APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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State vs. Pike

03C01-9611-CR-00408
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/26/97
Ferrell vs. Blue Bird of Tennessee

01A01-9707-CH-00339

Originating Judge:Robert E. Corlew, III
Rutherford County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
State vs. Tommie Hill

02C01-9511-CC-00335
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
Ella Pruett vs. Wal-Mart Stores

02A01-9610-CH-00266

Originating Judge:Joe C. Morris
Madison County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
Roddy v. Spring

03S01-9704-CH-00041
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 employee alleged injury to her back when she lifted a bolt of cloth at work. The trial court found that her back condition was caused by a work related accident and awarded 45 percent permanent partial vocational disability and medical expenses, including those of the treating surgeon, which were unauthorized. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. On Saturday, August 8, 1992, the employee, Robbin Roddy, was inspecting rolls of fabric at work when a co-worker brought her an unusually heavy roll to work with. When she threw the roll up in a bin, her back "just popped." She reported the injury to her supervisor, James Hood, who went with her to the office where they completed an injury report. Hood then sent her home. She was aware that the company posted at the work site a list of three doctors from whom she could choose. On the following Monday she went to the Family Medical Center, to the office of one of those doctors, Dr. Richard R. Jost, where she and her family had been seen in the past for routine medical care. It is uncontested that the employee never saw Dr. Jost for examination, evaluation, treatment or assessment of disability for this injury. For all of her treatment she saw Mr. Robert Wayne Harrison, a certified physician's assistant employed and supervised by Dr. Jost. The record indicates that apparently the employee was accustomed to referring to the physician's assistant as "Dr. Rob." In fact, the record shows that counsel for the defendant occasionally referred to him as "Dr. Harrison." When asked about his role in the treatment of the employee, Mr. Harrison testified that he is "permitted to do all aspects of medical care with the exception of write prescriptions. That's actually been changed by statute at the present, but at the time in question, I guess we're dealing with a record of 1992, so at that time the statute did not allow prescription writing." 2
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge John K. Byers
Originating Judge:Hon. Jeffrey F. Stewart,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 11/25/97
Bryan vs. Tent, Inc., d/b/a: University Medical Ctr.

01A01-9703-CH-00132

Originating Judge:C. K. Smith
Wilson County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
State vs. Randy Joy

02C01-9705-CC-00183
Hardeman County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
State vs. Ronnie Lauderdale

02C01-9706-CR-00207

Originating Judge:Bernie Weinman
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
Luther Haggard vs. State

M2003-02554-CCA-R3-HC
The petitioner, Luther Haggard, filed a petition for the writ of habeas corpus in the Davidson County Criminal Court. In the petition he alleges that various Bradley County, Tennessee, convictions he received pursuant to guilty pleas entered in 1997 are illegal and void. The Davidson County Criminal Court summarily dismissed the petition. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry Smith
Originating Judge:J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
Adams v. Peterbilt

03S01-9603-CV-00031
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 plaintiff brought this suit in which he alleged he was totally and permanently disabled and that he was entitled to medical benefits from his employer and the Second Injury Fund. The trial judge found the plaintiff had sustained a 6 percent impairment as a result of an on-the-job injury on May 27, 1994. The trial judge dismissed the suit as to the Second Injury Fund because the amount of the disability of the plaintiff from the current injury when combined with previous workers' compensation injuries did not exceed 1 percent permanent total disability. The plaintiff, in this appeal, says the trial court erred in not finding he was permanently and totally disabled as a result of the May 27, 1994 injury and in not awarding him benefits from the Second Injury Fund. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed. The treating physician, Dr. Robert E. Finelli, an orthopedic surgeon, testified the plaintiff had a ruptured disc at the L4-L5 vertebrae. Dr. Finelli did surgery on the plaintiff and treated him until September 2, 1994. Dr. Finelli returned the patient to work and found he had sustained a 1 - 12 percent permanent medical impairment as a result of the injury. The plaintiff had undergone two previous back surgeries and Dr. Finelli considered these in determining the medical impairment from the last injury. Dr. Finelli was of the opinion that if the plaintiff returned to heavy work he would be at risk for a possible ruptured disc. It was his further opinion that if he did medium work the risk of further back injury was low. Dr. Gilbert Hyde, an orthopedic surgeon, saw the plaintiff on July 28, 1995 for the purpose of evaluating his disability. Dr. Hyde found the plaintiff to be suffering a 22 percent medical impairment as a result of the injury of May 27, 1994. Dr. Hyde 2
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge John K. Byers
Originating Judge:Hon. Wheeler Rosenbalm,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 11/25/97
01A01-9705-JV-00234

01A01-9705-JV-00234

Originating Judge:David Loughry
Rutherford County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
Millsaps vs. Robertson-Vaughn Construction

01A01-9704-CH-00160

Originating Judge:Jeffrey F. Stewart
Marion County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
State vs. Ishaan Mubarak

02C01-9706-CR-00211

Originating Judge:W. Fred Axley
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
State vs. Cecil C. Johnson, Jr.

01C01-9610-CR-00442

Originating Judge:J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
State vs. Richard Nelson

02C01-9612-CR-00472

Originating Judge:Chris B. Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
Jones vs. Culpepper

03A01-9706-CH-00202

Originating Judge:Billy Joe White
Claiborne County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
01C01-9606-CR-00241

01C01-9606-CR-00241

Originating Judge:Seth W. Norman
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/25/97
Bryan vs. Tent, Inc., d/b/a: University Medical Ctr.

01A01-9703-CH-00132

Originating Judge:C. K. Smith
Wilson County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
Cheatham vs. Cheatham

01A01-9508-CH-00380

Originating Judge:Jim T. Hamilton
Maury County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Blount County Court of Appeals 11/25/97
Tennessee Municipal League vs. Brook Thompson

01S01-9711-CH-00242
The ruling listed above is the Order regarding the "Tiny Towns" legislation. The full opinion will be published at a later date.
Supreme Court 11/25/97
Deborah Plunk vs. Edward Plunk

02A01-9702-CH-00040

Originating Judge:Joe C. Morris
Chester County Court of Appeals 11/24/97
State vs. Daniel Malone

W1999-01678-CCA-R9-CD
The Defendant was indicted for statutory rape and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The District Attorney General denied the Defendant's application for pretrial diversion. The trial court subsequently granted pretrial diversion. Pursuant to Rule 9 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure, the trial court granted the State permission for an interlocutory appeal, and this Court allowed the State's appeal. On appeal, the State argues that the trial court erred in granting pretrial diversion. We agree that the trial court committed reversible error in granting pretrial diversion and remand to the circuit court for further proceedings.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:John F. Murchison
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/24/97
State vs. Yeargan

01S01-9604-CC-00080
Supreme Court 11/24/97
State vs. Fredrick Sledge

02C01-9405-CR-00089

Originating Judge:Joseph B. Mccartie
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 11/24/97