GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF TENNEVA AREA, INC., ET AL. v. MICHAEL HUTTON

The appellees filed a petition for a temporary restraining order and an injunction, pursuant to the Tennessee Violence in the Workplace Act, Tenn. Code Ann. § 20-14-101, et seq. (“the TVWA”), against a former employee, the appellant.  The appellees alleged, inter alia, that the appellant was committing unlawful violence at the workplace by stalking the corporation, the chief executive officer (“CEO”), and the employees.  The alleged stalking consisted mostly of public Facebook posts by the appellant.  The Chancery Court for Sullivan County (“the Trial Court”) granted the appellees a temporary restraining order prior to the hearing on the injunction.  After the hearing, the Trial Court found that the appellant had committed unlawful violence at the workplace via stalking based upon the appellant’s persistent Facebook posts about the appellees and granted the appellees an injunction against the appellant.  The Trial Court also found the appellant in contempt for eleven violations of the temporary restraining order.  The Trial Court awarded the appellees their attorney’s fees. This appeal ensued.  Based upon our review, we reverse the Trial Court’s judgment.