APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

Please enter some keywords to search.
Joe Erwin and Susan Erwin, as surviving parents of and next of kin of Bethany Suzanne Erwin, et. ux. v. James M. Rose, Wade Matheny, in his capacity as Sheriff of Maury County, Tennessee, and Tracy Joe Lovell

01A01-9706-CV-00248

 The appellants have filed a petition to rehear based on the Western Section’s opinion in Sims v. Stewart, No. 02A01-9706-CV-00123 (Jackson, Jan. 21, 1998). In Sims the court relied on an earlier case of Dwight v. Tennessee Farmers Mut. Ins. Co., 701 S.W.2d 621 (Tenn. App. 1985), and decided that the policy in question “provides that reduction for worker’s compensation benefits applies to damages and in no way affects the coverage available.” We think that Dwight stated the opposite; it stated that coverage was reduced by any worker’s compensation benefits paid or payable. We respectfully overrule the petition to rehear.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Henry F. Todd
Maury County Court of Appeals 05/06/98
Robert C. Daniels, v. Charles Traughber, Tennessee Board of Paroles, et al. - Concurring

01A01-9707-CH-00297

I concur with the decision to affirm the trial court’s order. In my view, it is simply a case of statutory application. In the “Open Parole Hearings Act” of 1993 the legislature provided that the Parole Board shall receive and consider victim impact statements, Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-28-504(a); that notice be given to the victim or the victim’s representative and to the trial judge and district attorney involved in the original criminal prosecution, Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-28-505(b)(1), (2) and (4); and that on a failure to provide the required notices, the Board may schedule a new hearing if the Board receives a written victim impact statement within fifteen days of the time the parole decision is finalized, Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-28-505(d)(2).

Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Davidson County Court of Appeals 05/06/98
Eli Mike, an individual, James A. Schrampfer, an individual, and Jane B. Forbes, as Trustee in bankruptcy for the estate of David L. Osborn, et al. v. Po Group, Inc., et. al.

01A01-9707-CH-00321

The captioned plaintiffs’ have appealed from a summary judgment dismissing plaintiffs’ actions against the corporate defendant for the value of their stock as dissenting minority shareholders and their action against the individual defendants for breach of fiduciary duty as corporate directors.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Henry F. Todd
Originating Judge:Chancellor Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 05/06/98
In re: The Estate of Harold L. Jenkins, Deceased, Hugh C. Carden and Donald W. Garis as Co-Executors of the Harold L. Jenkins Estate, v. Joni L. Jenkins and Kathy L. Jenkins

01A01-9709-CH-00500

This is yet another chapter in the administration of the estate of Harold L. Jenkins, a popular entertainer whose stage name was “Conway Twitty.” The executors initiated the present proceeding to resolve disputed rights of three devises in respect to the collection from them of certain charges appearing on the records of the deceased. The Probate Court resolved the issues in favor of the executors, and two of the devises appealed.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Henry F. Todd
Originating Judge:Chancellor Thomas E. Gray
Sumner County Court of Appeals 05/06/98
State of Tennessee, v. Gary Lewis Thompson

03C01-9703-CR-00105

The appellant, Gary Lewis Thompson, was indicted by a Monroe County Grand Jury for the offense of vehicular homicide, driving under the influence, third offense, and driving on a revoked license. On July 22, 1996, the appellant pled guilty to DUI, third offense, with the sentence to be determined by the trial court. Prior to the guilty plea hearing, the State moved to nolle pros the vehicular homicide charge, which was granted. Additionally, the trial court, upon appellant’s motion, dismissed the charge of driving on a revoked license. Immediately following entry of the guilty plea, the State, for the first time, requested seizure and forfeiture of the appellant’s John Deere tractor, which he was operating at the time the DUI offense occurred. Following a sentencing hearing on September 6, 1996, the trial court imposed a sentence of eleven months twenty-nine days in the county jail and assessed a fine of $7,500 for the DUI, third offense conviction. The appellant’s release percentage was fixed at 75%. The trial court also ordered that the farm tractor be “confiscated” from the appellant’s possession and forfeited to the State. On November 8, 1996, the written order to seize and forfeit the tractor was entered. The appellant appeals from the trial court’s judgment pursuant to Tenn. R. Crim. P. 37(b)(2)(ii), raising the following two issues: I. Whether the period of confinement in the jail is excessive; and II. Whether § 55-10-403(k)(1) properly authorizes forfeiture of his tractor.

Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge R. Steven Bebb
Monroe County Court of Appeals 05/06/98
Contour Medical Technology, Inc., v. Flexcon Company, Inc.

01A01-9707-CH-00315

The plaintiff, ContourMedical Technology, Inc., has appealed from a partial summary judgment dismissing that part of plaintiff’s claim against the defendant, Flexcon Company, Inc., which seeks consequential damages resulting from defects in material purchased by plaintiff from defendant. The Trial Judge directed entry of final judgment as provided by TRCP Rule 54.02.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Henry F. Todd
Originating Judge:Judge Don R. Ash
Rutherford County Court of Appeals 05/06/98
State of Tennessee vs. Darrell Braddock

02C01-9707-CR-00279

On Septem ber 12, 1996, a Shelby County jury found Appellant, Darrell E. Braddock, guilty of first degree felony m urder, criminal attem pt: to wit especially aggravated robbery, criminal attempt: to wit murder in the first degree, and two counts of aggravated assault. Appellant appeals from his convictions, raising two issues:


1) whether the evidence presented at trial was leg ally sufficient to support the jury’s verdict; and
2) whether the trial court erred in allowing the State, because of the victim ’s family’s feelings, to withdraw its offer of a plea bargain.

After a review of the record, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Originating Judge:Judge Carolyn Wade Blackett
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/05/98
Jeff Hubrig v. Lockheed-Martin Energy Systems, Inc., Linc Hall, Individually; Larry Pierce, Individually, and Jim Kolling, Individually

03A01-9711-CV-00525

The plaintiff describes himself as a whistle blower, as that term has come to be used, and seeks damages for his termination from employment because he allegedly refused to participate in and keep silent about certain allegedly illegal corporate activities. The allegations were denied by the defendants whose motion for summary judgment was granted. The plaintiff appeals and presents for review the issues of (1) whether he was terminated for time card abuse and sexual harassment or whether these reasons were pretextual, (2) whether a common law cause of action for retaliatory discharge remains viable in this jurisdiction, and (3) whether his termination constituted outrageous conduct by the defendants. Our review of the findings of fact made by the trial Court is denovo upon the record of the trial Court, accompanied by a presumption of thecorrectness of the finding, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. TENN. R. APP. P., RULE 13(d). See, Byrd v. Hall, 847 S.W.2d 208 (Tenn. 1993). We will refer to the plaintiff as Hubrig, or as the appellant, or as the plaintiff. This record is unusually prolix; prima facie, it appeared to reflect a trial by affidavit, an impermissible use of RULE 56, see: Womack v. Blue Cross- Blue Shield, 593 S.W.2d 294 (Tenn. 1980), but an in-depth analysis reveals that the trial court correctly held that the totality of the evidence demonstrates the absence of a genuine issue of fact or law. We therefore affirm the judgment.

Authoring Judge: Senior Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:Judge James B. Scott
Court of Appeals 05/04/98
State of Tennessee vs. William Robert Diaz

03C01-9610-CC-00375

The appellant, William Robert Diaz, appeals as of right the convictions and sentences he received in the Criminal Court of Anderson County. After a jury trial, the appellant was convicted of second degree murder and attempted second degree murder and was sentenced as a Range I standard offender to twenty-two (22) years for the murder and to twelve (12) years for attempted murder.1 The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently.

Authoring Judge: Judge William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Judge James B. Scott, Jr.
Anderson County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/01/98
Regan vs. Malone

03A01-9707-CH-00281
Court of Appeals 04/30/98
City of Blaine vs. Hayes

03A01-9711-CH-00520
Court of Appeals 04/30/98
Jerry Cunningham vs. Baker, et al

02A01-9712-CV-00299
Court of Appeals 04/30/98
McClellan vs. Stanley

03A01-9708-CV-00343
Court of Appeals 04/30/98
Foulke vs. City of Greeneville

03A01-9712-CV-00523
Greene County Court of Appeals 04/30/98
Ronnie Erwin v. Moon Products

M2002-00877-COA-R9-CV
This is an appeal from a denial of an application to compel arbitration. For the following reasons, we affirm the court below.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:J. B. Cox
Marshall County Court of Appeals 04/30/98
Hon. Frank v. Williams,

03S01-9706-CH-00074
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. In March 1995, the plaintiff in this case brought suit against Superior Steel, Inc. and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company ("the defendants") and the Second Injury Fund1 claiming that he was entitled to recover workers' compensation benefits for two work related injuries: a knee injury and an occupational disease. First, the trial judge found that the plaintiff had sustained a ten percent permanent partial disability to his right leg. Second, the trial judge found that the plaintiff was 1 percent permanently and totally disabled as a result of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder which he classified as an occupational disease because the plaintiff's condition was exacerbated by breathing diesel fumes during his employment with the defendant. The trial judge merged the two injuries and thereby awarded the plaintiff 1 percent disability benefits. The defendants appeal the trial court's findings regarding the plaintiff's occupational disease, contending that the trial judge erred (1) in ruling that the statute of limitations had not expired, (2) in ruling that notice had been properly given, and (3) in finding that the plaintiff's condition was an occupational disease which arose out of and in the course of his employment with the defendant. The defendants do not appeal the trial court's findings of disability to the plaintiff's leg, but a brief reference to the knee injury is necessary for a proper discussion of the facts. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. BACKGROUND The plaintiff, 48 years of age, worked as an oiler and crane operator for most of his working life -- approximately 28 years. For almost 32 years of his life, the plaintiff smoked two packs of cigarettes per day. The plaintiff quit smoking in June 1992. 1 The trial judge dismissed the Second Injury Fund from this case and we find the dismissal was proper. By reason of Tenn. Code. Ann. __ 5-6-28(a) and (b), the Second Injury Fund is not liable to the plaintiff. 2
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Frederick D. Mcdonald,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 04/30/98
State vs. Pam Davis

02C01-9704-CC-00139
McNairy County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/30/98
State vs. Mario Boyd

02C01-9703-CR-00110
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/30/98
State vs. Stanley Harville a/k/a Stanley Salahuddin

01C01-9703-CC-00104
Hickman County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/30/98
DHS vs. Epps

03A01-9710-JV-00485
Court of Appeals 04/30/98
Miller vs. Hembree

03A01-9712-CV-00537
Court of Appeals 04/30/98
State vs. Jesse James Gilbert

03C01-9707-CC-00269

Originating Judge:Ben W. Hooper, II
Jefferson County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/30/98
Russell vs. Crutchfield

03A01-9708-CV-00329
Court of Appeals 04/30/98
State vs. Garrett Raines

01C01-9704-CC-00127
Court of Criminal Appeals 04/30/98
Greene vs. Evans

03A01-9710-PH-00487
Court of Appeals 04/30/98