State of Tennessee v. Robert J. Williams
W2002-02366-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, Robert J. Williams, pled guilty in the Henry County Circuit Court to one count of selling one-half gram or more of cocaine, a Class B felony, and two counts of selling less than one half gram of cocaine, a Class C felony. As a Range I, standard offender, he received one eight-year sentence and two three-year sentences to be served concurrently as one year in confinement and the remainder in a community corrections program. The defendant appeals, claiming that his sentences are excessive. We affirm the defendant’s sentences, but we remand the case for entry of corrected judgments.
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Judge Julian P. Guinn |
Henry County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/14/03 | |
Ann Wing v. Estate of James Wing
M2001-01598-COA-R3-CV
The Circuit Court of Davidson County ordered the husband involved in a divorce to pay $230 per week in support payments to the wife after the husband retired from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. When the husband retired he elected to receive guaranteed payments for 120 months and designated his daughter as the beneficiary to receive the payments if he died within the 120 month period. The court then modified its prior order to provide that the payments were a division of the husband's pension from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. After the husband's untimely death, the court ordered the Metropolitan Government and/or the husband's daughter who had been made the beneficiary of the pension to make the payments. Because we find that the court lacked personal jurisdiction over Metro and the daughter, we reverse the court's order and remand for further proceedings.
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Marietta M. Shipley |
Davidson County | Court of Appeals | 04/14/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Ricky Blair
W2001-02965-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant was convicted by a jury of attempted second degree murder, aggravated assault, and setting fire to personal property. The defendant received an effective sentence of nine years. The sole issue on appeal is whether the evidence was sufficient to support his conviction for attempted second degree murder. We affirm the judgments from the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge L. Terry Lafferty |
Haywood County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
James L. Feenin v. Kevin Myers, Warden
M2002-01770-CCA-R3-CO
The Appellant, James L. Feenin, proceeding pro se, appeals the summary dismissal of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. Feenin is currently a Department of Correction inmate at the South Central Correctional Facility in Wayne County, where he is serving an effective nineteen-year sentence. On appeal, Feenin argues that his incarceration stems from a void indictment. Specifically, he contends that two counts of the indictment, to which he pled guilty, were not signed by the district attorney general. Finding this argument without merit, the judgment of the Wayne County Circuit Court is affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge Jim T. Hamilton |
Wayne County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Kristina Dawn Catron
E2002-01390-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, Kristina Dawn Catron, pleaded guilty to one count of fabricating evidence, one count of making a false report, and one count of misdemeanor theft under $500. The negotiated plea agreement produced an effective sentence of three years. The manner of service of the sentence was to be determined by the trial court. Following a presentence investigation and a sentence hearing, the trial court ordered the defendant to serve the sentence in confinement. It is from this sentencing determination that the defendant appeals. We affirm the judgment of the trial court based on the need to avoid depreciating the seriousness of the offense.
Authoring Judge: Judge J. Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge R. Jerry Beck |
Sullivan County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Vincent Howard
W2001-01904-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his convictions of first degree felony murder and especially aggravated robbery. He received a life sentence for the first degree felony murder conviction and an additional twenty-one year sentence for his especially aggravated robbery conviction. The defendant contends the evidence is insufficient to sustain his convictions. The defendant also argues his twenty-one- year sentence for especially aggravated robbery is excessive. The defendant alleges the trial court misapplied enhancement factors (1), (8), (13), and (16) and erred in finding him a dangerous offender to support its consecutive sentence determination. We affirm the convictions, but remove the presumption of correctness due to the misapplication of four enhancement factors and remand for a new sentencing hearing on the especially aggravated robbery conviction only.
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge J. C. Mclin |
Shelby County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
Willie Tom Ensley v. State of Tennessee
M2002-01609-CCA-R3-PC
The petitioner, Willie Tom Ensley, appeals the trial court's denial of his post-conviction petition requesting DNA analysis. The issue presented for review is whether the trial court erred by summarily dismissing the petition without the appointment of counsel, an opportunity to amend, or an evidentiary hearing. The judgment is reversed and the cause is remanded for further proceedings.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:Judge Walter C. Kurtz |
Davidson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. William Rhea Jackson
M2002-02567-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, William Rhea Jackson, pled guilty in the Davidson County Criminal Court to aggravated assault and aggravated burglary, Class C felonies, and the trial court sentenced him as a Range I, standard offender to consecutive sentences of six and five years, respectively. The trial court also ordered that the defendant serve his effective eleven-year sentence consecutive to an effective thirty-four-year sentence that he received for offenses committed five days before the current crimes. He appeals, claiming that his sentences are excessive. We affirm the judgments of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Judge Steve R. Dozier |
Davidson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Pharez Price
M2002-01717-CCA-R3-CD
A Maury County jury convicted the defendant, Pharez Price, of facilitation of felony murder, facilitation of attempted first degree murder, facilitation of attempted second degree murder, facilitation of attempted especially aggravated robbery, and criminal responsibility for the conduct of another for felony reckless endangerment. The trial court imposed an effective sentence of forty-three years. On appeal, the defendant contends (1) the trial court improperly found a child witness competent to testify, and (2) the evidence was insufficient to support his convictions for any of the offenses other than felony reckless endangerment. We reverse and dismiss the convictions for facilitation of attempted first degree murder and facilitation of attempted second degree murder, affirm the other convictions, and remand for a determination of concurrent/consecutive sentencing.
Authoring Judge: Judge Joe G. Riley
Originating Judge:Judge Jim T. Hamilton |
Maury County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Louis Tyrone Robinson - Order
M2002-01641-CCA-R3-CD
In this appeal the appellant, Louis Tyrone Robinson, complains that the Davidson County Criminal Court erroneously dismissed his petition for the writ of habeas corpus without affording the appellant a hearing on the petition. After reviewing the record in this matter we are of the opinion that the criminal court was correct in its summary dismissal of the petition and we therefore affirm the action of the trial court pursuant to Rule 20 of the Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
|
Davidson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Larry D. Anderson
W2001-02371-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant was found guilty by a jury of first degree felony murder and especially aggravated burglary. He was sentenced to life plus twelve years, respectfully, in the Department of Correction. The defendant contends that he was mentally incompetent to stand trial or to give a knowing, intelligent, and voluntary waiver of his Miranda rights and that his sentences were in error. We affirm the judgments from the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Joseph H. Walker, III |
Lauderdale County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Lee England
E2002-00693-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, Kenneth Lee England, was convicted by a Campbell County Criminal Court jury of retaliation for past action, a Class E felony, and the trial court sentenced him as a career offender to six years in the Department of Correction. The defendant appeals, claiming that the evidence is insufficient and that the trial court erred by allowing the state to impeach him with his prior retaliation for past action convictions under Tenn. R. Evid. 609. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Judge E. Shayne Sexton |
Campbell County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
Mohamed F. Ali v. State of Tennessee
E2001-00183-CCA-R3-PC
The petitioner, Mohamed F. Ali, appeals from the judgment of the Washington County Criminal Court denying him post-conviction relief from his convictions for rape and attempted bribery. He is serving an effective sentence of fifteen years in the Department of Correction. The petitioner contends that the post-conviction court erred in (1) applying incorrect law governing judicial bias, (2) finding that the convicting trial judge was not biased against him, (3) excluding evidence of judicial bias, (4) refusing the petitioner's discovery requests regarding the issue of bias, and (5) denying the petitioner's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. We affirm the post-conviction court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Judge R. Jerry Beck |
Washington County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
Mark A. Mitchell v. State of Tennessee
M2002-01500-CCA-R3-PC
The petitioner, Mark A. Mitchell, appeals the trial court's dismissal of his petition, which sought post-conviction relief and post-conviction DNA analysis. The single issue presented for review is whether the petition was properly dismissed. The judgment is affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:Judge Seth W. Norman |
Davidson County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
Cecil Eugene Brannan v. State of Tennessee
M2002-00628-CCA-R3-CD
The petitioner, Cecil Eugene Brannan, pled guilty in the Bedford County Circuit Court to three counts of vehicular assault and one count of driving under the influence (DUI), fourth offense. The plea agreement stipulated that the petitioner would receive a total effective sentence of eight years incarceration. The petitioner subsequently filed for post-conviction relief, alleging that trial counsel failed to advise him that his plea agreement violated double jeopardy principles. The post-conviction court dismissed the petition and the petitioner timely appealed. Upon review of the record and the parties' briefs, we affirm the judgment of the post-conviction court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Norma McGee Ogle
Originating Judge:Judge Lee Russell |
Bedford County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/11/03 | |
Judy Burroughs v. Robert W. Magee
W2001-00238-SC-R11-CV
Authoring Judge: Justice William M. Barker
Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III |
Lauderdale County | Supreme Court | 04/10/03 | |
Shin Yi Lien v. Ruth Couch
M2002-01625-COA-R3-CV
This is the second time the parties have been before this court in a dispute over the purchase of emu chicks. In this appeal, the Plaintiffs take issue with the trial court's limitation of damages recoverable under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. We reverse the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:John D. Wootten, Jr. |
Wilson County | Court of Appeals | 04/10/03 | |
Billy Culp v. Billie Grinder
M2002-01512-COA-R3-CV
The Culps brought suit against their neighbors, the Grinders, for removal of a septic tank solid line located on their property. The Culps argued that the ten foot easement reserved by the subdivision for "utilities" did not include personal septic tanks. The trial court dismissed the suit and found that the septic tank solid line placement was a type of "utility" and was within the ten foot easement; further, the court found no damages had been suffered by the Culps. We affirm the decision of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Jim T. Hamilton |
Wayne County | Court of Appeals | 04/10/03 | |
M2002-02603-COA-R3-JV
M2002-02603-COA-R3-JV
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Lee A. England |
Lawrence County | Court of Appeals | 04/10/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Gabor Palasti
E2001-01642-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, Gabor Palasti, was convicted upon his pleas of guilty to the charges of vehicular assault and three counts of reckless endangerment. He originally received a four year effective sentence with 11 months, 29 days of incarceration followed by probation. This was ultimately altered by the trial judge to require that the defendant serve six (6) months in confinement with thirty days of continuous confinement followed by five months of work release and then supervised probation. In this appeal the defendant contends he should have received full probation for these offenses and he cites numerous alleged deficiencies in the trial court's sentencing procedures. We find that in sentencing the defendant the trial court failed to make appropriate findings on the record and that therefore our review of the defendant's sentence is de novo without a presumption of correctness. Nevertheless, we find that the record contains sufficient evidence from which this Court concludes that six (6) months confinement of the defendant is appropriate. However, we believe the entire confinement should be served on work release. We therefore AFFIRM the decision of the trial court with the modification that the entire period of incarceration be served on work release.
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry L. Smith
Originating Judge:Judge Douglas A. Meyer |
Hamilton County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/10/03 | |
State v. R.S. and K.S.
M2002-00919-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a petition filed by the Department of Children's Services to terminate the parental rights of Mother and Father to their three minor children. The trial court denied the petition and ordered the children returned to Mother and Father. The Department appeals the decision of the trial court, arguing first that there was clear and convincing evidence to support termination, and secondly, even if the denial is upheld, the trial court lacked jurisdiction to order the children's return to their parents. Because we find the petition was properly denied, but further find the trial court lacked jurisdiction to order the children's return home, we affirm in part, vacate in part, and remand.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Originating Judge:Buddy D. Perry |
Franklin County | Court of Appeals | 04/10/03 | |
Reta Tompkins v. Kevin Helton
M2002-01244-COA-R3-CV
The Plaintiffs, Reta J. Tompkins and her husband, Michael J. Tompkins, brought this negligence action against the Defendant, Kevin W. Helton, as the agent for the Defendant, B.K. Luna, individually and d/b/a Big Foot Speedway, Inc., a/k/a Tennessee Motor Speedway. The Defendants filed a motion for summary judgment with a copy of the Release and Waiver of Liability Agreement signed by the Plaintiffs. The trial court granted partial summary judgment, found that the release was valid as to the Defendants and released the Defendants as to all causes of action based on ordinary negligence. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Chancellor Carol L. McCoy
Originating Judge:John A. Turnbull |
Putnam County | Court of Appeals | 04/10/03 | |
State of Tennessee v. Gdongalay P. Berry
M2001-02023-CCA-R3-DD
[Deleted: Introductory Paragraph] Tenn. R. App. P. 3; Judgment of the Criminal Court Affirmed. DAVID G. HAYES, J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which JERRY L. SMITH and JOHN EVERETT WILLIAMS, JJ., joined.
Authoring Judge: Judge David G. Hayes
Originating Judge:Judge J. Randall Wyatt, Jr |
Davidson County | Supreme Court | 04/10/03 | |
State v. Christopher M. Flake
W2001-00568-SC-R11-CD
Authoring Judge: Justice Frank F. Drowota, III
Originating Judge:Bernie Weinman |
Shelby County | Supreme Court | 04/10/03 | |
Tony Allen Leonard v. State of Tennessee
E2002-00953-CCA-R3-PC
Following an evidentiary hearing, the Sullivan County Criminal Court denied the petitioner, Tony Allen Leonard, post-conviction relief. On appeal, the petitioner claims that the post-conviction court erred in failing to find that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance. Because the record supports the lower court's findings and holding, we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge James Curwood Witt, Jr.
Originating Judge:Judge R. Jerry Beck |
Sullivan County | Court of Criminal Appeals | 04/10/03 |