APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Virginia Lynn Woolsey, v. Douglas Harmon McPherson

02A01-9706-JV-00125

Plaintiff Virginia Lynn Woolsey appeals the trial court’s order removing Jennifer McPherson from her custody and placing the child in the custody of Defendant Douglas Harmon McPherson. McPherson appeals the trial court’s order requiring him to pay the $15,000 fee of the Guardian ad Litem. We affirm in all respects.

Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Judge A. V. McDowell
Shelby County Court of Appeals 11/02/98
Gary Charles Hill, v. Insurance Company of North America

03S01-9712-CH-00150

This workers' 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)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Authoring Judge: Special Judge Roger E. Thayer
Originating Judge:Chancellor Jeffrey F. Stewart
Court of Appeals 11/02/98
State of Tennessee vs. James Christopher Tatrow

03C01-9707-CR-00299

A jury in Cumberland County Criminal Court convicted the defendant, James Christopher Tatrow, of two counts of felony murder and two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping in the deaths of Roger Zammit and John Harry. The defendant was also convicted of two counts of premeditated and deliberate murder of the same victims. The trial court set aside those verdicts, however, as the thirteenth juror. See Tenn. R. Crim. P. 33 (f). In the sentencing phase, the jury declined to impose the death penalty or life without parole and sentenced the defendant to serve life sentences with the possibility of parole. At the conclusion of a sentencing hearing, the trial court ordered the defendant to serve two consecutive life sentences concurrently with sentences of 22 years for the kidnapping convictions. The defendant now challenges the validity of the convictions and the propriety of consecutive sentencing pursuant to Rule 3 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure.

Authoring Judge: Judge Curwood Witt
Originating Judge:Judge John A. Turnbull
Cumberland County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/02/98
Melissa Cooper v. Xerox Corporation

02S01-9710-CH-00091
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 fact and conclusions of law. Review of the findings of fact made by the trial court is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of the correctness of the findings, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(2); Stone v. City of McMinnville, 896 S.W.2d 548, 55 (Tenn. 1995). The application of this standard requires this Court to weigh in more depth the factual findings and conclusions of the trial court in a workers' compensation case. See Corcoran v. Foster Auto GMC, Inc., 746 S.W.2d 452, 456 (Tenn. 1988). The trial court awarded the plaintiff ten percent permanent partial disability to the body as a whole, half of certain medical expenses, and discretionary costs. The defendant appeals and raises the following issues for our review: I. Whether or not the preponderance of the evidence supports the Trial Court's finding that the Plaintiff sustained a 1% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole as a result of this injury. II. Whether or not the preponderance of the evidence supports the Trial Court's award of _ of the medical expenses incurred by Plaintiff as a result of the medical expense of chiropractor Joseph Lipkowitz. III. Whether or not the Trial Court abused its discretion in awarding discretionary costs to Plaintiff in the above matter. We find that the award of ten percent is contrary to the weight of the evidence and that the judgment of the trial court should be reversed and dismissed. Because of this decision, we do not reach the last two issues on appeal.
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Floyd Peete,
Shelby County Workers Compensation Panel 11/02/98
Phyllis Renee Brown, v. Charles Chandler Brown, Sr. - Concurring

02A01-9709-CV-00228

I concur in the result reached by the majority opinion. However, I write separately to express my concern with the language on page 10 of that opinion which states that, “[i]n order to be compelling enough to warrant the dramatic remedy of changed custody, the change of circumstances must be such that ‘continuation of the adjudicated custody will substantially harm the child.’” I acknowledge that this language appears in Wall v. Wall, 907 S.W.2d 829, 834 (Tenn. App. 1995), an opinion of the middle section of this court. However, I further note that Wall cited Contreras v. Ward, 831 S.W.2d 288 (Tenn. App. 1991). Contreras was a parental relocation case which stated the long recognized rule that “the best interest and welfare of the child must be the primary focus of attention.” Contreras, 831 S.W.2d at 290. The court also cited with approval from Sartoph v. Sartoph, 354 A.2d 467, 473 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 1976), wherein the Maryland Court of Special Appeals stated that “[t]he custody of children should not be disturbed unless there is some strong reason affecting the welfare of the child. To justify a change in custody, the change in conditions must have occurred which affects the welfare of the child and not that of the parents.”

Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Court of Appeals 11/02/98
State vs. Charles Madison Blackman, Jr.

01C01-9708-CC-00335

Originating Judge:J. S. Daniel
Rutherford County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/30/98
03A01-9712-CH-00535

03A01-9712-CH-00535
Court of Appeals 10/30/98
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 10/30/98
State vs. Thomas Davenport

01C01-9802-CC-00065

Originating Judge:Don Ash
Cannon County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/30/98
State vs. Michael Love

02C01-9805-CC-00134
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/30/98
01A01-9711-PB-00656

01A01-9711-PB-00656

Originating Judge:Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 10/30/98
Sanjines vs. Sanjines

03A01-9808-CV-00253
Court of Appeals 10/30/98
State vs. Thomas Davenport

01C01-9802-CC-00065

Originating Judge:Don Ash
Cannon County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/30/98
Thomas Calvin Maney v. Tennessee Board of Paroles

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

A prisoner at the Lake County Regional Correctional Facility filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the Circuit Court of Davidson County, claiming that the Board of Paroles had acted illegally in revoking his parole, and in refusing to recondiser the revocation. The circuit court granted summary judgment to the Board of Paroles.  We affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas W. Brothers
Originating Judge:Presiding Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Davidson County Court of Appeals 10/30/98
Lescarbeau vs. Lescarbeau

03A01-9706-CV-00215
Greene County Court of Appeals 10/30/98
Moore vs. Moore

03A01-9708-CH-00382
Court of Appeals 10/30/98
Caruthers vs. Caruthers

03A01-9712-PB-00539
Cumberland County Court of Appeals 10/30/98
State v. Larry Morris

01C01-9708-CC-00322
Franklin County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/30/98
Fowler vs. Bowie

03A01-9801-CV-00021
Washington County Court of Appeals 10/30/98
Policeman's Benefit Assoc. of Nashvillevs. Nautilus Insurance Co.

M2001-00611-COA-R3-CV
Plaintiff filed this declaratory judgment action against its liability insurance carrier to determine the carrier's duty to defend plaintiff in a federal lawsuit and its obligation to provide indemnity coverage. The trial court granted defendant summary judgment, and plaintiff appeals. We vacate and remand.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Davidson County Court of Appeals 10/30/98
Kennedy vs. Robson

01A01-9707-CV-00343

Originating Judge:Thomas Goodall
Sumner County Court of Appeals 10/30/98
Pleasant vs. Repass

03A01-9804-CH-00117
Court of Appeals 10/30/98
State vs. Royce Lane

02C01-9604-CC-00133

Originating Judge:Joe G. Riley. Jr.
Dyer County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/30/98
State vs. Woods

03C01-9707-CR-00287

Originating Judge:Ray L. Jenkins
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/29/98
State vs. Antonio J. Shelton

01C01-9707-CR-00316

Originating Judge:Seth W. Norman
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/29/98