APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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State vs. Willie Smith

W2001-02973-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant, Willie Nathaniel Smith, appeals as of right his conviction by a jury in the Tipton County Circuit Court of delivery of .5 grams or more of cocaine, a Class B felony, and his resulting fifteen-year sentence. He also appeals the concurrent fifteen-year sentences received following his guilty pleas to two additional counts of delivery of .5 grams or more of cocaine. He contends (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction in case number 4149; (2) the trial court erroneously allowed a police investigator to testify about what he heard on a recording device; and (3) his sentences in both cases are excessive. We affirm the judgments of conviction.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III
Tipton County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/23/00
State vs. Jeremy Jones

E1999-02207-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his conviction and sentence for theft of property, asserting that insufficient evidence supported the verdict and that the trial court erroneously sentenced him to three years of incarceration. We affirm the conviction and modify the sentence to two years of incarceration.
Authoring Judge: Judge John Everett Williams
Originating Judge:James Edward Beckner
Greene County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/23/00
Danny S. Cosby vs State

M1999-01861-CCA-R3-CD
The Appellant, Danny S. Cosby, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first degree murder and to two counts of aggravated assault. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Davidson County Criminal Court sentenced the Appellant to an effective sentence of thirty years in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The Appellant subsequently filed for post-conviction relief, claiming that his plea was constitutionally defective because he was inadequately represented. The trial court denied relief. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:Steve R. Dozier
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/23/00
Gretchen Bish vs. Sofamor

W1998-00373-COA-R9-CV
These are consolidated interlocutory appeals of products liability suits against the manufacturers of spinal fixation devices. The trial court dismissed plaintiffs' negligence per se claims based on the alleged violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act (FDCA) and the Medical Device Amendments (MDA). In one of the cases, the trial court also granted defendants' motion in limine to exclude all Federal Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory evidence information and documents concerning the fixation devices. Plaintiffs appeal the rulings of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:John R. Mccarroll, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Appeals 08/23/00
Sarah Anita James vs. Susan Kay Swindell

E1999-02407-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises out of an automobile accident. The Defendant lost control of her vehicle, crossed three lanes of traffic, and hit Plaintiff's vehicle. Plaintiff suffered injuries and sued Defendant for damages. A jury trial ensued. The jury found Defendant to be 100% at fault and awarded $15,000 in damages to Plaintiff. The Plaintiff filed a motion for a new trial alleging juror misconduct and presented a juror's affidavit in support of her position. The Defendant untimely presented counter affidavits by jurors. The trial court judge granted a new trial based on juror misconduct. At the second trial the jury found the Defendant 100% at fault and awarded Plaintiff $27,608.60 in damages. On appeal, the Defendant claims that the trial court erred in failing to grant Defendant's motion for a directed verdict and in granting a new trial. We affirm the trial court's denial of a directed verdict for the Defendant and reverse the trial court's granting of a new trial based on juror misconduct. We remand the case to the trial court for the reinstatement of the jury verdict at the first trial.
Authoring Judge: Judge Houston M. Goddard
Originating Judge:L. Marie Williams
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 08/23/00
State vs. John D. Brown

E1999-02217-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:R. Steven Bebb
McMinn County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. Michael G. Waldrum

M1999-01924-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his conviction for DUI, fourth offense, contesting the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction; the validity of his seizure and arrest; and the admissibility of the breath alcohol test result, the breath alcohol test operator's videotaped former testimony, and the breath alcohol test machine's certification documents. We conclude that the trial court erred in finding the breath test operator unavailable and that his videotaped testimony should not have been allowed. We reverse the judgment of conviction and remand the case for a new trial.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Timothy L. Easter
Williamson County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
Israel vs. Williams

M1999-02400-COA-R3-CV
This appeal presents the issue of whether the trial court was correct to grant summary judgment against Plaintiffs regarding their suit for damages resulting from alleged negligent misrepresentation by Defendants. Plaintiffs claim that Defendants made negligent misrepresentations regarding the condition of their house prior to the sale of the house to Plaintiffs. Summary judgment was granted by the trial court. Upon review of this record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Russell Heldman
Williamson County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
Christopher Woods vs. Ellis Woods

W1999-00733-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises from a dispute between Plaintiff Christopher Lamar Woods and Defendant Ellie Joan Woods regarding Mr. Woods' financial obligations under the parties' final decree of divorce. The trial court approved the ruling of the arbitrator, which was that Mr. Woods is responsible for the expense of Ms. Woods' "tummy tuck" and breast reduction surgery but is not responsible for the expense of Ms. Woods' Obagi cream treatments, collagen injections, lip implants, and other topical procedures. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the ruling of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge David R. Farmer
Originating Judge:D'Army Bailey
Shelby County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
State of Tennessee v. James Wesley Osborne

E1999-01071-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:O. Duane Slone
Jefferson County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. John D. Brown

E1999-02217-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:R. Steven Bebb
McMinn County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
25840-COA-R3-CV

25840-COA-R3-CV

Originating Judge:Samuel H. Payne
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. William Livingstone, Jr.

E1999-01362-CCA-R3-CD
A Hamblen County jury convicted the Defendant of three counts of obtaining prescription drugs by fraud, and the trial court sentenced him as a Range II persistent offender to six years incarceration for each count, with the sentences to be served concurrently, but consecutive to a previous conviction for which he received a twenty-one-year sentence. On appeal, the Defendant argues: (1) that he was improperly arraigned; (2) that the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions; (3) that a mistrial should have been ordered by the trial court when a witness speculated that the Defendant might have been Sheriff of Grainger County at one time; (4) that the trial court erred by failing to grant the Defendant's motion for a change of venue; (5) that the trial court should have recused itself; and (6) that the Defendant was denied a speedy trial. Finding no merit to these allegations, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:James E. Beckner
Hamblen County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. Cornelius Michael Hyde

E2000-00042-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
Charles High vs. P.D.Q. Disposal, Inc., et al

M1999-02310-COA-R3-CV
Plaintiff/Appellant, Charles I. High, appeals dismissal of his pro se complaint filed in the Chancery Court of Davidson County, Tennessee, seeking judicial review of the denial of his application for unemployment benefits. The trial court dismissed the complaint for failure to join indispensable parties. We affirm the Chancellor.
Authoring Judge: Judge William B. Cain
Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
State ex rel Cihlar vs. Crawford

M1999-00517-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves Thomas Matthew Cihlar's second attempt to obtain a judicial declaration that he is the father of a child whose mother was married to another man when the child was born. On this appeal, the estranged husband of the child's biological mother asserts that Mr. Cihlar's petition to establish parentage was foreclosed by Evans vs. Steelman. We have determined that the current parentage statutes are constitutional and that they authorize not only Mr. Cihlar, but also the State and Mr. Cihlar's child, to file an action to establish Mr. Cihlar's paternity. Accordingly, we affirm the juvenile court.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Betty Adams Green
Davidson County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
Lawson vs. Lawson

M2000-00729-COA-R3-CV
The General Sessions Court of Van Buren County awarded the wife a divorce, divided the marital property, and awarded the wife rehabilitative alimony. On appeal the husband attacks the property division and the amount of the alimony. Because the record does not provide a basis for properly assessing the issues raised by the appellant, we affirm with a memorandum opinion.
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Samuel E. Benningfield
Van Buren County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. Paul Andrew Thompson

E2000-01224-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his conviction for first degree murder and sentence of life imprisonment without parole, contending (1) that the evidence was insufficient to establish premeditation, (2) that the testimony of Kimberly Johnson, the victim's ex-stepdaughter, was improperly excluded, and (3) that the evidence was insufficient to establish the aggravating circumstance of mutilation of the body. We affirm the defendant's conviction and sentence.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:James E. Beckner
Hancock County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. Cornelius Michael Hyde

E2000-00042-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge David H. Welles
Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. Charles Sherman Thaxton

E1999-02091-CCA-R3-CD
The defendant appeals his convictions for two counts of aggravated sexual battery. He contends that the trial court erred (1) by allowing rebuttal testimony of a prior consistent statement and (2) by failing to give a limiting instruction. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Joseph M. Tipton
Originating Judge:Ray L. Jenkins
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
State vs. Jimmy Wayne Baker

M1999-00454-CCA-R3-CD
The Defendant, Jimmy Wayne Baker, was convicted by a Bedford County jury of first degree felony murder during the perpetration of or the attempt to perpetrate theft of property, first degree premeditated murder, and aggravated arson. The trial court merged the felony murder conviction with the premeditated murder conviction. The Defendant was sentenced as a Range I standard offender to life imprisonment for the first degree murder conviction and to twenty-one years and nine months incarceration for the aggravated arson conviction, to be served concurrently. The Defendant now appeals, arguing the following: (1) that the trial court erred in instructing the jury to determine whether one of the witnesses was an accomplice; (2) that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to convict the Defendant of premeditated murder, felony murder, or aggravated arson; (3) that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury that they must agree unanimously on a particular set of facts to support a finding of first degree felony murder; (4) that his convictions of both premeditated murder and felony murder violated the Double Jeopardy Clause and the Supremacy Clause; (5) that the Defendant was not properly informed of the elements of and facts necessary to constitute the offense of theft of property as the underlying felony in the felony murder conviction; (6) that the Defendant's sentence for aggravated arson was excessive; and (7) that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on all elements of the offenses charged. After review, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge Robert W. Wedemeyer
Originating Judge:W. Charles Lee
Bedford County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
Church vs. Perales

M1997-00227-COA-R3-CV
This appeal involves a dispute between an elderly patient and her physicians regarding their treatment of a severe post-operative infection caused by a bowel perforation that occurred during gynecological surgery. The patient filed suit in the Circuit Court for Davidson County against five physicians and a hospital alleging medical battery and malpractice. The trial court granted a summary judgment to the physicians and the hospital and dismissed the patient's case. On this appeal, the patient takes issue with the summary judgment granted to her gynecologist, a consulting general surgeon, and the gynecologist attending her following surgery in her gynecologist's absence. We have determined that the trial court properly dismissed the patient's medical battery and informed consent claims against her gynecologist. However, we have also determined that the three physicians have not demonstrated that they are entitled to a judgment as matter of law on the patient's medical malpractice claim based on the delay in diagnosing and treating the bowel perforation.
Authoring Judge: Judge William C. Koch, Jr.
Originating Judge:Barbara N. Haynes
Davidson County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
Jerrell Livingston vs. James Dukes

W2000-00840-CCA-R3-CD
This appeal results from the trial court's denial of the petitioner's petition for writ of habeas corpus based on the fact that the challenged judgment was not invalid on its face, nor had the petitioner's sentence expired. The court also considered this request as a petition for post-conviction relief but dismissed the petition for lack of jurisdiction. Based upon our review of the record, we affirm the trial court's dismissal of the petitioner's request for habeas corpus or post-conviction relief.

Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III
Lauderdale County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/00
Shelbourne vs. Shelbourne

M1999-02557-COA-R3-CV
The trial court granted the wife a divorce, awarded her custody of the parties' minor child, divided the marital property, and ordered the husband to pay rehabilitative alimony for two years. We affirm
Authoring Judge: Judge Ben H. Cantrell
Originating Judge:Muriel Robinson
Davidson County Court of Appeals 08/22/00
Goggin Truck Line Co. vs. Brake Pro

M1999-01277-COA-R3-CV
This appeal arises from a breach of contract case initiated by Goggin Truck Line Company, Inc. ("Goggin") against Brake Pro, Inc. ("Brake Pro"). Goggin sought payment for unpaid freight shipping services provided to Brake Pro. In addition, as provided for under a company tariff, Goggin sought recovery of an additional amount because of the necessity to initiate legal action. The court below found in favor of Goggin. Brake Pro appeals.
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Lee Russell
Bedford County Court of Appeals 08/22/00