Opinions

State of Tennessee v. Michael Sneed
W2025-00758-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Tony Childress

The Defendant, Michael Sneed, appeals from his guilty-pleaded convictions for two counts of the sale of methamphetamine in an amount over 0.5 gram, a Class B felony. See T.C.A. § 39-17-417(a), (c)(1) (Supp. 2022) (subsequently amended). The trial court ordered the Defendant to serve a sixteen-year sentence in confinement. On appeal, the Defendant, a Range II offender, contends the court erred by denying alternative sentencing. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Pauline Virginia Spalding and Charles Martin Johnson
M2024-00044-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Special Judge Jeffrey Usman
Trial Court Judge: Judge Mark J. Fishburn

Defendants Pauline Virginia Spalding and Charles Martin Johnson were jointly indicted for especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, and impersonating a police officer. The Defendants were tried together by a jury, and the jury convicted both Defendants as charged. The trial court sentenced Ms. Spalding to fifteen years for the kidnapping conviction, three years for the assault conviction, and eleven months, twenty-nine days for the impersonation conviction. The trial court ordered Ms. Spalding’s sentences to be served concurrently, for an effective term of incarceration of fifteen years. The trial court sentenced Mr. Johnson to seventeen years for the kidnapping conviction, four years for the assault conviction, and eleven months, twenty-nine days for the impersonation conviction. The trial court ordered Mr. Johnson’s sentences to be served concurrently, for an effective term of incarceration of seventeen years. In this consolidated direct appeal, Mr. Johnson challenges the sufficiency of the evidence underlying his especially aggravated kidnapping conviction and also contends that his dual convictions for especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault violate double jeopardy. Ms. Spalding contends that the trial court erred in denying the admission of certain evidence; that purported dishonesty from one of the jurors during voir dire entitles her to a new trial; and that the trial court erred in sentencing her. We affirm.

State of Tennessee v. Justin Johnson a/k/a Straight Drop
W2025-00127-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Matthew J. Wilson
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jennifer Johnson Mitchell

Defendant, Justin Johnson-a/k/a Straight Drop, appeals his convictions for conspiracy to commit first degree murder, first degree premeditated murder, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, for which he received an effective sentence of life imprisonment plus thirty-five years. On appeal, Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions, the admission of photographs of the victim’s body at the crime scene and during the autopsy, the trial court’s denial of his request to sit at counsel table during trial, and the prosecutor’s comments during closing arguments. Defendant also contends that he is entitled to relief due to the cumulative effect of multiple errors. Upon review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court.

4U2ASKY Entertainment, Inc. v. Blessing Chibueze Offor
M2023-00238-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Jeffrey Usman
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Russell T. Perkins

A music publisher sued a musician for breach of contract. The musician, saddled with legal fees related to this litigation, eventually filed for bankruptcy and claimed certain musical works as his own intellectual property during the bankruptcy proceedings. The parties settled by agreeing that ownership rights to a subset of the musician’s songs would be transferred to the publisher. Subsequently, the publisher contacted a licensing agency in pursuit of royalties, claiming ownership of more songs than were actually provided for under the settlement. The musician objected to the licensing agency, asserting that the publisher misrepresented the breadth of works it obtained in the settlement. This led to a second lawsuit with the music publisher asserting breach of contract against the musician. The musician filed a counterclaim against the publisher in this second lawsuit, asserting that the publisher’s communications with the licensing agency amounted to tortious interference with the musician’s existing and prospective business relationships. The publisher sought to dismiss the musician’s counterclaim under the Tennessee Public Participation Act (TPPA). The trial court dismissed the publisher’s TPPA petition. The publisher appeals the denial of its TPPA petition. We affirm.

Tino Cartez Sutton v. State of Tennessee et al.
M2026-00318-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: PER CURIAM
Trial Court Judge: Senior Judge Robert E. Lee Davies

This is an appeal from an order denying relief under Tennessee Rule of Civil Procedure 60.02. Because the appellant did not file his notice of appeal within thirty days after entry of the order as required by Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 4(a), we dismiss the appeal.

In Re Dahlia S.
W2025-01293-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge Kristi M. Davis
Trial Court Judge: Judge Christy R. Little

A father filed several documents in the Juvenile Court for Madison County (the “trial court”) seeking, inter alia, parenting time with his minor child. The trial court dismissed the father’s petition, and the father filed a timely appeal to this Court. Because the father’s brief fails to comply with the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure addressing briefing, father waives any issues purportedly raised. This appeal is dismissed.

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. JOHN BASSETT
E2024-01681-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Kyle A. Hixson
Trial Court Judge: Judge G. Scott Green

The Defendant, John Bassett, appeals from his conviction for first degree premeditated
murder, for which he received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. On appeal,
the Defendant contends that (1) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction
because the State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was responsible for the
victim’s death and that he acted with premeditation and (2) the evidence was insufficient
to support an enhanced sentence based upon the aggravating circumstance that the murder
was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel. After review, we affirm the judgment of the
trial court with respect to the Defendant’s conviction. However, we reverse the judgment
of the trial court with respect to the Defendant’s sentence and remand the case for the entry
of an amended judgment sentencing the Defendant to imprisonment for life.

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. VIDAL CHAD BRYANT
E2025-00493-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Ross Dyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Hector Sanchez

The defendant, Vidal Chad Bryant, pled guilty to attempted possession with the intent to
sell butyrylfentanyl, a Class C felony; possession with the intent to sell less than half a
gram of methamphetamine, a Class C felony; and possession of a firearm after having been
previously convicted of a felony drug offense, a Class C felony, for an agreed-upon
effective sentence of six years in the Tennessee Department of Correction (“TDOC”). On
appeal, the defendant argues that the trial court abused its discretion in denying his motion
to suspend the remainder of his sentence to probation. Following our review of the record,
the parties’ briefs, and applicable law, we affirm the trial court’s denial of the defendant’s
motion.

Cedric Peter Hopgood v. State of Tennessee
W2025-01001-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert H. Montgomery, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Donald H. Allen

The Defendant, Cedric Peter Hopgood, pleaded guilty to multiple felony drug possession offenses and received an agreed-upon sentence of thirty-three years. See T.C.A. § 39-17- 417 (2025). The Defendant filed a motion to withdraw his guilty pleas, which the trial court summarily denied. On appeal, the Defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying his motion. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. Raymond Antonio Smith
M2024-01108-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert L. Holloway, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Forest A. Durard, Jr.

Defendant, Raymond Antonio Smith, appeals from his convictions for first degree premeditated murder and theft of property valued at $2,500 or more but less than $10,000, for which he is serving a sentence of life plus twelve years. On appeal, Defendant contends that the evidence was insufficient relative to premeditation and to the stolen property’s value. After a thorough review of the record, we affirm.

Legends Bank v. Samson Orusa et al.
M2026-00233-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: PER CURIAM
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Kimberly Lund

This is an appeal from an order denying a motion to reconsider. Because the appellant did not file his notice of appeal with the Clerk of the Appellate Court within thirty days after entry of the order as required by Rule 4(a) of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure, we dismiss the appeal.

State of Tennessee v. John Valentine
W2025-01411-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert L. Holloway, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Carolyn W. Blackett

Movant, John Valentine, appeals the summary dismissal of his motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1. On appeal, he argues that the indictment was defective and that his double jeopardy rights were violated. After our review, we affirm.

IN RE AYBREE Y.
E2025-00400-COA-R3-PT
Authoring Judge: Judge John W. McClarty
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Timothy E. Irwin

This action involves the termination of a mother’s parental rights to her minor child. Following a bench trial with neither the mother nor her counsel present, the court found that clear and convincing evidence established several grounds of termination and that termination was in the best interest of the child. The mother argues on appeal, inter alia, that the court erred in permitting counsel to withdraw on the day of the hearing. We vacate the judgment and remand for further proceedings.

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. TONY CHARLES DAVENPORT
E2025-00452-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Steven W. Sword
Trial Court Judge: Judge Gary McKenzie

The Defendant, Tony Charles Davenport, was convicted by a Cumberland County jury of
reckless homicide, attempted second degree murder, and attempted voluntary
manslaughter, for which he received an effective sentence of twenty-five years’
incarceration to be served as a Range II, multiple offender. On appeal, the Defendant
claims that the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions of attempted second
degree murder and attempted voluntary manslaughter and that the trial court erred in
imposing consecutive sentencing. The State responds that the Defendant’s appeal is
untimely and should be dismissed. Because we conclude that the Defendant’s notice of
appeal was untimely filed and that the interests of justice do not merit waiver of the
untimeliness, we dismiss the appeal.

JACOB EVAN COYNE v. STATE OF TENNESSEE
E2025-00589-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Steven W. Sword
Trial Court Judge: Judge Amanda B. Dunn

The Petitioner, Jacob Evan Coyne, appeals from the Hamilton County Criminal Court’s
denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. On appeal, the Petitioner maintains that he
received the ineffective assistance of counsel based upon trial counsel’s (1) failure to
investigate or file pretrial motions challenging the credibility of an officer who investigated
his case, (2) failure to sufficiently meet with or to advise the Petitioner regarding the nature
of his case, and (3) failure to adequately advise the Petitioner regarding the status of plea
negotiations. Discerning no error, we affirm.

Jonathan Hamilton v. State of Tennessee
W2026-00147-CCA-R10-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Ross Dyer, Judge John W. Campbell, Judge Matthew J. Wilson
Trial Court Judge: Judge Lee V. Coffee

On February 4, 2026, the pro se Appellant filed an application for an extraordinary appeal pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 10. On February 6, 2026, this Court issued an order noting that the Appellant failed to comply with the procedural requirements of Rule 10 by failing to attach to his application any order issued by the trial court for which review may be available. See Tenn. R. App. P. 10(a), (c). However, the Appellant also requested relief pursuant to the writ of mandamus, asserting that the trial court had failed to comply with the procedural requirements of the Post-Conviction Procedure Act. This Court requested a response from the State regarding the current status of the trial court proceedings and the appropriateness of the writ of mandamus.

DARENA L. DORSEY v. SCOTT DORSEY
E2024-00742-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge John W. McClarty
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Michael E. Jenne

This case arises out of the demise of a 20-year marriage. The trial court declared the parties divorced, equitably divided the marital estate, and awarded the wife alimony in solido, transitional alimony, and alimony in futuro. The husband appeals. Finding no abuse of discretion, we affirm the trial court’s decision in all respects.

STATE OF TENNESSEE v. JOSHUA BOWMAN
E2025-00174-CCA-R3-ECN
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Trial Court Judge: Judge Steven W. Sword

In 2011, a Knox County jury convicted the Petitioner, Joshua Bowman, of multiple
offenses stemming from the robbery and killing of the victim. He appealed his convictions,
all of which were affirmed save one: his conviction for especially aggravated kidnapping,
which we remanded for a new trial based on a jury instruction error. State v. Bowman, No.
E2012-00923-CCA-R3-CD, 2013 WL 4680402, at *1 (Tenn. Crim. App. Aug. 29, 2013),
perm. app. denied (Tenn. Feb. 11, 2014). In 2022, the Petitioner filed a petition for a writ
of error coram nobis saying that there was newly discovered evidence in the form of his
mental and counseling records, which supported his “intellectually diminished capacity
argument.” The State did not file its response until 2025, and it asserted that the records
were not newly discovered because they were his own records and, therefore, known to
him. After a hearing, the coram nobis court dismissed the petition finding that the petition
was untimely and that the Petitioner was not entitled to tolling because he was aware of his
educational limitations before trial and had discussed those limitations with his trial
attorney. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

MARY SUE GASTON LEE v. DANNY C. LEE
E2024-01696-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Thomas R. Frierson, II
Trial Court Judge: Chancellor Jerri S. Bryant

In this divorce matter, the trial court classified and valued the parties’ assets, subsequently fashioning a distribution of the marital assets and liabilities that the court deemed equitable. The husband has appealed. We reverse the trial court’s determination regarding the classification and valuation of two assets and remand those issues to the trial court for further determination. Accordingly, because of these unresolved classification and valuation issues, we vacate the trial court’s overall distribution of marital property and remand that issue for further determination as well.

State of Tennessee v. Byron Becton
W2025-00846-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Matthew J. Wilson
Trial Court Judge: Judge Jennifer Johnson Mitchell

Defendant, Byron Becton, appeals the summary dismissal of his motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 36.1. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

State of Tennessee v. James Andrew Paige
M2024-01550-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert L. Holloway, Jr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn

Defendant, James Andrew Paige, appeals from his three convictions for rape, for which he is serving an eleven-year sentence in confinement. On appeal, Defendant argues that the trial court erred (1) by admitting the victim’s hearsay statements; (2) by denying his motion for judgment of acquittal because the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions; and (3) by failing to inquire into defense counsel’s unintentional contact with a juror or declare a mistrial. Defendant also argues that the cumulative effect of these errors entitles him to a new trial. Because we find that Defendant has failed to timely file his notice of appeal and the interest of justice does not support waiver of that requirement, we dismiss the appeal.

In Re Penelope S.
W2025-00732-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge W. Mark Ward
Trial Court Judge: Magistrate W. Ray Glasgow

The juvenile court magistrate denied Appellant/Father’s petition for custody of the minor child on its finding that Tennessee was not the child’s home state under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. Father filed a timely request for review by the juvenile court judge under Tennessee Code Annotated section 37-1-107(d)(1)(A). Because the trial court’s order denying review fails to comply with section 37-1-107(d)(1)(E), it is vacated.

Juan Cerano v. State of Tennessee
W2025-00379-CCA-R3-PC
Authoring Judge: Judge Kyle A. Hixson
Trial Court Judge: Judge David L. Pool

The Petitioner, Juan Cerano, appeals the trial court’s summary dismissal of his petition for a writ of certiorari or supersedeas. Specifically, he contends that he is entitled to relief because he was twice punished for a single act in violation of double jeopardy and that merger of his convictions for aggravated sexual battery and rape of a child was improper. The Petitioner’s notice of appeal was filed almost two and one-half months late; an issue pointed out by the State on appeal. Following our review, we conclude that the interest of justice does not require waiver of the timely filing requirement because the Petitioner has given no explanation for the untimely filing, and the nature of his double jeopardy issue does not warrant such. Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal.

Kenneth Lee Cross v. A.W. Huggins, Acting Warden
M2025-00739-CCA-R3-HC
Authoring Judge: Judge John W. Campbell, Sr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge Michael Wayne Collins

The Petitioner, Kenneth Lee Cross, appeals as of right from the Trousdale County Circuit Court’s summary denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. He argues that his probation was revoked at a January 4, 2023 “furlough termination” hearing without counsel and without a valid waiver, rendering the judgment void. The habeas corpus court denied relief, finding noncompliance with statutory filing requirements and concluding the petition failed to state a cognizable habeas corpus claim. Based on our review, we affirm the habeas corpus court’s dismissal of the petition.

State of Tennessee v. Mario Reed
M2025-00099-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge John W. Campbell, Sr.
Trial Court Judge: Judge William R. Goodman, III

The Defendant, Mario Reed, was convicted in the Montgomery County Circuit Court of evading arrest involving risk of death or injury, a Class D felony; attempted tampering with evidence, a Class D felony; and reckless endangerment committed with a deadly weapon, a Class E felony. After a sentencing hearing, the trial court merged the reckless endangerment conviction into the evading arrest conviction and sentenced the Defendant as a Range II, multiple offender to concurrent seven-year sentences for evading arrest and attempted tampering with evidence. On appeal, the Defendant contends that (1) the trial court erred by refusing to dismiss the indictment due to a violation of Article IV of the Interstate Compact on Detainers (“ICD”), (2) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction of attempted tampering with evidence and the jury rendered an inconsistent verdict for that offense, and (3) his seven-year sentence for evading arrest is excessive. Based upon our review, we affirm the judgments of the trial court. However, we remand the case to the trial court for sentencing on the reckless endangerment conviction.