APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Elizabeth Ann Boutin, v. Francis John Boutin

01A01-9601-CH-00014

This appeal involves a provision in a marital dissolution agreement requiring the father to prepay his child support. Upon discovering that one of his children had decided not to complete high school, the father stopped paying the agreed amount of child support and filed a petition to terminate his child support obligation on the ground that the prepayment agreement was premised on the children’s continued enrollment in high school. The Chancery Court for Williamson County denied the petition, and the father perfected this appeal. We have determined that the trial court correctly enforced the amended marital dissolution agreement and accordingly affirm the judgment as modified herein.

Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Henry Denmark Bell
Williamson County Court of Appeals 12/04/96
Cynthia Albright v. Joseph L. Mercer, III

01A01-9607-CH-00333

This is an appeal by defendant/appellant, Joseph L. Mercer, III, from a decision of the Chancery Court for Williamson County awarding plaintiff/appellee, Cynthia Albright, attorney's fees of $1,000.00.

Authoring Judge: Judge Samuel L. Lewis
Originating Judge:Judge Henry Denmark Bell
Williamson County Court of Appeals 12/04/96
Colemill Enterprises, Inc., v. Joe Huddleston, Commissioner of Tennessee Department of Revenue

01A01-9605-CH-00218

This is an appeal by plaintiff/appellant, Colemill Enterprises, Inc. ("Colemill"), from a decision of the chancery court which affirmed the determination of defendant/appellee, Joe Huddleston, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Revenue ("Commissioner"), that Colemill owed certain state and local sales and use taxes. The facts out of which this matter arose are as follows.

Authoring Judge: Judge Samuel L. Lewis
Originating Judge:Chancellor Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 12/04/96
Freddy Lee Jones v. Michael Greene, Commissioner Tennessee Department of Safety

01A01-9505-CH-00187

This appeal involves over $45,000 seized during the search of a house in Memphis for illegal drugs. After the Commissioner of Safety ordered the forfeiture of the money, the person claiming the funds filed a petition for review in the Chancery Court for Davidson County asserting that the forfeiture statutes deprived him of his constitutional right to a jury trial and violated the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the United States and Tennessee Constitutions. The trial court upheld the forfeiture statutes and the forfeiture, and this appeal followed. We have determined that Tennessee’s forfeiture statutes are constitutional and that the record contains substantial and material evidence supporting the commissioner’s forfeiture order. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment.

Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Chancellor Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 12/04/96
Sandra L. Garfinkel, v. Charles Leonard Garfinkel

02A01-9511-CH-00265

This is a divorce case in which the trial court awarded custody of the parties’ minor children
to Plaintiff/Appellee, Sandra Garfinkel (Wife), with standard visitation to Defendant/Appellant,
Charles Garfinkel (Husband). Husband was ordered to pay child support and rehabilitative alimony for a period of one year. The trial court also held that Wife had not established any appreciation in the value of Husband’s separate property during the course of the marriage. Husband appeals the trial court’s rulings on child custody, child support and alimony. Wife appeals the trial court’s decision regarding Husband’s separate property. We affirm on all issues.

Authoring Judge: Judge Holly Kirby Lillard
Originating Judge:Chancellor John Walton West
Henry County Court of Appeals 12/03/96
Rainbo Baking Company of Louisville, a Delaware Corporation, v. Release Coatings of Tennessee, Inc.

02A01-9510-CH-00223

Rainbo Baking Company of Louisville (“Rainbo”) filed suit in the Chancery Court of Shelby County against Release Coatings of Tennessee, Inc. (“Release”) seeking compensatory damages from Release for damages allegedly sustained by Rainbo as a result of the improper straightening of a large quantity of baking pans used by it in its bakery business. The suit contained a count in negligence and a count in breach of contract. Release filed a counter-claim seeking to recover from Rainbo the balance due it for work performed. Following a bench trial, the court issued an opinion from the bench. In this opinion the court found that upon the evidence presented, Release was liable to Rainbo. However, the court specifically stated that it did not find that Rainbo had carried its burden of proof as to damages. The court ordered a reference to the Master to give Rainbo an opportunity to present additional proof as to damages, with Release being given an opportunity to present countervailing proof if desired. Following the Master’s hearing, a report was submitted to the chancellor in which the value of Rainbo’s pans was stated. The Master’s report was affirmed and judgment entered thereon in favor of Rainbo. The chancellor dismissed the counterclaim of Release against Rainbo. Release has raised three issues on appeal: did the 2 chancellor err in: (1) awarding a judgment against Release when Rainbo failed to prove its case; (2) the manner of determining the amount of damages sustained by Rainbo; and (3) failing to find for Release on its counter-claim. For the reasons hereinafter stated, we modify and affirm the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Senior Judge Hewitt P. Tomlin
Originating Judge:Chancellor D. J. D'Allisandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 12/03/96
Janice Holder v.Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission and George T. Lewis, III, Esq. in his official capacity as Chairperson of the Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission

01S01-9610-CH-00211

The petition to rehear is denied. ENTER this the 2nd day of December, 1996.
 

Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Davidson County Supreme Court 12/02/96
State of Tennessee v. John Michael Denton and William Douglas Brown v. State of Tennessee

01S01-9509-CC-00152

We granted review and consolidated these cases in order to consider the circumstances under which imposition of two convictions resulting from a "single" criminal act may violate the double jeopardy and du process clause of the state and federal constitutions in light of State v. Anthony, 817S.W. 2d299 (Tenn. 1991).

 

Authoring Judge: Chief Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge Henry D. Bell
Davidson County Supreme Court 12/02/96
Debbie VanCleave, v. Matthew Markowski and Diane Markowski

02A01-9602-CV-00035

This matter appears appropriate for consideration pursuant to Rule 10(b) of the Rules of the
Court of Appeals of Tennessee.

Authoring Judge: Judge Holly Kirby Lillard
Originating Judge:Judge Whit A. Lafon
Madison County Court of Appeals 12/02/96
William Wesley Goad v. State of Tennessee

01S01-9509-CR-00169

The primary issue in this appeal is whether the petitioner, William Wesley Goad, was afforded his constitutional right to effective assistance of counsel at the sentencing phase of his capital trial.
 

Authoring Judge: Chief Justice E. Riley Anderson
Originating Judge:Judge Fred A. Kelly, III
Sumner County Supreme Court 12/02/96
01A01-9603-CH-00128

01A01-9603-CH-00128

Originating Judge:William B. Cain
Maury County Court of Appeals 11/27/96
01C01-9506-CC-00178lerk

01C01-9506-CC-00178lerk

Originating Judge:W. Charles Lee
Bedford County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/27/96
03C01-9604-CC-00153

03C01-9604-CC-00153
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/27/96
01A01-9606-CV-00270

01A01-9606-CV-00270

Originating Judge:Thomas Goodall
Sumner County Court of Appeals 11/27/96
03C01-9601-CR-00001

03C01-9601-CR-00001

Originating Judge:Stephen M. Bevil
Hamilton County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/27/96
01A01-9510-CV-00456

01A01-9510-CV-00456

Originating Judge:Walter C. Kurtz
Davidson County Court of Appeals 11/27/96
Mary A. Marshall v. Bc/Bs of Memphis, et al

02S01-9606-CV-00058
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court inaccordance with Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the employee contends it was error to summarily dismiss her claim as being barred by Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-23, a statute of limitation. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment should be reversed and the case remanded for trial of all issues raised by the pleadings. The action was commenced by the filing of a complaint and summons on February 24, 1995 seeking workers' compensation benefits for injuries and disabilities arising out of and in the course of the claimant's employment with the defendant, Blue Cross / Blue Shield of Memphis. In particular, the employee claims that she has become permanently disabled from the repetitive trauma of operating a key punch machine. By their responsive pleading, the defendants deny the existence of the injury and deny that they received timely notice, but do not assert the affirmative defense that the claim is barred by any statute of limitations. The defendants then took the claimant's discovery deposition and interrogated her concerning, among other things, when she first knew her work was causing pain. Her deposition reveals that her pain began in 1992 and was reported to the employer. The employer, however, chose to treat her claim not as one for workers' compensation benefits, but for group health benefits. On January 18, 1996, the defendants served a pre-trial "Motion to Dismiss" the claimant's claim "pursuant to Rule 41.2 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure" for "failure to file such cause of action within the time prescribed by Section 5-6-23 of the Tennessee Code Annotated." The motion was, according to the trial judge's order of dismissal, "supported by" the claimant's discovery deposition. The trial judge treated the motion as a Tenn. R. Civ. P. 56 motion for summary judgment, found from the deposition that the claimant "was told in 1992 that she was suffering work related injuries to her wrists, shoulders, neck and back by her physicians (sic) statement to her employer so stating and was told by her employer she did not have a workers' compensation claim," and dismissed the claim as being time-barred. By Tenn. R. Civ. P. 56.3, summary judgment will lie if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Summary judgment is almost never an option in workers' compensation cases; however, when there is no dispute over the evidence establishing thefacts 2
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Irma Merrill,
Marshall County Workers Compensation Panel 11/27/96
03C01-9512-CC-00385

03C01-9512-CC-00385

Originating Judge:R. Jerry Beck
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/27/96
01C01-9509-CC-00285

01C01-9509-CC-00285
Montgomery County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/27/96
01A01-9606-CH-00254

01A01-9606-CH-00254

Originating Judge:Robert S. Brandt
Davidson County Court of Appeals 11/27/96
01A01-9606-CH-00285

01A01-9606-CH-00285

Originating Judge:Allen W. Wallace
Cheatham County Court of Appeals 11/27/96
03C01-9512-CC-00398

03C01-9512-CC-00398

Originating Judge:Frank L. Slaughter
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/27/96
01A01-9608-CH-00363

01A01-9608-CH-00363
Court of Appeals 11/27/96
01A01-9605-CH-00204

01A01-9605-CH-00204

Originating Judge:Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Davidson County Court of Appeals 11/27/96
01C01-9510-CR-00344

01C01-9510-CR-00344

Originating Judge:J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/27/96