APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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State of Tennessee v. Jason Ingram Stokes

M1999-1892-CCA-R3-CA

Originating Judge:Jim T. Hamilton
Giles County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/12/00
State vs. West

E1997-00166-SC-R11-PD
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:John K. Byers
Union County Supreme Court 05/12/00
State vs. Gerald Cathey

W1999-00660-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Chris B. Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/12/00
Horton vs. Parole Eligibility Review Bd.

M1999-02617-COA-R3-CV
An inmate in custody of the Department of Correction filed a petition for a common law Writ of Certiorari alleging that the Board of Paroles acted arbitrarily and illegally in denying him parole. The trial court entered a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. This appeal followed and we affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Davidson County Court of Appeals 05/12/00
Roller vs. Roller

M1999-00103-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Robert P. Hamilton
Wilson County Court of Appeals 05/12/00
State vs. Robert Jarnagin

E1998-00892-CCA-R8-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:James E. Beckner
Hamblen County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/12/00
Goolsby vs. Upper Cumberland Oil, Inc.

M1998-00986-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Bobby H. Capers
Jackson County Court of Appeals 05/12/00
State of Tennessee v. Charles Ray Powell

01C01-9806-CC-00260

Originating Judge:Thomas W. Graham
Franklin County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/12/00
State vs. Barbara Powell

W1999-01825-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Dick Jerman, Jr.
Gibson County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/11/00
State of Tennessee v. Albert Hampton

W1999-00059-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:John P. Colton, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/11/00
Sarah Wilkerson vs. Robert Wilkerson

W1999-01684-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:James E. Swearengen
Shelby County Court of Appeals 05/11/00
Mirage Casino vs. J. Roger Pearsall

W1999-01543-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Kay S. Robilio
Shelby County Court of Appeals 05/11/00
City of Brentwood v.Metro Zoning Appeals

M2002-00514-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves the efforts of the City of Brentwood to stop the construction of a billboard located in Davidson County. After Nashville's zoning administrator granted a building permit for the billboard, the City of Brentwood appealed to the Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals. When the Board affirmed the building permit, the City of Brentwood and four neighboring property owners filed a petition for common-law writ of certiorari in the Chancery Court for Davidson County seeking judicial review of the Board's decision. The trial court granted the motions to dismiss filed by the Board and the owner of the billboard on the ground that the City of Brentwood and the individual property owners lacked standing. We have determined that the trial court erred by determining that the City of Brentwood and its public officials lacked standing to seek judicial review of the Board's decision.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 05/10/00
State vs. Stanley Blackwood

W1999-01221-CCA-R3-CD
A Madison County Grand Jury indicted the defendant, Stanley Blackwood, for one count of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted first-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault, two counts of reckless endangerment and one count of aggravated burglary. Following a trial, a jury convicted the defendant on all counts, and the trial court imposed an effective sentence of life plus twenty-two (22) years incarceration. On appeal, the defendant contends (1) that the evidence was insufficient to sustain all of the convictions; (2) that the trial court erroneously instructed the jury; (3) that the trial court erroneously refused to admit results of a polygraph examination; (4) that the trial court should have merged two counts of aggravated assault with two counts of attempted first-degree murder; and (5) that the defendant's sentence was excessive. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry Smith
Originating Judge:John Franklin Murchison
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/10/00
State vs. Floyd Perry

W1999-01715-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant and appellant, Floyd Lee Perry, Jr., was indicted by an Obion County Grand Jury for first-degree murder, first-degree murder in the perpetration of a robbery, and especially aggravated robbery. Following a jury trial, the defendant was convicted of first-degree murder in the perpetration of a robbery, especially aggravated robbery, and second-degree murder (as a lesser included offense of first-degree murder). The trial court merged the second-degree murder conviction into the first-degree felony murder conviction and, following a sentencing hearing, sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment for felony murder and twenty-three (23) years for especially aggravated robbery. The court ordered the sentences to be served concurrently. On appeal, the appellant claims (1) that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions, and (2) that the trial court erred by allowing the state to introduce prejudicial autopsy photographs in evidence. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry Smith
Originating Judge:William B. Acree
Obion County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/10/00
Crestin Burke, et vs. James Monty Burke, et al

E1999-02481-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:Billy Joe White
Scott County Court of Appeals 05/10/00
Judy F. Barnett v. Nn Ball & Roller, Inc. and Wasau Insurance Companies

03S01-9811-CH-00133
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 appeal has been perfected by the employee, Judy F. Barnett, from the action of the trial court in awarding her 65% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. On appeal the employee insists the award of disability is not sufficient and that her disability should be fixed at 1%. Mrs. Barnett was 43 years of age and is a high school graduate. She had taken a drafting course but never used it. She said she had also taken a basic computer concepts course and a typing course. Her prior work experience was in a sewing factory and a grocery store. She began work for defendant, NN Ball & Roller, Inc., in 1984 and at the time in question, she was employed as an inspector of steel bearings. In 199-91 she testified she had an allergy reaction after being out in the sun (not work- related) for some period of time and it had been diagnosed as photodermatitis. The inspector position required her to examine steel bearings on an assembly line passing in front of her. She said that prior to this inspection, the production process involved cleaning the bearings with kerosene in order to cut off grease and that after a ball wash, the bearings were dipped in pack oil. She said that as the process operated there was a strong odor which settled in her hair and clothing. She testified she began having problems in 1993 and that it continued throughout her employment. Her problems were shortness of breath, swollen eyes, sores in her nose, ears peeling, earaches, upset stomach and headaches. She worked until June 2, 1997 and stopped working on her doctor's advise. During the course of her employment, the employer attempted to accommodate her medical problems by improving the ventilation, changing her job and other efforts which did not greatly improve her condition and she was eventually terminated on January 8, 1998 because the company could not comply with her medical restrictions. Causation of injury is not an issue. Material Safety Data Sheets were introduced into evidence. The manufacturer of the pack oil warned it could cause 2
Authoring Judge: Roger E. Thayer, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Thomas J. Seeley, Jr.,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 05/10/00
Mack Brown vs. Dwight W. Ogle, et al

E1999-02513-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:W. Dale Young
Sevier County Court of Appeals 05/10/00
David D. Cox v. State of Tennessee

W2007-01591-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III
Lauderdale County Court of Criminal Appeals 05/10/00
Harold Russom vs. Philip McClore

W1999-02215-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:D'Army Bailey
Shelby County Court of Appeals 05/10/00
Lamar C. Pell, v. The City of Chattanooga, et al.

E1999-01712-COA-R3-CV

Plaintiff’s residential property in Hamilton County was sold for delinquent property taxes after default judgment was entered against Plaintiff, the property owner. Plaintiff brought suit against the subsequent tax sale purchaser, and others, to set aside the default judgment and sale, asserting process had not been served properly on him in the delinquent tax suit. The Trial Court found that certified mail return receipts signed by Plaintiff’s wife were sufficient proof of service under T.R.C.P. 4.04(10) and T.C.A. § 67-5-2415(e)(1), and granted summary judgment to the tax sale purchaser of the property and the other Defendants. Plaintiff argues on appeal that he was not served properly with process, first arguing that he was not served at all and then arguing that the statutory service procedure relied upon by the Trial Court violates due process. The judgment of the Trial Court is affirmed. 

Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Chancellor Howell N. Peoples
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 05/09/00
Komatsu America Hamilton County International Company and Travelers Property Casualty v. Mark A. Cash

03S01-9905-CV-00051
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 defendant employee, Mark A. Cash, appeals the judgment of the trial court and asserts as error the following: (1) the failure to award any permanent disability, (2) the assessment of court costs against the defendant, (3) the failure to award the defendant his costs to prosecute the action, (4) the granting of the motion in limine, (5) the failure to give the defendant the presumption of T.C.A. _ 5-6-116 and (6) the plaintiff's defense should be disallowed because of the provision of T.C.A. _ 5-6-25(d)(1). We conclude that all of the foregoing are without merit and affirm the judgment of the trial court. The defendant was born March 26, 1964. He graduated from high school and completed a welding class. His work history consists of working for the Marion County Sheriff's Department; Tennol, a gasohol plant; Concrete Emporium; Chattanooga Corporation; and the plaintiff employer, Komatsu America International Company where he went to work on a regular, rather than a temporary, basis in November 1989. His work over the years has been primarily as a welder. The defendant began to have problems with his left shoulder area in 1992 or 1993. Prior to March 15, 1998, the date of the incident at work, the defendant had been examined and treated for his left shoulder problems by several doctors. On August 18, 1997, he had left shoulder surgery, consisting of an anterior inferior acromioplasty, which was a decompression of the AC joint resection and an inspection of his rotator cuff. His post operative diagnosis was stage II impingement, AC joint arthrosis. He continued to have left shoulder area problem and underwent another surgical procedure on December 1, 1997, which released his levator scapula and curetted the medial border of the scapula. His postoperative diagnosis was chronic levator scapulae syndrome. None of the defendant's shoulder problems at this point were work related. 2
Authoring Judge: H. David Cate, Special Judg
Originating Judge:Hon. L. Marie Williams,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 05/09/00
Phyllis Schwartz v. Lookout Mountain Caverns, Inc., et al.

E1999-01142-COA-R9-CV

Following entry of judgment on a jury verdict, the Trial Court granted Defendants a new trial based upon allegations in the affidavit of one of the jurors. Plaintiff was granted interlocutory appeal limited to whether or not the Trial Court erred in granting Defendants’ Motion For New Trial based
on the information contained in the juror’s affidavit submitted by Defendants in support of their Motion For New Trial. Because the affidavit does not fall under any of the three exceptions to exclusion of juror testimony found in T.R.E. 606(b), the Trial Court erred in accepting the affidavit
into evidence on the issue of a new trial. No other evidence supported Defendants’ motion for new trial. Because no admissible evidence was properly before the Court, the Order for new trial is reversed and this lawsuit remanded for enforcement of the judgment previously entered on the verdict of the jury. 

Authoring Judge: Judge D. Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Judge W. Neil Thomas, III
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 05/08/00
Richard W. Beckwith-Adams v. State of Tennessee

M1999-00041-WC-R3-CV
This case is before the Court upon the entire record, including the order of referral to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel, and the Panel's Memorandum Opinion setting forth its findings of fact and conclusions of law, which are incorporated herein by reference. Whereupon, it appears to the Court that the Memorandum Opinion of the Panel should be accepted and approved; and It is, therefore, ordered that the Panel's findings of fact and conclusions of law are adopted and affirmed, and the decision of the Panel is made the judgment of the Court. Costs will be paid by appellant, for which execution may issue if necessary.
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Workers Compensation Panel 05/08/00
Ellen Patty Seiber v. Town of Oliver Springs

E1999-01228-COA-R3-CV

The plaintiff, a mid-level executive of the Town of Oliver Springs, “borrowed” various sums of money from a citizen of the Town over a three-year period which she repaid with sexual favors. When this activity came to light she was fired by the Mayor and City Administrator. Her suit, claiming breach of contract and discriminatory employment practices, was dismissed on motion for summary judgment. This appeal resulted. We affirm the judgment of the Trial Court. Tenn. R. App. P. 3 Appeal as of right; Judgment of the Circuit Court Affirmed
 

Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:Russell E. Simmons, Jr.
Roane County Court of Appeals 05/08/00