Team Design v. Anthony Gottlieb
M1999-00911-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Barbara N. Haynes
This appeal raises important issues regarding the permissible range of court-annexed alternative dispute resolution procedures available under Tenn. S. Ct. R. 31. The case began in the Davidson County General Sessions Court as a dispute over payment for artwork and graphic design for a country music album. All the parties were dissatisfied with the general sessions court's disposition of their claims and perfected de novo appeals to the Circuit Court for Davidson County. When a dispute arose over the inability of two of the parties to be present on the agreed-upon trial date, the trial court, with all parties' agreement, entered an order referring the case to "binding mediation." The trial court conducted separate, off-the-record discussions with each of the parties and then entered an order finally adjudicating their claims. One of the parties filed a Tenn. R. Civ. P. 59.04 motion objecting to the order on the ground that it had not agreed to waive its right to a trial if the outcome of the mediation was unsatisfactory. After the trial court denied its motion, the moving party perfected this appeal. We have determined that the trial court lacked authority to conduct binding mediation or to finally adjudicate the parties' claims. Accordingly, we vacate the final order.

Consumer Advocate Div. v. Tennessee Regulatory Authority
M1997-00238-COA-R3-CV
The principal issue in this case is whether telephone directory assistance service is basic or non-basic under the statutory scheme. Secondary issues involve the practice of grandfathering existing customers when a new tariff is approved, the exemptions to directory assistance charges, and whether the Tennessee Regulatory Authority was authorized to transfer a contested case to another docket. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Debra Kay Thomas
W2001-02039-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Trial Court Judge: Judge Julian P. Guinn

The defendant, Debra Kay Thomas, appeals the Henry County Circuit Court's resentencing her upon revocation of her community corrections sentence. She claims that the trial court erred in failing to give her credit for the time she served in confinement and in the community corrections program under her original sentence. The state agrees. We hold that the defendant was improperly sentenced and remand the case for resentencing.

State of Tennessee v. Jack Roger Norton
E2001-01903-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas T. Woodall
Trial Court Judge: Judge Robert E. Cupp
The State has appealed from the trial court’s order granting the Motion to Suppress filed by Defendant, Jack Roger Norton. Defendant is the owner of a tavern in Washington County, which was the subject of a valid search warrant. It is undisputed that the officers did not “knock and announce” prior to their entry into the building to execute the warrant. This failure was the basis of the trial court’s ruling. After a thorough review of the record, the applicable law, and based upon the specific, narrow issue presented, we reverse the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Jack Roger Norton - Concurring
E2001-01903-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Trial Court Judge: Judge Roger E. Cupp
Although based on the narrow issue presented in this appeal, I agree fully with the decision reached by the Court in this appeal, I am compelled to write separately in order to express my astonishment and dismay over the manner in which the Washington County SWAT team treated the innocent patrons of the tavern searched in this case. While the actions of the SWAT team do not mandate the suppression of evidence seized from the defendant, those actions as they relate to the bar patrons do merit the condemnation of anyone who believes that this country is not, at least for the moment, a police state.

Eva M. Lemeh, Trustee v. Emc Mortgage Corporation
2002-00223-SC-R23-CQ
Trial Court Judge: Keith M. Lundin

State of Tennessee v. Wade P. Tucker
M2001-02298-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Curtis Smith
The defendant, Wade P. Tucker, appeals from his Franklin County Circuit Court convictions of especially aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary. These convictions resulted from a bench trial in which the facts were stipulated by the defendant and the state. On appeal, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the convicting evidence. We conclude that sufficient evidence supports the conviction of especially aggravated robbery; however, we hold that the conviction of aggravated burglary is infirm because the defendant, as an owner of the property, effectively consented to his entry into the house where the crime took place. Accordingly, we reverse and vacate the conviction of aggravated burglary but affirm the conviction of especially aggravated robbery.

State of Tennessee v. Ricky Lee Hall
M2001-01874-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Frank G. Clement, Jr.

The defendant contests the trial court's revocation of his probation, more specifically its failure to dismiss the probation revocation warrant. We conclude the trial court did not err in not dismissing the warrant. We affirm the judgment of the trial court with instructions to enter a formal order revoking probation.

State of Tennessee v. Daryl Keith Holton
M2000-00766-CCA-R3-DD
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Trial Court Judge: Judge William Charles Lee

The appellant, Daryl Keith Holton, was convicted by a jury in the Bedford County Circuit Court of four counts of first degree premeditated murder. The same jury imposed a sentence of death for each count of murder. The appellant now appeals both his convictions and sentences, presenting the following issues for our review: (1) whether the evidence adduced at trial is sufficient to support the jury's verdicts; (2) whether the statute setting forth the defense of insanity in Tennessee is violative of the United States Constitution in the context of a prosecution for first degree premeditated murder; (3) whether under the United States Constitution inadequate acoustics in the courtroom during his trial denied the appellant his right to a fair trial; (4) whether under the United States and Tennessee Constitutions the imposition of a sentence of death violates a criminal defendant's fundamental right to life; (5) whether the evidence adduced during the guilt/innocence and sentencing phases of the appellant's trial supports the jury's imposition of sentences of death; and (6) whether the appellant's sentences of death are comparatively disproportionate. Following a thorough review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. George T. Wiebe, in re: Paul's Bonding Company, Inc.
M2001-00350-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steve R. Dozier

Bonding company for absconded defendant appeals final forfeiture of bond and alleges that its agents were without authority to issue an alleged illegal bond. Concluding that bonding company's employee had authority to act, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Jeffrey B. Johnson
M2001-02494-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge R.E. Lee Davies
The defendant appeals the trial court's order rejecting his request for additional pretrial jail credits. We dismiss the appeal.

Adrian Wilkerson v. State of Tennessee
M2001-02295-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
This is an appeal from the denial of post-conviction relief. A Davidson County jury originally convicted the petitioner and a co-defendant of first degree felony murder, especially aggravated robbery, and theft over $1,000. The petitioner is serving an effective sentence of life imprisonment plus 25 years. In this appeal, the petitioner contends he received ineffective assistance of counsel due to counsel's failure to interview witnesses and failure to raise on direct appeal the trial court's denial of severance from his co-defendant. After a review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.

Jerry Seymour v. Tomisa Sierra
M2001-02278-COA-R9-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Trial Court Judge: Buddy D. Perry
The only question involved in this appeal is whether an insured may proceed directly against its uninsured motorist carrier when the tortfeasor is in fact insured but service of process is returned "not to be found." The Circuit Court of Franklin County allowed the suit to proceed and we granted the insurance company's motion for an interlocutory appeal under Rule 9, Tenn. R. App. P. After briefing and oral argument, we affirm the trial court.

Joe Hibbler, III v. State of Tennessee
W2001-00449-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge John P. Colton, Jr.

The petitioner, Joe Hibbler, III's petition for post-conviction relief was denied by the Shelby County Criminal Court following an evidentiary hearing. Because the record supports the lower court's determination that the petitioner did not demonstrate the ineffective assistance of counsel by clear and convincing evidence, we affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Howard C. Covington in re: Memphis Bonding Company
W2001-01575-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Carolyn Wade Blackett

Memphis Bonding Company appeals the Shelby County Criminal Court's order denying its petitions for exoneration of liability for the defendant Howard C. Covington's bail bonds for various offenses. Because the record fails to reflect that this case is properly before us as a rightful appeal, we dismiss the appeal.

State of Tennessee v. Larry Douglas
E2001-01945-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Rebecca J. Stern

After failing to report to his arrest house and failing a drug screen, defendant's sentence in the Community Corrections Program was revoked, and defendant appealed the revocation. The record contains substantial evidence to support the revocation. We affirm the judgment.

State of Tennessee v. Mark Walker
M2001-00341-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Trial Court Judge: Judge Carol L. Soloman

The defendant was convicted of one count of theft of property, one count of aggravated assault, two counts of criminal simulation, one count of evading arrest, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. The criminal simulation convictions were merged by the trial court, and the defendant was sentenced as follows: four years for theft of property, four years for criminal simulation, ten years for aggravated assault, and eleven months and twenty nine days for both evading arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia. On appeal, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support his convictions for theft, criminal simulation, and evading arrest. He also alleges that the trial court failed to exclude from evidence hearsay testimony and statements to law enforcement in violation of his Fifth Amendment rights. Further, the defendant asserts that the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury on the lesser-included offense of attempted criminal simulation. Finally, the defendant challenges the length and manner of service of his sentences. After a review of the record, we reverse and dismiss the defendant's conviction of criminal simulation. The remaining judgments of the trial court are affirmed.

State of Tennessee v. Clyde Randall Scivally
M2001-02261-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Curtis Smith
The defendant and co-defendant were indicted for possession of over .5 grams of cocaine with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. A Franklin County jury convicted the defendant of the lesser-included offense of simple possession of cocaine and acquitted him of possession of drug paraphernalia. The co-defendant was convicted of both indicted offenses. In this appeal, the defendant contends the evidence was insufficient to sustain his conviction. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Robert Powell, Jr. v. Blalock Plumbing
M2001-00204-WC-WCM-CV
Trial Court Judge: Jeffrey F. Stewart

Robert Powell, Jr. v. Blalock Plumbing
M2001-00204-WC-WCM-CV
Trial Court Judge: Jeffrey F. Stewart

Robert Powell, Jr. v. Blalock Plumbing
M2001-00204-WC-WCM-CV
Trial Court Judge: Jeffrey F. Stewart

Robert Marengo & Francine Marengo v. Terry Bowen
M2000-02379-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Don R. Ash
Trial Court Judge: Vernon Neal
This is an appeal from the judgment of the Chancellor regarding the judicial dissolution of a continuing partnership. The trial court determined the withdrawing partner's debt should not be offset against his capital account in assessing his dissolution date value until the valuation of the business was made by the court, it was proper to add an additional $20,000 as a going concern adjustment to the valuation of the partnership, certain salary adjustments were proper, and a marketability and/or minority discount does not apply to the partnership. This Court concluded the trial court's determination offsetting the withdrawing partner's debt to the partnership as of the trial date was proper, the trial court erred in adding an additional $20,000 as a going concern value to the valuation of the partnership, the trial court's salary adjustment was proper, the trial court's refusal to apply a minority and/or marketability discount was proper, and the trial court's adjustment for a portion of the partnership's legal and professional expenses was proper. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for recalculation of the value of the withdrawing partner's interest as consistent with this order. Costs of this appeal shall be split between the appellant and the appellee.

In Re: The Estate of Lonzo Kelley
M2001-00847-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Trial Court Judge: Michael R. Jones
Lonzo Kelley operated a grocery store and borrowed a total of $250,000 from Heritage Bank ("Defendant") to operate the store. After Mr. Kelley died and there was no person or entity willing to assume control of the store, Defendant assumed operation of the store with the stated intent of protecting the assets, some of which were perishable. Defendant also believed the store would be more valuable at the time of foreclosure if it continued to remain open up until the time of sale. Defendant purchased new inventory and continued to operate the store until foreclosure took place. After foreclosure, and after deducting all expenses, etc., approximately $3,874.88 remained, which Defendant kept on deposit. Several years later, The Estate of Lonzo H. Kelley ("Plaintiff") filed suit making numerous challenges to Defendant's accounting practices, the manner in which Defendant operated the store, as well as its legal right to assume control of the store. Both parties filed motions for summary judgment. The Trial Court granted judgment to Plaintiff in the amount of $9,132.09, but determined Defendant was within its rights to assume control of the store and had not engaged in any wrongful acts while operating the store. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

Alfred Akin v. Kylan Thompson
M2001-00851-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert L. Jones
Trial Court Judge: Thomas W. Brothers
The plaintiff Alfred Akin was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by the defendant Kylan Thompson, who was uninsured. The Allstate Insurance policy on the Akin vehicle provided uninsured motorist coverage with limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence. Though in his personal vehicle, Mr. Akin was in the course and scope of his employment with the Metropolitan Nashville Water Works when injured. Metro government does not have a workers' compensation program, but has a benefit program for on-the-job injuries, under which it paid more than $100,000 for medical bills and disability benefits. The trial court held that Allstate's limits were reduced by amounts paid "under any workers' compensation law, disability law, or similar law . . . ." and also found that the loss of consortium claim of Mrs. Akin was derivative in nature and subject to the same $100,000 "each person" limit and reduction. We affirm the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Allstate.

Travis Jones, Jr. v. State of Tennessee
M2001-01852-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Trial Court Judge: Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.

The Appellant, Travis Jones, Jr., appeals from the dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. On March 22, 2000, Jones, pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement, entered "best interest" pleas to two counts of second degree murder. As provided by the plea agreement, Jones was sentenced by the Davidson County Criminal Court to consecutive fifteen-year terms for each conviction. On appeal, Jones challenges the post-conviction court's dismissal of his petition, arguing that he was "forced" into pleading guilty due to trial counsel's inadequate pre-trial preparation. Finding no error, the judgment of the post-conviction court is affirmed.