Brogdon v. Chattanooga General Ser. 03S01-9803-CV-00021
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Robert M. Summitt,
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. Review of the findings of fact made by the trial court is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of the correctness of the findings, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(2); Stone v. City of McMinnville, 896 S.W.2d 548, 55 (Tenn. 1995). The application of this standard requires this Court to weigh in more depth the factual findings and conclusions of the trial court in a workers' compensation case. See Corcoran v. Foster Auto GMC, Inc., 746 S.W.2d 452, 456 (Tenn. 1988). The defendant appeals from an order of the trial judge entered on the 26th day of January 1998 which set aside a portion of a final judgment in an approved settlement of a compensation claim made by the plaintiff against the defendant. The approved settlement and judgment thereon was entered on October 11, 1996, and among the provisions therein was the approval of medical care for a period of one year. The care was to be provided by Dr. Lester F. Littell, an orthopedic surgeon. In addition, a fund of $2,1.4 was established for future medical care. On October 6, 1997, the plaintiff filed a motion to set aside or modify the judgment, asking that he be allowed to be seen by another or other doctors to determine if he should have back surgery. No evidence was introduced in the hearing on the motion, although there were medical records from Dr. Littell and Dr. George Seiters, also an orthopedic surgeon. Both of these physicians were of the opinion the plaintiff did not require surgery. In a sworn affidavit, the plaintiff alleged he was not allowed by the defendant to obtain a second opinion on whether he needed surgery. This statement was false. The insurance carrier as well approved an examination by Dr. Seiters, and Dr. Littell's notes reflect he referred the plaintiff to Dr. Seiters. We are somewhat hampered in this case by the fact that counsel for the plaintiff withdrew as counsel in accordance with the rule allowing withdrawal. The 2
Knox
Workers Compensation Panel
Thomas v. Testerman 03S01-9807-CH-00080
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Frederick D. Mcdonald,
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.
State vs. Jasper Stewart W2000-01752-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Trial Court Judge: Joseph H. Walker, III
A Tipton County jury convicted the defendant of first degree felony murder, especially aggravated robbery, and theft under $500. The trial court sentenced the defendant to concurrent sentences of life with the possibility of parole for first degree felony murder, 20 years for especially aggravated robbery, and 11 months and 29 days for theft. In this appeal, the defendant contends: (1) the trial court erroneously admitted his tape-recorded telephone calls from the jail and items seized from his residence; (2) the state failed to turn over all tape recordings of his telephone conversations pursuant to his discovery request; (3) the trial court erroneously permitted a state witness to respond to an "open-ended" question in narrative form; and (4) the trial court erroneously neglected to instruct the jury concerning the definition of specific intent. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.
Kimberly Diane Ramsey vs. Elmer Cole Ramsey E1999-00577-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: Ben K. Wexler
On March 4, 1999, the Plaintiff filed for a divorce. The Defendant was served on March 5, 1999. At the trial court's regular docket sounding held on March 19, 1999, the divorce hearing was set for July 20, 1999. The Defendant filed an answer on April 14, 1999. Neither counsel for the Defendant nor the Defendant appeared at the hearing. After being unable to contact the Defendant's attorney, the trial court heard the evidence and entered an order granting the Plaintiff a divorce, and custody of the child, setting child support, and dividing the marital property. Subsequently, the Defendant filed a motion to vacate the order averring he had no notice of the hearing and that Defendant's counsel had other business which kept him away from the hearing. The motion was denied by the trial court. The Defendant appealed. We affirm the decision of the trial court.
State ex rel. Paula Buchanan v. Joseph Buchanan M1998-00962-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Muriel Robinson
This appeal involves a belated dispute over unpaid child and spousal support. After their divorce, the former spouses twice changed the custody arrangements and support obligation in their 1993 divorce decree without obtaining court approval. In 1998, a private Title IV-D contractor, acting on behalf of the State of Tennessee, filed suit in the Circuit Court for Davidson County seeking to collect $59,150 in unpaid child support and spousal support from the former husband. The trial court held that the former husband could not, as a matter of law, assert the defenses of laches, estoppel, or waiver against these claims, granted a $51,250 judgment against the former husband, and placed a judgment lien against the former husband's house. While the trial court correctly determined that the former husband could not assert equitable defenses with regard to the child support arrearage, the trial court erred by refusing to permit him to assert equitable defenses against the claim for unpaid spousal support. Accordingly, we vacate the portion of the judgment awarding the wife $29,150 for unpaid spousal support and remand the case for further proceedings.
Davidson
Court of Appeals
Calvin Easley vs. James Britt M1998-00971-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Carol L. Mccoy
This appeal involves a dispute between a prisoner and the Tennessee Department of Correction stemming from a disciplinary proceeding. After he was reclassified to a higher security status and transferred to another institution, the prisoner filed a petition for writ of common-law certiorari in the Chancery Court for Davidson County claiming that the disciplinary board and the warden had acted arbitrarily and capriciously by finding him guilty of the disciplinary offense of escape. The trial court dismissed the petition, and the prisoner perfected an appeal to this court. While this appeal was pending, the prisoner was released from prison thereby rendering this appeal moot. Accordingly, we vacate the June 12, 1998 order and remand the case to the trial court with directions to dismiss it on the grounds of mootness.
