APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Brenda Kaye Thomas v. Johnny Wayne Thomas

02A01-9711-CH-00292

This appeal involves a petition to modify an award of alimony. Appellant, Johnny Wayne Thomas (Husband), appeals the order of the trial court denying Husband’s petition to modify by deletion an award of alimony in futuro awarded to Appellee, Brenda Kaye Thomas (Wife).

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Judge J. Steven Stafford
Lake County Court of Appeals 04/06/99
Ray Darris Thompson v. Betty Hammond, et al. - Concurring

02A01-9808-CV-00221

Plaintiff Ray Darris Thompson appeals the trial court’s final order entering summary judgment in favor of Defendants/Appellees Betty Hammond, Vernon Brown, June Wesson, Bruce MacDonald, and Christine Bradley.  We reverse the trial court’s judgment based on our conclusion that the trial court erred in granting the Defendants’ motion for summary judgment  without considering Thompson’s motion to compel discovery.

Authoring Judge: Judge Farmer
Originating Judge:Judge Robert L. Childers
Shelby County Court of Appeals 04/06/99
Greg Townshend v. Erin Blanding Bingham

02A01-9801-CV-00019

This appeal involves a petition to modify child custody. Respondent-Appellant, Erin Blanding Bingham (Mother), appeals from the order of the trial court granting the petition to modify custody filed by Petitioner-Appellee, Thomas Gregory Townshend (Father).

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Judge D'Army Bailey
Shelby County Court of Appeals 04/06/99
Billy Wesson and Diane Wesson v. Woodworks, Inc. v. Larry Cupples, D/B/A Construction Company

02A01-9808-CV-00225

Defendant Woodworks, Inc., appeals the circuit court’s final judgment in the amount
of $8288 which was entered in favor of Plaintiffs/Appellees Billy and Diane Wesson. We reverse
the circuit court’s judgment based upon our conclusion that the court erred in directing a verdict in
favor of Defendant/Appellee Larry Cupples, d/b/a Cupples Construction Company, and we remand
for a new trial.

Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Madison County Court of Appeals 04/06/99
Bechtel Construciton Co. v. Campbell

03S01-9712-CV-00145
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. The issue in this case is whether the evidence preponderates against the finding of the trial court that the employee did not suffer a compensable injury or an aggravation thereof within the purview of the workers' compensation laws. 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 finding, 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 employee initially alleged that she suffered a job-related accident while employed as an apprentice pipe fitter at the TVA Sequoyah Nuclear Plant in Hamilton County on May 14, 1996. This theory was essentially abandoned after the proof was closed, and the employee was permitted to amend her counter- complaint by alleging a gradual injury involving cervical and shoulder pain. Ms. Campbell was initially employed in August, 1995. She was laid off in May, 1996, but was on furlough for two months during her brief employment. She testified that on May 14, 1996, while relaxing during a lunch break, pain developed in her left forearm. Three days later she was laid off due to a reduction in force, and applied for and received unemployment benefits, after certifying to her union that she was able to work. On June 6, 1996, she was injured in an automobile accident, and reported to the treating chiropractor that she had neck and shoulder complaints, not job-related. She did not pursue further chiropractic treatment because "it would mess up her compensation claim." 2
Authoring Judge: William H. Inman, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. L. Marie Williams,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 04/05/99
Denise Stavropoulos v. Saturn Corporation

01S01-9711-CV-00251
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. Denise Stavropoulos (employee), suffered bilateral hand numbness and later severe neck pain with no identifiable precipitating event. Massive cervical disc herniation was diagnosed and corrective surgery was performed. The trial court found the condition to be work-related and awarded 9 percent permanent partial vocational disability, in lump sum, and temporary total disability benefits, set off by group disability benefits which had been paid as of the date of trial. Employee is 42 years old and has a high school education. After 14 years' work as a sewing machine operator and press operator for General Motors in Michigan, she began working for Saturn Corporation (employer) in 1992 as an Inventory Management team member. Her duties included operating a forklift truck with an overhead computer screen and reaching up to the computer to enter data about the work that was being performed. She had been treated by a therapeutic masseuse on two occasions in November 1995, for tension, headaches, and mild thoracic stiffness. On November 15, 1995, the masseuse found tight levator, rhomboid and supraspinous muscles, i.e., the muscles surrounding the shoulder blades and cervical spine. She performed an hour-long "myofacial release technique" to the shoulder blades and cervical spine, with good results.1 The employee first noticed numbness in her hands during the second week of July, 1996, and does not recall any precipitating event. She testified that the 1 Performed to treat inflammation where the muscle is attached to the bone. The Sloane-Dorland Annotated Medical-Legal Dictionary, West Publishing, 1987. 2
Authoring Judge: William H. Inman, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Jim T. Hamilton,
Maury County Workers Compensation Panel 04/05/99
Hite vs. Glazer Steel

03A01-9808-CV-00256
Court of Appeals 04/01/99
State of Tennessee vs. James Robert Fields - Concurring

02C01-9709-CC-00341

I agree that the conviction should be affirmed. Assault is not a lesser included or lesser grade offense of statutory rape. I disagree, however, with footnote 3 which suggests that a special request by the defendant for an instruction on a lesser offense would serve to amend the indictment. See State v. Leland Ray Reeves, No. 01C01-9711-CR-00515 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Nashville, Mar. 23, 1999).

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R. Wade
Originating Judge:Judge Julian P. Guinn
Henry County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/01/99
State vs. McMahan

03C01-9707-CR-00262

Originating Judge:Mary Beth Leibowitz
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/31/99
State vs. James G. Frazier

01C01-9804-CR-00179

Originating Judge:Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/31/99
01C01-9802-CR-00069

01C01-9802-CR-00069
White County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/31/99
B&H Investments, Inc., v. James W. Brooks

W1999-01252-COA-R3-CV

This appeal arises from a dispute regarding whether Plaintiff B& H was entitled to a deficiency judgment following a foreclosure sale of Defendants' property. Despite Defendant Brooks' counter-claim of fraud in the sale, the court found that Plaintiff was entitled to a deficiency judgment. Defendant Brooks' motion for new trial or for an amendment of the findings of fact was denied. Brooks appeals this denial.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Chancellor Joe C. Morris
Madison County Court of Appeals 03/31/99
01A01-9807-CH-352

01A01-9807-CH-352
Court of Appeals 03/31/99
State vs. Samuel Kimoe Robinson

01C01-9803-CC-00153

Originating Judge:William B. Cain
Giles County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/31/99
Zachary Robinson vs. State

03C01-9804-CR-00166

Originating Judge:Ray L. Jenkins
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/31/99
State vs. Billy Barnett

03C01-9712-CR-00546
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/31/99
Jaco vs. Dept. of Health, Bureau of Medicaid

01A01-9806-CH-00324

Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 03/31/99
Joann Mooney vs. Joe Sneed

02A01-9709-CV-00210

Originating Judge:D'Army Bailey
Shelby County Court of Appeals 03/31/99
Fideltity and Casualty Company of New York, v. Gregory Entertainment, Inc.

01-A-0-9804-CH00203

The primary issue in this case is whether the trial court should have granted Plaintiff's motion to amend its complaint to correct deficiencies that were raised by Defendant in a motion for judgment on the pleadings. Plaintiff disputes that the Complaint is deficient, but requested to be allowed to amend the Complaint by attaching discoverable documents that would have been introduced at trisl. We are of the opinion that leave to amend should have been granted.

 

Authoring Judge: Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Judge Henry Denmark Bell
Williamson County Court of Appeals 03/31/99
Lois Winbush vs. Thomas Winbush

02A01-9809-CH-00248

Originating Judge:Joe C. Morris
Chester County Court of Appeals 03/31/99
State vs. Joseph Martin Thurman

01C01-9706-CC-00231
Marion County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/31/99
Mathis Martin vs. State

01C01-9801-CR-00013

Originating Judge:Seth W. Norman
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/30/99
State vs. Sean A. Taylor

01C01-9803-CR-00124
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/30/99
State vs. Jesse Dawan

02C01-9709-CC-00370

Originating Judge:Dick Jerman, Jr.
Haywood County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/30/99
State vs. Courtney Price/Robertson

02C01-9804-CC-00115

Originating Judge:Dick Jerman, Jr.
Gibson County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/30/99