APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

Please enter some keywords to search.
State of Tennessee vs. James Emmett Moses, Jr. a/k/a Ali Hakem Mahammed

W1999-01509-CCA-R3-CD

The appellant, James Emmett Moses, Jr., a/k/a Ali Hakem Mahammed, appeals the sentencing decision of the Lauderdale County Circuit Court following his guilty pleas to the offenses of one count aggravated burglary, two counts of robbery, and one count of theft under $500. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court imposed an effective sentence of twenty six years imprisonment.1 On appeal, the appellant challenges the length of the sentences and the imposition of consecutive sentences.

Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge Joseph H. Walker, III
Lauderdale County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/07/00
State of Tennessee v. Michael Thomason

W1999-02000-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Michael Thomason, appeals as of right his conviction by a Haywood County Circuit Court jury of four counts of sexual battery, one count of aggravated sexual battery, and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The trial court sentenced the defendant as a Range I standard offender to two years on each of the sexual battery charges; ten years on the aggravated sexual battery charge; and eleven months and twenty-nine days on the misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the sentences to be served concurrently. The defendant presents the following issues for review:

Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Glenn
Originating Judge:Judge Julian P. Guinn
Haywood County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/07/00
State of Tennessee v. William Padilla

W1999-00009-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, William Padilla, appeals from his Haywood County jury conviction of one count of rape of a child. The defendant received 25 years, the maximum sentence for a Range I standard offender. He appeals this conviction and sentence, arguing that:

(1) The evidence was insufficient to support the jury’s verdict; and

(2) the sentence was excessive.

After careful review, we AFFIRM the judgment and sentence from the trial court

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Bobby H. Capers
Haywood County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/06/00
State of Tennessee v. Marco Boyd

W1999-00046-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Marco Boyd, pled guilty to two counts of reckless endangerment, Class E felonies. In his negotiated plea, he agreed to a fine of $500 on each count and two one-year concurrent sentences. The manner of service of the sentences was reserved for a later hearing. At the hearing, the trial court denied the defendant probation, and from that decision the defendant now appeals. After careful review, we AFFIRM the judgment from the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Arthur T. Bennett
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/06/00
Pamela Lannom v. Board of Education for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County

M1999-00137-COA-R3-CV

The Davidson County Board of Education conducted a termination hearing for a tenured teacher who had been caught on videotape stealing pills from a student’s prescription bottle. After the hearing, the teacher was dismissed -2- from her position. She subsequently filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari, which was dismissed after a Chancery Court hearing. We affirm the Chancery Court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Chancellor Carol L. McCoy
Davidson County Court of Appeals 03/06/00
Steven DeWayne Bolden v. State of Tennessee

W1999-00029-CCA-R3-PC

The petitioner, Steven DeWayne Bolden, appeals the dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief by the Lake County Circuit Court on March 26, 1999. Following a review of the record and the parties’ briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge R. Lee Moore Jr.
Lake County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/06/00
Virginia A. Parker, v. First American Corporation

M2000-00456-COA-R3-CV

This appeal involves the jury’s assessment of damages arising out of a premises liability case. Finding the plaintiff to be 49% at fault and the defendant to be 51% at fault, the jury awarded to the plaintiff 51% of the damages that it had assessed. On appeal, the plaintiff argues that the jury’s damage award is not supported by material evidence in that it does not include damages for pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. We agree with the plaintiff. Therefore, we reverse the jury’s award as to damages and remand this case for a new trial only on the issue of damages.

Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Judge Thomas Goodall
Sumner County Court of Appeals 03/06/00
Robert Glen Coe v. State of Tennessee

M1999-01313-SC-DPE-PD

In Heck van Tran v. State,1 a majority of this Court established the protocol that an inmate sentenced to death must follow to assert a common law and constitutional challenge to his or her competence to be executed. In the context of a Separate Concurring and Dissenting Opinion, I identified three components of the protocol which, when implemented, would each produce an unconstitutional result. Two are most significant: (1) use of the protocol would permit the execution of inmates who are, due to mental defect or disease, unable to consult with and assist their counsel; and (2) use of the protocol would deprive inmates of the right to have the ultimate issue–-competence to be executed-- determined by a jury of their peers.

Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Davidson County Supreme Court 03/06/00
Clarice C. White v. Mary Jo Dozier and the Montgomery County Election Commission, et al.

M1999-02386-COA-R3-CV

This is an appeal by the contestant in an election contest brought pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated sections 2-17-101 to 2-17-116. The trial court dismissed the complaint specifically holding that the mandate of section 17-106, that trial of an election contest “be held no more than fifty days from the date the complaint was filed,” was jurisdictional such that after the expiration of this fifty-day period, the trial court lost jurisdiction.

Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Chancellor Carol A. Catalano
Montgomery County Court of Appeals 03/06/00
State of Tennessee v. Christopher Walls

E1999-00617-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant, Christopher Walls, appeals from the denial of his motion for reduction of sentence by the Criminal Court of Morgan County. The defendant pleaded guilty to escape, a Class E felony, Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-601 (1997), and theft of property valued over $1000, a Class D felony, Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-103 (1997). In accordance with his plea agreement, the trial court sentenced the defendant to serve his bargained-for sentence of three years in the Department of Correction. In his appeal, he complains that the trial court erred in failing to grant his motion to reduce his sentence. Following a review of the record and the briefs of the parties, we affirm the trial court's judgment.

Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge E. Eugene Eblen
Morgan County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/06/00
State of Tennessee v. Patricia Spencer

W1999-00030-CCA-R3-CD

On December 11, 1998, the defendant, Patricia Spencer, pled guilty to one count of second degree murder and one count of attempted especially aggravated robbery. The trial court sentenced her as a Range I Violent Offender to 25 years for the second degree murder and as a Range I Standard Offender to 8 years for the attempted especially aggravated robbery, the sentences to be served concurrently. From this sentencing, the defendant now appeals asserting that the trial court erred in its 25-year sentence for the second degree murder; accordingly, she requests that her sentence be reduced. After careful review, we AFFIRM the sentence as imposed by the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood
Fayette County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/06/00
Carlous Coman v. State of Tennessee

W1999-01074-CCA-R3-PC

The petitioner, Carlous Coman, appeals from the Madison County Circuit Court’s order denying his petition for post-conviction relief. On April 19, 1997, the petitioner was convicted by a Madison County jury of second degree murder. For this offense, the defendant, a Range I offender, was sentenced to twenty years in the Department of Correction. On February 17, 1999, he filed a post-conviction petition alleging ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and upon appeal. The trial court denied this petition after a hearing. After careful review, we AFFIRM the order of the trial court denying the petition.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Roy B. Morgan, Jr.
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/06/00
State of Tennessee v. Tim D. Smith

W1999-00039-CCA-R3-CD

Defendant, Tim D. Smith, was found guilty by a Shelby County jury of automobile burglary, a Class E felony, and was sentenced by the trial court to six years as a career offender. The sole issue in this appeal as of right is whether the evidence is sufficient to support the guilty verdict. After a careful review of the record, we conclude the evidence is indeed sufficient to support the verdict.  Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge Chris B. Craft
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/06/00
James Webb v. State of Tennessee

W1998-00047-CCA-R3-PC

The petitioner, James Webb, appeals as of right from the trial court’s order summarily dismissing his pro se petition for post-conviction relief without an evidentiary hearing. We REVERSE the judgment of the trial court and REMAND for appointment of counsel and review of petitioner’s claims.

Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge Dick Jerman, Jr.
Haywood County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/03/00
Craig Stephen Portman v. Camelot Care Centers, Inc.

03S01-9901-CH-00007
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 only issue for resolution is whether the trial court properly concluded that the injury to the eye of the plaintiff, Craig Stephen Portman, arose out of his employment with the defendant, Camelot Care Center, Inc. We agree with the trial court and affirm.1 The plaintiff Portman was an employee of the defendant on September 4, 1996, when he was involved in an incident, where a minor child spit in his eye. Three to five days later he experienced irritation in that eye. He sought medical treatment on the seventh day following the incident. Ultimately he came under the care of Dr. Subba Rao Gollamudi, an ophthalmologist who focuses on diseases and surgery of the cornea and anterior segment of the eye. Dr. Gollamudi noted the plaintiff related to him that he had normal ocular health prior to the onset of symptoms in the eye, which occurred coincident with the incident at work, and further testified as follows: Q. Doctor, if you assume Mr. Portman worked at the Camelot Care Center which was where he worked in the capacity as a counselor with children and that on the 4th day of September, 1996, a child spit in his eye, assume that's correct, and that he is then followed with the conditions that he described to you, are you able to form an opinion based upon a reasonable degree of medical certainty given the current level of scientific and medical research whether or not that episode at work was the causative factor in the development of the condition you ultimately diagnosed and treated? A. I would say that I feel reasonably certain that the time frame and episode as related to me are consistent with saliva that has herpes in it causing ocular surface herpes. The Plaintiff testified: Q. Prior to September of 1996, had you ever experienced any symptoms, problems, been treated for or been told you had the herpes simplex virus? A. No. There is no evidence the plaintiff's ocular simplex herpes condition was caused by any other occurrence. The standard of review of factual issues in workers' compensation cases is de novo upon the record of the trial court with a presumption of correctness, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(2) (1991 of Supp. 1998). "In order to be eligible for workers' compensation benefits, an employee must suffer `an injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment which causes either disablement or death.' Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-12(a)(5). The phrase `arising out of' refers to causation. The causation requirement is satisfied if the injury 1W hile all th e issu es in this ca se w ere n ot co nclu ded, the p arties and the tria l cour t agre ed th at it should be treated as a final judgment pursuant to Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure No. 54. 2
Authoring Judge: H. David Cate, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Frank V. Williams, III,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 03/03/00
State vs. Michael Gerard Coppola

W1999-01975-CCA-R3-CD

On April 28, 1997, the appellant, Michael Gerard Coppola, pled guilty in the Benton County Circuit Court to an array of offenses. The plea agreement provided for an effective six-year sentence with the Tennessee Department of Correction (T.D.O.C.) and payment of $3,363.10 of restitution to various victims. In March 1998, appellant completed boot camp and T.D.O.C. released him to probation, the terms of which required payment of the previously ordered restitution. The sole issue on appeal is the trial court’s revocation of probation for failure to pay restitution. Based upon our conclusion that no probation violation occurred, we REVERSE and REMAND to the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge Julian P. Guinn
Benton County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/03/00
Jackson Manufacturing Company, and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Marie Lambert

03S01-9906-CV-00057
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 plaintiffs, Jackson Manufacturing Company and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, contend the trial court was incorrect in awarding the defendant, Marie Lambert, 4% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole instead of a lesser amount to a scheduled member on the basis that the disability associated with the shoulder and neck area was not caused by the accident at work. We disagree with the plaintiffs and affirm the judgment of the trial court. The defendant Lambert was born March 15, 194. She failed to complete the ninth grade and has had no other formal education or vocational training. She went to work when she was seventeen. Her work history consists primarily of operating sewing machines in chair factories. Prior to April 21, 1995, the defendant had never experienced any pain in her shoulder or neck area. On April 21, 1995, while in the employ of Jackson Manufacturing Company, she was pulling and feeding material into an industrial computer-operated sewing machine when she injured her left ring finger at the knuckle which joins the hand. In order to pull the material she had to pull very hard with her whole arm. She described the incident as follows: ". . . as I got to the end of it (a 2 inch piece of material) my hand came off and that's when whatever popped hurt, hit - - and I hit myself so hard, you know, and my arm went backwards." She was promptly sent to Dr. Chalmer Chastain, Jr., who examined her and recommended she be referred to an orthopedic specialist or hand specialist. She returned to her place of employment and was referred that same day by her employer to Dr. Cauley Hayes, a specialist in hand surgery. Dr. Hayes treated her hand and on May 11, 1995, performed surgery on her left ring finger metacarpophalangeal joint. Dr. Hayes returned her to work three months after the accident and she was placed on light duty carrying cushions, which was too much for her condition. Thereafter she cleaned tables and bathrooms. Subsequently she was terminated for missing work and has not worked since then. While under Dr. Hayes' care the defendant and her boyfriend testified she complained at each visit to Dr. Hayes of problems with her arm, shoulder and neck. Dr. Hayes' medical records dated November 7, 1995, show her first complaint of heaviness in the arm. On that occasion the x-rays showed an abnormal cervical spine, and Dr. Hayes referred her to Dr. Adele Ackell, a neurologist. Dr. Hayes felt the defendant had sustained permanent impairment to the hand but did not assign a percentage of impairment. He did not believe the shoulder and 2
Authoring Judge: Hon. Carroll L. Ross, Circuit Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Carroll L. Ross,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 03/02/00
Dorothy West Harmon v. Harvey Carl Harmon

W1998-00841-COA-R3-CV

This is a divorce case. The husband is a physician employed by a professional association. The trial court granted the wife the divorce and awarded the wife, inter alia, 50% of the value of the husband’s interest in his medical practice and 45% of the husband’s retirement and profit sharing plans. The wife was awarded alimony in futuro of $6000 per month for 13 years. The husband was ordered to assume responsibility for the parties’ marital debt. The wife’s request for attorney’s fees was denied. The wife appeals the trial court’s valuation of the husband’s interest in the medical practice, the amount of alimony awarded, the division of the retirement and profit sharing plans, and the denial of attorney’s fees. The husband appeals the trial court’s order that he pay the marital debt. We reverse the trial court’s valuation of the husband’s interest in his medical practice, holding that the values set forth in buy-sell agreements executed by the husband are relevant but not binding on the wife in the divorce. The remainder of the trial court’s decision is affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Judge Holly Kirby Lillard
Originating Judge:Chancellor Joe C. Morris
Madison County Court of Appeals 03/02/00
Mary Alice Maupin v. Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge

03S01-9901-CC-00009
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 employer, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, has appealed from the trial court's ruling awarding the employee, Mary Alice Maupin, certain travel expenses pursuant to the provisions of T.C.A. _ 5-6-24. All other issues were settled and approved by the trial court. The sole issue is whether the employee is entitled to a mileage allowance under subsection (a)(6)(A) of the statute which provides; "When an injured worker is required by the worker's employer to travel to an authorized medical provider or facility located outside a radius of fifteen (15) miles from such insured worker's residence or workplace, then, upon request, such employee shall be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses. The injured employee's travel reimbursement shall be calculated based on a per mile reimbursement rate, as defined in subdivision (a)(6)(B), times the total round trip mileage as measured from the employee's residence or workplace to the location of the medical provider's facility. . . . . . . ." The trial court made findings that the employee "was not able to work at the time these medical expenses were incurred, and that the plaintiff's residence was more than fifteen miles from the location of the requested medical treatment and as the plaintiff had to travel in excess of fifteen miles from her home to the location for medical treatment, the Court finds that these expenses should be reimbursed." The order also recited that plaintiff had not been released to return to work at the time her travel expenses were incurred and that the medical treatment was authorized. The employer contends the trial court misconstrued the statute and that the mileage allowance should not have been allowed as the authorized medical treatment was within fifteen miles of the workplace and that the statute measured the right to mileage reimbursement by determining whether the travel was fifteen miles from the worker's residence or workplace. The employee insists the statutory language does not give the option to the employer to measure mileage from the location it may choose but the statute must be examined in light of actual distance traveled. It is also argued that the statute does not say mileage is to be determined and measured "from the employee's residence or workplace, to be determined by the employer" or it does not state measurement shall be "from the employee's residence or workplace, whichever is less." The case is to be reviewed de novo accompanied by a presumption of the findings of fact unless we find the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. T.C.A. _ 5-6-225(e)(2). However, in reviewing a question of law, there is no presumption in favor of the ruling. Union Carbide Corp. v. Huddleston, 854 S.W.2d 89, 91 (Tenn. 1993). There is no issue concerning the factual findings of the trial court. In construing a statute, proper interpretations should give effect to the entire statute by giving its words their natural and ordinary meaning. Pryor Oldsmobile v. 2
Authoring Judge: Roger E. Thayer, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. James B. Scott, Jr.
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 03/02/00
Timothy Shaun McClure, v. Stacy Dawn McClure

W1998-00804-COA-R3-CV

This is a divorce case. The trial court awarded the husband sole custody of the parties’ children and ordered the wife to pay child support. Supervised visitation was awarded to the wife, and visitation was also awarded to the maternal grandmother and great-grandmother. The trial court also ordered that the marital home be sold, with the proceeds divided between the parties. We affirm the award of custody to the husband, reverse the award of visitation to the maternal grandmother and great-grandmother, reverse the order that the marital home be sold, and remand.
 

Authoring Judge: Judge Holly Kirby Lillard
Originating Judge:Chancellor Dewey C. Whitenton
Fayette County Court of Appeals 03/02/00
State of Tennessee v. Bryon A. Peete

W1998-02116-CCA-R3-CD

The appellant, Byron A. Peete, appeals his conviction in the Shelby County Criminal Court of second degree murder. Pursuant to the appellant’s conviction, the trial court sentenced the appellant to thirteen years and six months incarceration in the Tennessee Department of Correction. On appeal, the appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence underlying his conviction. Although not clearly articulated, his argument appears to encompass the following specific contentions: (1) the evidence presented at trial concerning his low intellectual quotient (I.Q.) precluded a finding that the killing was knowing as required by Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-210(a)(1) (1997); (2) alternatively, in light of the evidence concerning the appellant’s low I.Q., the record demonstrates the provocation required by Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-211(a) (1997); or (3) in light of the evidence concerning his low I.Q., the record demonstrates that the appellant killed the victim, Terrance Baker, in self-defense within the meaning of Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-11-611(a) (1997). Following a thorough 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 James C. Beasley, Jr.
Court of Criminal Appeals 03/02/00
Kathleen J. Young-Green v. Richard W. Green

W1999-00093-COA-R3-CV

Kathleen Young-Green appeals from the judgment of the Chancery Court of Shelby County. Her complaint had sought imposition of a constructive trust over assets allegedly procured through the exercise of undue influence. The trial court dismissed the case under Rule 41.02 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure finding that the Plaintiff had not satisfied her burden of proof. For the reasons stated herein, we affirm the trial court’s dismissal.

Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Chancellor Walter L. Evans
Shelby County Court of Appeals 03/02/00
State of Tennessee vs. Ernest Puryear

W1999-02031-CCA-R3-CD

A Shelby County jury found defendant guilty of aggravated robbery, a Class B felony. Defendant received an eight-year sentence. In this appeal as of right, defendant claims (1) the evidence was not sufficient to sustain the conviction for aggravated robbery, and (2) he received ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Upon our review of the record, we conclude the evidence was sufficient to sustain defendant's conviction, and defendant received effective assistance of counsel. Thus, we AFFIRM the judgment of the trial court.

Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge John P. Colton, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 03/02/00
Lawrence Taylor v. Pya/Monarch, Inc., et al

M1999-01766-SC-WCM-CV
This case is before the Court upon motion for review pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. _ 50-6-225(e)(5)(B), 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;
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Hon. Robert E. Corlew, III, Chancellor
Lawrence County Workers Compensation Panel 02/29/00
Papachristou vs. The University of TN

M1999-00960-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/29/00