APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Edward Hochhauser, Iii v. Annelle G. Hochhauser

W2003-00119-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Floyd Peete, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Appeals 10/16/03
Kenneth Emert vs. City of Knoxville

E2003-01081-COA-R3-CV
The original plaintiff, since deceased, tripped on an uneven brick sidewalk and injured his right knee. He was blind, or nearly so, and used a walking aid. The defendant's negligence is not an issue on appeal. The issue is one of causation in light of the medical proof that the plaintiff suffered knee problems before the accident. The trial judge found that the accident aggravated the plaintiff's pre-existing condition and awarded damages of $100,000.00 with fault apportioned 80 percent to the defendant. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Sr. Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:Dale C. Workman
Knox County Court of Appeals 10/16/03
Roger L. Smith v. State of Tennessee

E2003-00094-CCA-R3-PC

The Defendant, Roger L. Smith, pled guilty to three counts of child rape in 1998. He subsequently filed for post-conviction relief and for DNA testing. The trial court summarily dismissed the post-conviction petition on the grounds that it is time-barred. The trial court further summarily denied the Defendant's request for DNA testing. The Defendant now appeals. We affirm the judgment of the trial court dismissing the Defendant's claim for post-conviction relief, but reverse and remand for further proceedings the trial court's dismissal of the Defendant's request for DNA testing.

Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:Judge James E. Beckner
Greene County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/16/03
Juanita W. Keylon vs. Robert A. Hill

E2003-01054-COA-R3-CV
The plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment, based upon the asserted failure of the defendant to countervail the motion, was denied by the trial judge. The plaintiff argues that the established rule that the denial of a motion for summary judgment, followed by a jury trial and verdict, is not reviewable, has no application in this case because there was no verdict. The rule is that the denial of a motion for summary judgment is not reviewable when the case proceeds to judgment, as distinguished from verdict. The motion of the defendant in this medical malpractice case for a directed verdict made at the close of all the evidence was granted upon a determination that all of the expert testimony established that the three-hour window to administer a blood clot dissolver had expired before the defendant treated the plaintiff. Whether the particular anticoagulant should have been administered in a timely manner was at the core of the claimed negligence. We find the question of negligence to be within the peculiar province of the jury, and remand the case for a new trial.
Authoring Judge: Sr. Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:Russell E. Simmons, Jr.
Roane County Court of Appeals 10/16/03
State of Tennessee v. Carl Edward Bell

M2002-02503-CCA-R3-CD

In a plea agreement, the defendant pled guilty to the sale of under .5 grams of cocaine and agreed to a seven-year sentence. The manner of service of the sentence was to be determined at a sentencing hearing. The trial court ordered the defendant to serve the entire sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction, because the defendant had not demonstrated the potential for rehabilitation or treatment. We find no error in the sentence and, therefore, affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Cheryl A. Blackburn
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/16/03
State of Tennessee v. Joel Anthony Davenport

E2003-01330-CCA-R3-CD

The Defendant, Joel Anthony Davenport, pled guilty to multiple counts of passing worthless checks and was sentenced to probation. The Defendant's probation was violated and revoked. Upon revocation, the trial court sentenced the Defendant, and the Defendant asserts that he was sentenced to four years of incarceration, plus an additional year for the count which violated his probation, to be served consecutively to a six year sentence in another county. Accordingly, the Defendant asserts that his sentence was to total eleven years. The Tennessee Department of Corrections report showed that the Defendant was sentenced to fourteen years, not eleven, and the Defendant filed a motion with the trial court to enter an order correcting the "clerical mistake." The trial court denied that motion and the Defendant appeals. Finding no error in the trial court's denial of the Defendant's motion, we affirm.

Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Judge Douglas A. Meyer
Hamilton County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/15/03
J.M. Cox, Jr. v. East Tennessee Natural Gas

E2002-02946-COA-R3-CV
In this declaratory judgment action to declare the rights between the dominant and servient estates relating to an easement, the trial court held that the landowner's proposal to add fill dirt over the pipeline easement did not unreasonably interfere with defendant's rights. Defendant has appealed. We reverse.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:G. Richard Johnson
Washington County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Jimmy Ray Robinson v. State of Tennessee

W2002-02151-CCA-R3-PC

The petitioner appeals from the post-conviction court’s denial of relief. He contends he received ineffective assistance of counsel. After careful review, we affirm the post-conviction court’s denial of relief.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Lee Moore
Dyer County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/15/03
W2002-02353-COA-R3-CV

W2002-02353-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Robert A. Lanier
Shelby County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Cordell Taylor vs. Donnie & Vick Williams

E2003-00199-COA-R3-CV
In this dispute over the boundary line between the parties' property, the Trial Court established the line and declared an easement. Defendants have appealed. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Herschel P. Franks
Originating Judge:Frank V. Williams, III
Morgan County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Clemmye Mullenix Berger v. Brenda O'Brien,

W2002-00227-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
State of Tennessee v. Deborah Kay Thomas Atkins

W2002-02312-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant entered pleas of guilt to possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with the intent to deliver or sell, possession of a Schedule III controlled substance with the intent to deliver or sell, and possession of marijuana. The trial court imposed concurrent Range I sentences of eight years, two years, and 11 months and 29 days, respectively. The defendant was required to serve one year in jail followed by seven years in community corrections. Later, the community corrections sentence was revoked and an eight-year sentence imposed. An appeal resulted in a remand by this court with directions to credit both jail time and the length of service within the program. In this appeal, the defendant argues that the trial judge erred in the imposition of the resentence. The judgment is affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:Judge Julian P. Guinn
Henry County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/15/03
Patricia Lyman v. Lawrence James

E2002-02859-COA-R3-CV
After over thirty years of marriage, Patricia A. Lyman ("Wife") left Lawrence A. James ("Husband") and moved to the state of Washington and began living with her new boyfriend. After Husband learned of Wife's affair, the parties agreed to a divorce based on irreconcilable differences and entered into a marital dissolution agreement ("MDA"). Both parties signed the MDA before a Notary Public, but neither party was administered an oath prior to his or her signing. The MDA provided that Husband would receive the entire amount of his pension. Over six months after the parties were granted a divorce, Wife filed a new lawsuit claiming she gave up any claim to Husband's pension because of Husband's fraud and/or misrepresentations. Wife also claimed the court which granted the divorce lacked personal jurisdiction to enter the final divorce decree because neither Husband nor Wife were administered oaths prior to signing the MDA, which Wife claimed resulted in the MDA not being properly notarized. The Trial Court concluded the failure of the Notary Publics to administer oaths did not render the MDA invalid. The Trial Court also concluded Wife failed to meet her burden of proving fraud and/or misrepresentations on the part of Husband. Wife appeals, and we affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:W. Neil Thomas, III
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Combustion Federal Credit Union vs. John Farmer

E2003-00107-COA-R3-CV
A judgment was rendered against Mr. Farmer in 1992. It remained unpaid, and the judgment creditor's petition for revival was granted. Mr. Farmer appeals, claiming that he never signed the note which formed the basis of the 1992 action. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Sr. Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:W. Neil Thomas, III
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Clemmye Mullenix Berger v. Brenda O'Brien,

W2002-00227-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:D. J. Alissandratos
Shelby County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
CH-02-0609-1

CH-02-0609-1

Originating Judge:Walter L. Evans
Shelby County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Sun Splash Painting v. Homestead Village

M2002-00853-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a challenge to the trial court's refusal to award attorney's fees pursuant to the Prompt Pay Act, and to the court's denial of prejudgment interest. We affirm the trial court in all respects.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Rose Marie Harper Britt v. Elmer Lee Britt

W2003-00430-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:Joe C. Morris
Madison County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
James Jackson vs. Jackson, Johnson & Murphey

E2002-02476-COA-R3-CV
This litigation is between a former shareholder of the defendant accounting corporation. These parties entered into an employment contract together with a deferred compensation agreement. After two years, each party claimed the other was in material breach: the Plaintiff asserted a breach because, inter alia, the Defendant refused to treat him as an employee, while the Defendant asserted a breach because the Plaintiff prepared a number of tax returns [66], inter alia, for clients of the firm without recourse to the firm. The trial court found that no mutual material breaches had occurred, and that the Plaintiff was entitled to recover the balance of his deferred compensation which had been terminated by the Defendant owing to the Plaintiff's alleged breaches. The judgment is modified.
Authoring Judge: Sr. Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:W. Neil Thomas, III
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
State of Tennessee v. Darwin Treece

W2002-02738-CCA-R3-CD

The defendant pled guilty to one count of delivering a Schedule II controlled substance (Hydromorphone). He was sentenced to 50 months to be served with Corrections Management Corporation, a community-based alternative, after service of 180 days in the county jail. The defendant appealed the sentence, contending that it was excessive. We hold that the trial court properly rejected mitigating factor one because drug dealing inherently involves the risk of bodily injury and that the defendant’s prior criminal behavior justified the sentence imposed. Finding no error, the judgment is affirmed.

Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood
McNairy County Court of Criminal Appeals 10/15/03
Ronnie Johnson vs. Mark R. White

E2002-02815-COA-R3-CV
These three cases were consolidated for trial. Each Respondent agreed to an Order of Protection sought by their kinsman, who was married to the daughter of Mark V. White, the sister of Mark R. White and niece of Michael Scott Webb. The throes of the divorce action between the Petitioner and his wife, Jennifer White Johnson, precipitated a purported assault on the Petitioner by the Respondents which resulted in criminal charges in addition to an order of protection. Thereafter, the Petitioner and his wife attended the Fourth Circuit Court for a hearing, and the Respondents upon instructions of their attorney in the criminal case also attended, and followed the Petitioner "about the courthouse" placing him in fear. They were cited for criminal contempt, found guilty, and sentenced to ten days confinement, with five days suspended. Each appeals, complaining that the evidence of criminal contempt is insufficient. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Sr. Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:Bill Swann
Knox County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Frankie Maples vs. Frank Maples

E2003-00722-COA-R3-CV
Husband, for the second time, seeks a reduction in his alimony obligation, claiming that his bona fide retirement coincided with a substantial decrease in income. The trial court modified the obligation by reducing it to $919.50 monthly. Wife receives $752.00 from social security. Her reasonable expenses were found to be $2176.00. Husband appeals, insisting that the reduction is insufficient. Wife presents for review the issue of whether any reduction was justified. We reinstate the initial award, finding that Husband, as in the prior appeal, continued his pattern of conduct in restructuring his assets to award his obligation.
Authoring Judge: Sr. Judge William H. Inman
Originating Judge:Bill Swann
Knox County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
W2002-02166-COA-R3-CV

W2002-02166-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Holly M. Kirby
Originating Judge:Donn Southern
Shelby County Court of Appeals 10/15/03
Rena Thompson vs. Charles Hensley

E2003-00456-COA-R3-CV
Rena Thompson ("Plaintiff") filed this lawsuit claiming her grandson, Charles Hensley, and his wife, Karen Hensley (collectively "Defendants"), breached an oral contract. Specifically, Plaintiff claims she conveyed her house and real property to Defendants in exchange for their oral promise to take care of her and allow her to remain living in the house with them. Plaintiff suffered a stroke and went to live with her son, Perrian Hensley ("Plaintiff's son" or "her son"). After living with her son for approximately one year, Plaintiff wanted to return to her house. When she was not allowed to return to her house, Plaintiff sued Defendants for specific performance. The Trial Court found there was no contract. Plaintiff appeals. We affirm.
Authoring Judge: Judge David Michael Swiney
Originating Judge:Jerri S. Bryant
Monroe County Court of Appeals 10/14/03
Nancy Gail (Paulk) Doran v. Oather Paul Doran

W2003-00170-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Steve Beal
Hardin County Court of Appeals 10/14/03