed and the manner of service. After a review of the record, the briefs of the parties, and the applicable law, we affirm the sentence.

Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge R. Steven Bebb
McMinn County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/09/99
State of Tennessee v. Louis Lavergne

01C01-9803-CR-00128

The appellant, Louis Lavergne, pled guilty to the offense of voluntary manslaughter in the Davidson County Criminal Court.1 Pursuant to the plea agreement, both the length of the sentence and the manner of service were submitted to the trial court for determination. The trial court subsequently imposed a four year sentence to be served in the Department of Correction. In this appeal, the appellant challenges both the length of the sentence and the trial court’s denial of a sentencing alternative to total confinement.  After a review of the record, the appellant’s four year sentence is affirmed, however, the manner of service is modified to reflect a split confinement sentence of six months confinement in the local jail or workhouse with the remainder of the four year sentence to be served on supervised probation.

Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/08/99
State of Tennessee vs. Lamar Fletcher

02C01-9902-CC-00046

This matter is before the Court upon motion of the state to affirm the judgment of the trial court by order rather than formal opinion. See Rule 20, Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. This case represents an appeal from the trial court’s dismissal of the petitioner’s petition for writ of habeas corpus. The petitioner is currently serving a life sentence, having been found to be an habitual criminal in 1985. In his present petition, the petitioner claims that his conviction is void because his trial attorney worked as a Public Defender and Assistant District Attorney at the same time.
The trial court found that the petitioner was not entitled to habeas corpus relief and dismissed the petition.

Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Lauderdale County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/07/99
Jerry Nelms as next of kin and Executor of the Estate of Inez Nelms v. Walgreen Company

02A01-9805-CV-00137

Plaintiff Jerry Nelms, as next of kin and executor of the estate of his deceased wife,
Inez Nelms, appeals the trial court’s judgment awarding him the sum of $25,000 in compensatory damages but denying his request for punitive damages. We affirm the trial court’s judgment based upon our conclusion that the court properly directed a verdict in favor of Defendant/Appellee Walgreen Company on the Plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages.

Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Judge John R. McCarroll, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Appeals 07/07/99
William K. Buchanan Jr., v. Kathy Young and Donnie Young - Concurring

03A01-9811-CV-00387

The plaintiff, a resident of Hawaii, contracted to buy D & K  Auto Salvage from the defendants in August 1994, for $450, 000.00.  He employed Tom Gargone to manage the business.

Authoring Judge: Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:Judge J. Curtis Smith
Rhea County Court of Appeals 07/07/99
State of Tennessee vs. Terry Wayne Hayman

02C01-9811-CC-00354

Defendant, Terry Wayne Haymon, appeals as of right his convictions by a Dyer County jury on three counts of aggravated robbery. Honorable J. Steven Stafford sentenced the defendant to concurrent terms of thirty years as a career offender. The following issues are presented for our review:

1. whether the evidence is sufficient to support the convictions;
2. whether the defendant was improperly denied his right to a preliminary hearing; and
3. whether the defendant was properly sentenced as a career offender.


After a careful review of the record, we AFFIRM the judgment of the trial court in all respects.

Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Originating Judge:Judge J. Steven Stafford
Dyer County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/07/99
State of Tennessee vs. Charles R. Smith

02C01-9810-CC-00308

A Hardeman County jury convicted defendant of aggravated burglary, a Class C felony, and theft of property valued at $500, a Class A misdemeanor. The sole issue in this appeal as of right is sufficiency of the evidence. We find the evidence sufficient to support the convictions and AFFIRM the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Originating Judge:Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood
Hardeman County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/07/99
State of Tennessee vs. Michael D. Hawkins

03C01-9808-CC-00309

The appellant, Michael D. Hawkins, appeals as of right from the trial court’s revocation of his suspended sentence. Following a hearing, the trial court found that the appellant had violated conditions of his probation and ordered execution of the entire sentence as originally entered. On appeal, the appellant contends that the trial court should have granted intensive probation or an alternative sentence, specifically Community Corrections.

Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/06/99
State of Tennessee v. Donald Ray Middlebrooks

01S01-9802-CR-00017

This case is before us for automatic review of the Court of Criminal Appeals’
affirmance of a death sentence imposed upon Donald Ray Middlebrooks in a
Davidson County resentencing hearing for first degree murder.

Authoring Judge: Chief Justice E. Riley Anderson
Originating Judge:Judge Ann Lacy Johns
Supreme Court 07/06/99
State of Tennessee v. James R. Lemacks - Dissenting

01S01-9803-CR-00049

Because the opinion filed by the Court of Criminal Appeals states the view I take, I respectfully dissent from the view held by the majority of my colleagues and would adopt the opinion of the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Robert E. Burch
Humphreys County Supreme Court 07/06/99