State vs. Wilson
E1996-00006-SC-R11-CD
This is an appeal from the Circuit Court for Blount County, where Brandon Wilson, the defendant, pleaded guilty to seven counts of delivery of cocaine and to three counts (merged by the trial court into one count) of possession of cocaine with the intent to sell or deliver. Wilson appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeals contending, inter alia, that his indictments were legally insufficient and that the trial court erred in accepting the guilty plea because it was not voluntarily entered. The Court of Criminal Appeals agreed and reversed Wilson's convictions on all counts. We hold that the seven indictments for delivery of cocaine are sufficient; Wilson's convictions on these indictments are, therefore, reinstated. Additionally, because the issue concerning the voluntariness of Wilson's plea was not properly before the intermediate appellate court, we reinstate the conviction for possession of cocaine. This reinstatement is without prejudice to Wilson's right to file a petition for post-conviction relief within the appropriate time.
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr. |
Blount County | Supreme Court | 09/18/00 | |
Robert McAlister Barnett, III v. Paula Lynn Barnett
E1997-00010-SC-R11-CV
We granted this appeal to determine: 1) whether private school tuition constitutes an extraordinary educational expense under the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines; and 2) whether the noncustodial parent should be required to pay those expenses in addition to child support based upon the percentage of net income of the noncustodial parent. We hold that pursuant to the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines private school tuition is an "extraordinary educational expense." We affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals requiring the total amount of private school tuition to be paid by the obligor-father. We hold, however, that in appropriate cases a court may apportion the amount of tuition between the parties.
Authoring Judge: Justice Janice M. Holder
Originating Judge:Judge L. Marie Williams |
Hamilton County | Supreme Court | 09/05/00 | |
State vs. Swindle
M1998-00362-SC-R11-CD
This is an appeal from the Criminal Court for Davidson County, which convicted the defendant of two counts of facilitation of child rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. The defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on Class B misdemeanor assault as a lesser-included offense of aggravated sexual battery. After the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the convictions, the defendant sought, and this Court granted, permission to appeal on the following issue: whether the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on Class B misdemeanor assault as a lesser-included offense of aggravated sexual battery. We hold that Class B misdemeanor assault is a lesser-included offense of aggravated sexual battery and that it was error for the trial court not to instruct the jury accordingly. Nevertheless, having determined that such error was harmless, the defendant's convictions for aggravated sexual battery are affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Justice William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Seth W. Norman |
Davidson County | Supreme Court | 08/25/00 | |
State vs. Jefferson
M1997-00115-SC-R11-PC
This case is before us upon a jury's resentencing of the defendant, James Thomas Jefferson, on his conviction for premeditated first degree murder. In the original appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction, vacated the sentence, and remanded the matter to the trial court for resentencing. On remand, the defendant requested a new jury trial on the merits in addition to the already-ordered resentencing. The trial court denied the request for a new trial. After a new hearing, the jury fixed a sentence of life imprisonment. The defendant appealed of right, challenging the trial court's overruling of his motion for a new trial on the merits. Relying on the "law of the case" doctrine, the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the trial court's judgment. We granted the defendant's application for permission to appeal and now hold that the Court of Criminal Appeals properly determined that the law of the case doctrine barred the trial court from granting Jefferson's motion for a new trial. The Court of Appeals is, therefore, affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Walter C. Kurtz |
Davidson County | Supreme Court | 08/25/00 | |
Monceret vs. The Board of Professional Responsibility
E1999-00545-SC-R3-CV
This is an appeal from the Knox County Chancery Court, which affirmed a hearing panel's ruling that the appellant violated Tenn. R. Sup. Ct. 8, DR 7-104(A)(1) by deposing a witness that he knew to be represented by counsel. We hold that the chancery court correctly determined that the term "party" used in DR 7-104(A)(1) is not limited to the named plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit and may also include a witness who is represented by counsel. We further hold that the protection of the Rule cannot be waived by the party but only by the party's lawyer. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment.
Authoring Judge: Justice E. Riley Anderson
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr. |
Knox County | Supreme Court | 07/27/00 | |
Wyatt vs. State
E1998-00097-SC-R11-CO
This is an appeal from the judgment of the Bledsoe County Criminal Court, which denied the defendant's petition for habeas corpus relief. The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the trial court's denial of the petition, rejecting the defendant's argument that his original indictment, which charged attempted first-degree murder by an "attempt to kill," was insufficient for failing to allege an overt act and thus failed to confer jurisdiction on the trial court. We granted the defendant's application for permission to appeal. We hold that the indictment in this case sufficiently alleges an act as required by the criminal attempt statute in stating that the defendant "did . . . attempt to kill" and that habeas corpus relief was thus properly denied. Accordingly, we affirm the lower courts' judgments.
Authoring Judge: Justice E. Riley Anderson
Originating Judge:Thomas W. Graham |
Bledsoe County | Supreme Court | 07/27/00 | |
M1999-00299-SC-OT-RL
M1999-00299-SC-OT-RL
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Supreme Court | 07/26/00 | ||
M1999-00299-SC-OT-RL
M1999-00299-SC-OT-RL
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Supreme Court | 07/26/00 | ||
Logan vs. Winstead
E1999-01056-SC-R11-CV
This appeal arises from a prisoner's pro se action for legal malpractice against the attorney who represented him in criminal court on the charges underlying his sentence. The attorney filed a motion for summary judgment supported by an expert affidavit. The prisoner, relying upon Whisnant v. Byrd, 525 S.W.2d 152 (Tenn. 1975), filed a motion to hold the proceedings in abeyance until he was released from prison and able to appear in court. The trial court failed to rule on the motion for abeyance. The trial court entered summary judgment in favor of the attorney on the grounds that the prisoner had not offered an expert affidavit to rebut the attorney's proof. The Court of Appeals upheld the judgment. We granted review to determine under what circumstances an incarcerated plaintiff is entitled to have a civil action held in abeyance until he or she is released from custody.
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:John K. Wilson |
Hawkins County | Supreme Court | 07/21/00 | |
State vs. Ducker
M1997-00074-SC-R11-CD
We granted review to determine (1) whether aggravated child abuse is a lesser-included offense of the charged offense of first degree murder for the reckless killing of a child; (2) whether the knowing mens rea of aggravated child abuse refers to the conduct of the defendant or to the result of that conduct; (3) whether the evidence supports the defendant's convictions; and (4) whether the defendant was properly convicted of Class A felonies when the trial court failed to charge the jury on the age element contained in the aggravated child abuse statute.
Authoring Judge: Justice Janice M. Holder
Originating Judge:Charles D. Haston, Sr. |
Warren County | Supreme Court | 07/14/00 | |
State vs. Morris
W1998-00679-SC-DDT-DD
Authoring Judge: Justice E. Riley Anderson
Originating Judge:John Franklin Murchison |
Madison County | Supreme Court | 07/10/00 | |
State vs. Henderson
W1998-00342-SC-DDT-DD
Authoring Judge: Justice William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Jon Kerry Blackwood |
Fayette County | Supreme Court | 07/10/00 | |
State vs. Henderson
W1998-00342-SC-DDT-DD
Authoring Judge: Justice William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Jon Kerry Blackwood |
Fayette County | Supreme Court | 07/10/00 | |
State of Tennessee v. Franklin Howard
W1997-00047-SC-R11-CD
This is an appeal from the Criminal Court for Shelby County which convicted the defendant of premeditated first degree murder, especially aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. The defendant filed a motion for a new trial and argued that the evidence was insufficient to sustain a conviction for premeditated murder. The court overruled the motion, and the defendant appealed. The Court of Criminal Appeals concluded that the evidence was insufficient to sustain a finding that the defendant was the principal actor in causing the death of the victim. Nevertheless, the court found that his conviction could be sustained under a theory of criminal responsibility for premeditated murder because premeditated murder was a natural and probable consequence of aggravated robbery under the facts of the case. We then granted the defendant's application for permission to appeal. We hold that the natural and probable consequences rule can be used to sustain a defendant's conviction for first-degree premeditated murder based upon criminal responsibility for the conduct of a co-defendant. The jury, however, must be instructed on all elements of a charge of criminal responsibility, including the natural and probable consequences rule. Because the jury was not instructed on the natural and probable consequences rule, the defendant's conviction for first degree premeditated murder is reversed, and this case is remanded to the trial court for a new trial.
Authoring Judge: Justice William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Judge Joseph B. Dailey |
Shelby County | Supreme Court | 07/06/00 | |
State vs. Adams
W1997-00190-SC-R11-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Chris B. Craft |
Shelby County | Supreme Court | 06/30/00 | |
State vs. Smith
W1998-00156-SC-R11-CD
In this appeal, we address whether prior inconsistent statements can be used substantively to corroborate a confession when the prior statements are admitted into evidence without objection. We also consider whether the failure of the trial court to instruct the jury as to the limited use of the prior statements constitutes plain error. The Court of Criminal Appeals held that prior inconsistent statements could not be used as substantive evidence and that the failure of the trial court in this case to give a limiting instruction amounted to plain error. For the reasons stated herein, we hold that by not objecting to the admission of the statements, the appellee waived any objection to their use by the jury as substantive evidence to corroborate the appellee’s two confessions. Consequently, we hold that the evidence in this case is sufficient to support a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Finally, because the decision to forgo any objection to the hearsay testimony was a deliberate, tactical decision by trial counsel, we are precluded from considering admission of the evidence under a plain error analysis. We reverse the judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeals and reinstate the appellee’s conviction and sentence for aggravated sexual battery.
Authoring Judge: Justice William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Julian P. Guinn |
Henry County | Supreme Court | 06/30/00 | |
State vs. Nichols
M1997-00260-SC-R11-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Thomas H. Shriver |
Davidson County | Supreme Court | 06/30/00 | |
Graves vs. Cocke
E1999-01387-SC-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:Richard R. Vance |
Cocke County | Supreme Court | 06/30/00 | |
State of Tennessee v. Dennis Wade Suttles
E1998-00088-SC-DDT-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:Mary Beth Leibowitz |
Knox County | Supreme Court | 06/26/00 | |
State of Tennessee v. Dennis Wade Suttles
E1998-00088-SC-DDT-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:Mary Beth Leibowitz |
Knox County | Supreme Court | 06/26/00 | |
State vs. Pierce
E1997-00053-SC-R11-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:R. Jerry Beck |
Sullivan County | Supreme Court | 06/22/00 | |
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
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Supreme Court | 06/22/00 | ||
Hart vs. State
W1997-00188-SC-R11-CO
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:J. Steven Stafford |
Lake County | Supreme Court | 06/22/00 | |
State vs. Owens
W1997-00237-SC-R11-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Joseph B. Dailey |
Shelby County | Supreme Court | 06/20/00 | |
Appellate Court To Apply a Clearly Erroneous Standard of Review, Coln v. City of Savannah, 966
1998-00091-SC-R11-CV
Originating Judge:George H. Brown |
Shelby County | Supreme Court | 06/20/00 |