APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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01C01-9512-CC-00431

01C01-9512-CC-00431
Court of Criminal Appeals 02/25/00
State vs. Joseph John Henry Morrell

E1999-00924-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry Smith
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/25/00
Bennie Faulkner vs. Homer Skelton

W1999-00621-COA-R3-CV
This is a personal injury and wrongful death case involving an automobile accident. The plaintiffs, husband and wife, suffered injuries, and the wife's mother, a passenger in the car, died as a result of the accident. The driver of the other car was a sixteen-year old boy. The plaintiffs sued the boy's grandfather, and various corporate entities that he owned, alleging that they were the true owners of the car and had let the boy drive it for family and business purposes, and also alleging negligent entrustment. The trial court granted summary judgment to the defendants. We affirm, finding the evidence insufficient to support claims under any of these theories.
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:Robert L. Childers
Shelby County Court of Appeals 02/24/00
03C01-9809-CR-00344

03C01-9809-CR-00344

Originating Judge:R. Jerry Beck
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/24/00
Albert J. Shell v. Abb Combustion Engineering, Inc.

03S01-9902-CH-00018
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, Albert J. Shell, has appealed from the action of the trial court in dismissing his claim for benefits. The court concluded his condition and/or injury was not work-related. On appeal two questions are presented for review. First, it is contended the evidence preponderates against the trial court's finding on the causation issue and second, it is insisted the court was in error at the close of all proof to require counsel to submit a hypothetical question to one of the expert medical witnesses. We have carefully reviewed the record with these issues in mind and are of the opinion the judgment of dismissal should be affirmed. Plaintiff was 54 years of age and is a high school graduate. He has been employed by defendant, ABB Combustion Engineering, Inc ., for a long period of time. In 199 he was involved in a work-related accident which was diagnosed as a disc injury causing back and leg pain. He did not undergo surgery and conservative treatment seemed to heal the injury as he returned to work after a short period of time. He continued to work without any significant problems until March 1995. On March 21, 1995, he testified he was using a hammer to attempt to disconnect metal that had been previously welded when the blow of the hammer caused a piece of the metal to break free and strike the top of his foot; that he immediately had pain in his foot and felt he had bruised it; several days later he began having pain in his leg calf and foot and some numbness; he saw his wife's family doctor whose medical records were filed in evidence and indicated the examination revealed "Left foot numbness and weakness since Thurs. No cause. . . . . . ." On March 29, 1995 he saw Dr. George Z. Seiters, an orthopedic surgeon, who testified by deposition and stated his examination revealed a foot drop condition; that the patient had indicated he had awakened with the symptoms and that he could not recall any precipitating event other than the hammer incident. Dr. Seiters referred the patient to a neurosurgeon for further evaluation. Dr. Seiters testified he was of the opinion there was no casual connection between the hammer incident and the foot drop condition and later diagnosed disc condition. He felt the disc condition which the neurosurgeon found was probably related to the 199 work-related accident. He also stated plaintiff never described any twisting movement during the hammer incident nor did he ever complain of having back pain. The neurosurgeon, Dr. Thomas D. Fulbright, first saw plaintiff on May 1, 1995 and he performed disc surgery on May 1th. He testified by deposition and was also of the opinion the hammer incident did not cause the foot drop condition or the disc condition. He said a bulging disc caused compression of the nerve root which caused the foot drop. In describing the hammer incident at work on March 21st to the company nurse, an insurance adjuster, his wife's family doctor, Dr. Seiters and Dr. Fulbright, 2
Authoring Judge: Roger E. Thayer, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Howell N. Peoples,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 02/24/00
Charles Pendleton v. Knoxville Community Development Corporation

03S01-9812-CH-00147
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, Knoxville Community Development Corporation 3S1-9812-CH-147 1 Pendleton v KCDC (hereafter "KCDC") appeals an award of 2 percent disability to the body. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Special Judge Howell N. Peoples
Originating Judge:Hon. John F. Weaver,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 02/24/00
Paul Mayes vs. State

E1999-01374-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:E. Eugene Eblen
Morgan County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/24/00
Steve Myers vs. Danny Wilson & Elmo Mayes

E1998-00732-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Claiborne County Court of Appeals 02/24/00
Buford Knight vs. Greene County, TN & Alan D. Broyles

E1999-02445-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Greene County Court of Appeals 02/24/00
Ashlee Sellars vs. State

E1999-00356-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Richard R. Baumgartner
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/24/00
State vs. Robert Guy Oliver

E1999-00548-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Lynn W. Brown
Carter County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/23/00
Lee Greer vs. Maureen Zolfagharbik

W1999-01013-COA-R3-CV
This is a will contest case. The defendant/appellant challenges the validity of a mutual release she signed in which she waived any right she had to challenge the revocation of the decedent's will or to establish any rights under the decedent's will, in exchange for a release of any claims the estate may have had against her. The trial court found that the mutual release signed by the defendant/appellant effectively waived any claim she may have had to establish the validity of the decedent's will. We affirm, finding that the mutual release was an effective waiver of any rights the defendant/appellant had under the will or to challenge revocation of the will.
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:Ron E. Harmon
Henry County Court of Appeals 02/23/00
State vs. Ralph Dewayne Moore

E1999-00804-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:E. Eugene Eblen
Roane County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/23/00
State vs. Christopher Garza

E1999-00388-CCA-R3-CD

Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/23/00
Robert Breeden vs. State

E1999-00363-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:Ray L. Jenkins
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/22/00
McCoy vs. T.T.C. Illinois Inc.

E1999-01378-SC-WCM-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Supreme Court 02/22/00
Smith vs. U.S. Pipe & Foundry Co.

E1998-00306-SC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Supreme Court 02/22/00
Gleaves vs. Checker Cab Transit

M1997-00183-SC-R11-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Davidson County Supreme Court 02/22/00
Donald James Alexander vs. Carolyn Paxton Alexander

E1998-00855-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Charles D. Susano, Jr.
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 02/22/00
03C01-9808-CR-00295

03C01-9808-CR-00295
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/22/00
Thomas Allen Clark vs. State

E1999-00362-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:Ray L. Jenkins
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/22/00
Ross vs. Vanderbilt Univ. Medical Ctr.

M1999-02644-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Thomas W. Brothers
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
Valerie Humphreys vs. Stuart Breakstone

W1999-02502-COA-R3-CV
This is a legal malpractice action. The plaintiff is the majority shareholder of a corporation as well as a member of the corporation's board of directors. The defendant attorney and law firm represented the corporation. The plaintiff sued the defendant for professional malpractice, negligence, collusion, and interference in economic development, arising out of the defendant's representation of the corporation. The trial court held that the plaintiff did not have standing to bring a derivative suit in her own name since all of the alleged injuries were suffered by the corporation, not the plaintiff. We affirm, finding that a derivative suit to address injuries to a corporation must be filed in the name of the corporation, and that an individual shareholder may not sue pro se on behalf of the corporation.
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:W. Michael Maloan
Shelby County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
Estate of Connie S. Bligh

M1999-02645-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Frank G. Clement, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00
In Re: Nikolas Dean Welch

M1999-02649-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Leonard W. Martin
Dickson County Court of Appeals 02/18/00