APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

State of Tennessee v. Michael Shane Powell

E2001-01544-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant, Michael Shane Powell, was convicted by a jury of first degree felony murder by aggravated child abuse, and aggravated child abuse. The trial court subsequently sentenced the Defendant to life imprisonment for the murder, and to a concurrent term of twenty years for the aggravated child abuse. In this direct appeal, the Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence; the admission of proof of a prior alleged instance of child abuse; and the constitutionality of his dual convictions for felony murder by aggravated child abuse, and aggravated child abuse. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:Judge Stephen M. Bevil
Hamilton County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/09/02
Darry L Phillips v. Deroyal Industries

E2001-01655-WC-R3-CV
The employer appeals the trial court's award of medical bills for testing and hospitalization by an unauthorized physician. The employee cross-appeals contending (a) that he was justified in seeking treatment by the unauthorized physician and that all medical bills should have been awarded, and (b) that the trial court erred in failing to award all temporary total benefits due. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Howell N. Peoples, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Billy Joe White, Chancellor
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 07/08/02
State of Tennessee v. Edward Korick

E2000-02474-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Edward Korik, appeals the Anderson County Criminal Court's ordering him to serve forty-five days in jail for his guilty plea to driving under the influence (DUI), second offense, a Class A misdemeanor. He contends that this court should remand his case to the general sessions court, where it originated, with orders that the general sessions court consider his request for work release instead of incarceration. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Judge James B. Scott, Jr.
Anderson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/08/02
David Boese v. State of Tennessee

E2001-00035-CCA-R3-PC

Petitioner pled guilty in state court to second degree murder and aggravated assault. Petitioner contends he was told by trial counsel that a pending first degree murder charge in state court would result in incarceration for life without parole in federal court on related charges. He asserts that trial counsel's performance was deficient resulting in unknowing and involuntary guilty pleas. We disagree and affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Carroll L. Ross
Bradley County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/08/02
State of Tennessee v. Timothy Tyrone Sanders

M2001-02128-CCA-R3-CD

The appellant, Timothy Tyrone Sanders, was convicted in the Bedford County Circuit Court of one count of possession of .5 grams or more of cocaine with intent to sell. On direct appeal, this court reversed the appellant's conviction because the trial court failed to properly charge the jury on the lesser-included offense of simple possession, and we remanded the case for retrial. State v. Timothy Tyrone Sanders, No. M2000-00603-CCA-R3-CD, 2001 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 38, at **13-14 (Nashville, January 18, 2001). Subsequently, the appellant was once again convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to sell. The trial court sentenced the appellant as a Range II offender to seventeen years and six months incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. In the instant appeal, the appellant raises the following issues: (1) whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain his conviction, and (2) whether the trial court erred in determining the length of his sentence. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge W. Charles Lee
Bedford County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/05/02
State of Tennessee v. Shannon Wade Jacobs

M2001-00349-CCA-R3-CD
Defendant was convicted of second degree murder, a Class A felony. On appeal, defendant contends that the trial court improperly excluded defendant's medical records and improperly sentenced defendant. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Robert L. Holloway
Giles County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/05/02
State of Tennessee v. James Robert Lawson

E2001-01415-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant pled guilty to one count of child abuse, a Class D felony. Following a hearing, the trial court denied judicial diversion. The trial court sentenced the Defendant as a Range I, standard offender to two years to be served on intensive probation. The Defendant now appeals, arguing that the trial court erred by denying him judicial diversion and by imposing as a condition of his probation that he not reside in the same household with children of "tender years." Finding no error, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge R. Jerry Beck
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/03/02
State of Tennessee v. Derrick Wayne Kembel

E2001-02087-CCA-R3-CD
The appellant, Derrick Wayne Kembel, entered guilty pleas in the Blount County Circuit Court to seven counts of theft and was granted immediate probation. Soon thereafter, the trial court revoked the appellant's probation due to the appellant's failure to comply with the terms of his release. On appeal, the appellant contends that the trial court erred when it revoked his probation and sentenced him to serve the balance of his sentence in incarceration. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/02/02
State of Tennessee v. Ronnie Daniel

M2001-01217-CCA-R3-CD

On March 6, 1997, the defendant pled guilty to a two-count indictment for passing worthless checks in an amount over $10,000, a Class C felony, and in an amount over $1,000, a Class D felony. He was granted judicial diversion and placed on probation. The trial court subsequently revoked the defendant's diversion and sentenced him to concurrent sentences of four years and six months for the Class C felony and two years for the Class D felony, all suspended except seven months service in the county jail. In this appeal, the defendant contends he should have received full probation or community corrections upon being revoked from judicial diversion. We disagree and affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Originating Judge:Judge Stella L. Hargrove
Wayne County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/01/02
State of Tennessee v. Steven Murray

E2000-02878-CCA-R3-CD
In this case, the Defendant, Steven Murray, pled guilty to assault. The Criminal Court of Roane County sentenced Defendant to serve the agreed-upon 11 months and 29 days, suspended, on supervised probation, and ordered restitution in the amount of $10,622.75. In his sole issue on appeal, Defendant asserts that the trial court erred in the amount of restitution ordered and requests that the order of restitution be set aside and this case remanded for a new hearing. We have found a clerical error in the order setting forth the conditions of probation and remand for correction of that order. Otherwise, the judgment of the criminal court is affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Originating Judge:Judge E. Eugene Eblen
Roane County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/28/02
State of Tennessee v. Barry K. Harris

M2001-01359-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant was convicted of theft over $500.00, two counts of theft over $1000.00, and driving on a suspended license with prior convictions. He was given an effective sentence of eighteen years in the Department of Correction. The defendant contends that the sentence imposed by the trial court is excessive. The trial court followed the statutory sentencing procedure, imposed a lawful sentence after considering and weighing the proper factors and principles set out under sentencing law, and the trial court's findings of fact are supported by the record. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.The defendant was convicted of theft over $500.00, two counts of theft over $1000.00, and driving on a suspended license with prior convictions. He was given an effective sentence of eighteen years in the Department of Correction. The defendant contends that the sentence imposed by the trial court is excessive. The trial court followed the statutory sentencing procedure, imposed a lawful sentence after considering and weighing the proper factors and principles set out under sentencing law, and the trial court's findings of fact are supported by the record. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Donald P. Harris
Williamson County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/28/02
State of Tennessee v. Thomas Dee Huskey

E1999-00438-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Thomas Dee Huskey, appeals as of right from his convictions and sentences for aggravated rape, rape, aggravated robbery, robbery, especially aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated kidnapping, for which he received an aggregate sentence of sixty-six years. The convictions relate to four victims and result from two trials that were consolidated for this appeal. The defendant raises numerous issues. Although we conclude that several errors occurred, only one requires reversal of any convictions. Because of improper consolidation, we reverse the judgments for the three aggravated rape convictions and one especially aggravated kidnapping conviction relating to the victim, D.C., but we affirm the remaining judgments of conviction.

Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Judge Richard R. Baumgartner
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/28/02
John C. Tomlinson v. State of Tennessee

M2001-02152-CCA-R3-CO
The petitioner appeals the trial court's denial of the appointment of counsel and the dismissal of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. For many and varied reasons, we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Originating Judge:Judge Steve R. Dozier
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/28/02
Rodney D. Palmer v. State of Tennessee

W2001-01571-CCA-R3-PC

A Shelby County jury convicted the Petitioner of attempted second degree murder, a Class B felony, and three counts of aggravated assault, a Class C felony. The trial court ordered the Petitioner to serve an effective twenty-six-year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction. This Court affirmed the Petitioner's convictions on appeal, and the Tennessee Supreme Court denied permission to appeal. The Petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief. Following a hearing, the court denied post-conviction relief. The Petitioner now appeals the denial of post-conviction relief. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge Chris B. Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/28/02
Doxie M. Frayser v. Dentsply International, Inc.

W2001-01485-SC-WCM-CV
The trial court found that Plaintiff's workers' compensation claim for an injury occurring in 1994, was barred by the statute of limitations and that the doctrine of equitable estoppel was not applicable to the case. We hold that an employer may not offer an employee an alternative benefit option that would circumvent Tennessee Workers' Compensation Law when the employer is aware that the employee's injury is work-related. As discussed below, the trial court's judgment is reversed and remanded in part and affirmed in part.
Authoring Judge: L. Terry Lafferty, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Robert A. Lanier, Judge
Shelby County Workers Compensation Panel 06/28/02
Rodney Tipton v. State of Tennessee

E2001-00001-CCA-R3-PC
The Appellant, Rodney Lee Tipton, proceeding pro se, appeals from the dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. Tipton was convicted by a Blount County jury of aggravated rape and aggravated robbery and received an effective thirty-three year sentence in the Department of Correction. On appeal, Tipton argues that he should receive a new trial based upon the following grounds: (1) the State’s refusal to respond to his discovery requests, and the post-conviction court’s failure to address his motion to compel discovery; (2) denial of the right to represent himself at his post-conviction hearing; (3) denial of his right to testify at trial; (4) ineffective assistance of counsel; (5) prosecutorial misconduct; (6) actual innocence; (7) the cumulative effect of all errors; and (8) the post-conviction court’s failure to enter specific findings of fact and conclusions of law. After a review of the record, we affirm the dismissal of Tipton’s petition for post-conviction relief.
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/28/02
State of Tennessee v. Don Woody McGowan

M2001-02866-CCA-R3-CD

Defendant, Don Woody McGowan, was convicted by a Marion County jury of possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class E felony. Defendant appeals his conviction, presenting the following issues for review: (1) whether the evidence was sufficient to support his conviction; (2) whether he was denied a fair trial by the trial court's denial of his motion to sever the cases when the co-defendant failed to appear on the second day of trial; (3) whether the trial judge erred by failing to recuse himself; and (4) whether his sentence was proper. After a review of the record, we find that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction. The judgment of the trial court is reversed, and the case is dismissed.

Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Originating Judge:Judge Thomas W. Graham
Marion County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/28/02
Charles Dallas Cauthern, et al. v. City of White Bluff, Tennessee

M1998-00991-COA-R3-CV
This appeal stems from two landowners' efforts to change the zoning classification of their property from residential to commercial and industrial. After the White Bluff Town Council denied their request, the landowners filed a petition for writ of common-law certiorari in the Chancery Court for Dickson County alleging that the council's action was invalid because one council member who had recused himself from voting on the proposed zoning change actively opposed their request and caused another council member to recuse himself. The trial court, sitting without a jury, denied the landowners' petition, and the landowners have appealed. Treating the petition as a complaint of declaratory judgment, we have determined that the effectiveness of the council member's recusal is a nonjusticiable political question. Accordingly, we affirm the trial court's conclusion that the landowners were not entitled to judicial relief.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Leonard W. Martin
Dickson County Court of Appeals 06/27/02
Roy Jones vs. Perry Spurling

E2001-02875-COA-R3-CV
This is a suit by Roy Jones, a tenured teacher in the Morgan County School System, against Perry Spurling, Keith Adcock, Cassandra Duncan, Debbie Lively, and Conrad Strand, Members of the Morgan County Board of Education, Paul Scarbrough, Superintendent of the Morgan County Schools, and the Morgan County Board of Education. The suit seeks, by means of a writ of certiorari, to overturn a determination of the Board that Mr. Jones' employment should be terminated because of an altercation between him and a student. We vacate and remand.
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:Frank V. Williams, III
Morgan County Court of Appeals 06/27/02
Lawrence County v. Jerry Brewer, et al .

M2001-00078-COA-R3-CV
This matter involves a dispute over payment of solid waste disposal fees, which the Lawrence County Commission attempted to charge the citizens of Lawrence County, and application of late payment penalties to these fees. Lawrence County filed complaints in order to collect overdue solid waste fees that the Commission allegedly enacted on May 25, 1999 by Resolution #11052599. The trial court determined that Resolution #11051599 did not impose any solid waste fees on the residents of Lawrence County and dismissed Plaintiff's complaints. We affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Robert L. Holloway
Lawrence County Court of Appeals 06/27/02
State of Tennessee v. Rhonda Patricia Mayes - Order

M2001-00423-CCA-R3-CD

The opinion and judgment entered June 24, 2002, are hereby VACATED and WITHDRAWN. A corrected opinion and judgment will be filed in due course.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Marshall County Court of Criminal Appeals 06/27/02
Joe Livingston v. Jennifer Elaine Livingston

M2001-02697-COA-R3-CV
This is a divorce case. The trial court granted Joe Phillip Livingston ("Father") a divorce from Jennifer Elaine Livingston ("Mother") on the ground of inappropriate marital conduct and awarded primary physical custody of the parties' two minor children to Father. Mother was granted visitation rights; however, the court ordered that she "refrain from allowing the parties' children to be at the residence of [Mother's] maternal grandmother" during visitation. Mother appeals the award of custody and the granting of the divorce to Father. In addition, Mother also raises a procedural issue and questions the admission of certain evidence. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:John W. Rollins
Coffee County Court of Appeals 06/27/02
E2001-02860-COA-R3-CV

E2001-02860-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Billy Joe White
Campbell County Court of Appeals 06/27/02
Stanley Alford vs. Pamela Alford

E2001-02361-COA-R3-CV
In this divorce case, the trial court dissolved a marriage of 21 years and divided the parties' marital property. Stanley David Alford ("Husband") appeals, arguing that the division of property was not equitable and that the trial court erred in requiring him to pay the post-separation debts of his wife, Pamela Ward Alford ("Wife"). By way of a separate issue, Wife contends that the trial court erred in refusing to award retroactive child support. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Originating Judge:Joyce M. Ward
Hamblen County Court of Appeals 06/27/02
K. Mahendra Chowbay v. Brian Davis, et al.

M2001-01838-COA-R3-CV
In this premises liability case, K. Mahendra Chowbay ("Plaintiff") sued the owners of a club, Silverado's Saloon and Dance Hall ("Silverado's"), for injuries Plaintiff received during an assault by one of Silverado's patrons, Brian Davis. Plaintiff also sued Davis. Silverado's owners, Pat Patton and Eight Track Management Company, LLC, d/b/a Silverado's Saloon and Dance Hall ("Defendants"), filed a Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.02(6) motion to dismiss which must be treated as a motion for summary judgment because matters outside the pleadings were submitted to the trial court. Defendants contended in their motion that since Davis' assault of Plaintiff occurred on property neither owned nor operated by Defendants, Defendants owed no duty of care to Plaintiff to protect him from such an assault. The trial court granted Defendants' motion. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Marietta M. Shipley
Davidson County Court of Appeals 06/27/02