
What follows is the case style or name, first paragraph, author's name, and the names of the attorneys for the parties of each opinion released today from Tennessee's three appellate courts.
- 00-New Opinons From TSC
- 00-New Opinons From TSC-Rules
- 00-New Opinons From TSC-Workers Comp Panel
- 04-New Opinons From TCA
- 24-New Opinons From TCCA
There are three ways to get the full opinion from the Web: (TBALink members only)
Lucian T. Pera
Editor-in-Chief, TBALink

ESTATE OF GEORGE BRECKENRIDGE WYATT, MARGARET WYATT ENGMAN, GEORGE BRECKENRIDGE WYATT, JR., and THOMAS E. WYATT, Co-Personal Representatives of the Estate of George Breckenridge Wyatt VS. VISTA FAMILY OF MUTUAL FUNDS by and through its plan administrator CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A., INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH, INC., and GARY WEBSTER Court:TCA Attorneys: For the Plaintiffs/Appellees: For the Defendants/Appellants: Nancy L. Choate Christopher G. Lazarini Jackson, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee Judge:LILLARD First Paragraph: This case involves the interpretation of the arbitration clause in the customer agreement for an investment account. The personal representatives of an estate sought damages for alleged wrongdoing with regard to assets of the estate. Certain defendants filed a motion to stay the proceedings and compel arbitration. The trial court held that the arbitration clause did not apply in this case and denied the motion. We affirm. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCA/engmanm_opn.WP6LINDA L. MIRES VS. DAVID CLAY AND BILL HAYES, ET AL, Court:TCA Attorneys: James H. Bradberry & Associtaes of Dresden For Appellee H. Max Speight of Martin For Appellant, Bill Hayes Judge:CRAWFORD First Paragraph: This case involves the violation of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in connection with a breach of a residential construction contract. Defendant, Bill Hayes, appeals the judgment of the trial court on a jury verdict awarding plaintiff, Linda Mires, $5,000.00 for violation of TCPA and the trial court's order awarding plaintiff $5,907.50 in attorney fees and expenses. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCA/miresll_opn.WP6
MARIE PUCKETT, Indiv. & as Admrx. Of the Estate of Robert E. Harrison, deceased, ROBERT RONALD HARRISON, TRINA DEE MANSFIELD, RELMA LOUISE KESTERSON, STEPHEN DANIEL HARRISON, NELLIE LUCILLE COOK and JOSEPH DANIEL HARRISON VS. PALMA DIANE HARRISON and TAMMIE HARRISON KINCER Court:TCA Attorneys: H. MAX SPEIGHT Dresden, Tennessee Attorney for Appellants JAMES H. BRADBERRY Dresden, Tennessee Attorney for Appellee Judge:HIGHERS First Paragraph: This appeal involves a divorced couple who decided to forego certain provisions in their marital dissolution agreement concerning ownership of the marital residence without the consultation of counsel or the court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCA/puckettm_opn.WP6
KAREN L. SMALLWOOD DAVIS VS. HERBERT LEE SMALLWOOD, JR. Court:TCA Attorneys: For the Petitioner/Appellant: For the Respondent/Appellant: Christopher L. Brown Larry F. McKenzie Bartlett, Tennessee Henderson, Tennessee Judge:LILLARD First Paragraph: This is a post-divorce child custody case. The parties' Marital Dissolution Agreement provided that the parties would have joint custody of the parties' minor children, and that the children would live with the husband. In this action, the mother sought a change of custody, based on allegations that the husband improperly cared for the teenage children. After hearing the parties' testimony and interviewing the children, the trial court denied the petition for change of custody. We affirm. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCA/smallwoo_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. JOHN GRAVES, ALIAS Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLEE: FOR THE APPELLANT: ROBERT S. HOLLAND JOHN KNOX WALKUP SHANNON M. HOLLAND Attorney General and Reporter 10805 Kingston Pike, Suite 130 The Sandstone West Building ELLEN H. POLLACK Knoxville, TN 37922 Assistant Attorney General 425 5th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243 RANDALL E. NICHOLS District Attorney General RANDALL E. REAGAN Assistant District Attorney General City-County Building Knoxville, TN 37902 Judge:WELLES First Paragraph: The State of Tennessee appeals as of right, pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 3(c), from a judgment of dismissal entered in the Criminal Court for Knox County. The trial court judge dismissed the cause of action against the Defendant, John Graves, Alias, without stating his reasoning on the record. We infer from the record that the action was dismissed based upon expiration of the statute of limitations. We reverse the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/gravesjo_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. BRIAN J. HUNTER Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: W. MARK WARD JOHN KNOX WALKUP 201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2-01 Attorney General & Reporter Memphis, TN 38103 PETER M. COUGHLAN GARLAND ERGUDEN Assistant Attorney General 242 Poplar Avenue 2nd Floor, Cordell Hull Building Memphis, TN 38103 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243 JOHN W. PIEROTTI District Attorney General JOHNNY R. McFARLAND Assistant District Attorney General Criminal Justice Center, Suite 301 201 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 Judge:WOODALL First Paragraph: The Appellant, Brian J. Hunter, appeals by permission pursuant to Rule 9 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. Appellant was indicted for second degree murder and was tried by a jury in the Shelby County Criminal Court. At the end of the State's proof, the Appellant moved for a judgment of acquittal which was overruled by the trial court. Following the conclusion of the evidence, the trial court, over the objection of Appellant, charged the jury on the lesser grade offense of voluntary manslaughter. The State did not request the trial court to charge the lesser grade offense of voluntary manslaughter. The jury was ultimately unable to reach a verdict. When polled, the jury stated that they found Appellant not guilty of second degree murder, but were unable to reach a verdict as to whether he was guilty of voluntary manslaughter. The trial court declared a mistrial on the voluntary manslaughter charge. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/hunterbj_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. BRIAN J. HUNTER Court:TCCA Judge:HAYES First Paragraph: Because I find that an instruction on the lesser grade offense of voluntary manslaughter was not warranted by the proof presented at trial, I am unable to join with the majority's conclusion. Accordingly, I would reverse and remand for dismissal of the indictment. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/hunterb_dis.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. DONNIE ALFRED JOHNSON Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: RAYMOND L. IVEY JOHN KNOX WALKUP P. O. Box 229 Attorney General and Reporter Huntingdon, TN 38344 MARVIN E. CLEMENTS, JR. Assistant Attorney General 425 Cordell Hull Builiding, 2nd Floor Nashville, TN 37243-0493 ROBERT RADFORD District Attorney General P. O. Box 686 Huntingdon, TN 38344 Judge:SMITH First Paragraph: On October 17, 1996, a Benton County jury found Appellant, Donnie Alfred Johnson, guilty of failure to appear, driving under the influence of an intoxicant, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver or sell, and possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia. The trial court sentenced Appellant to eleven months and twenty-nine days (all but six months suspended) for failure to appear, to eleven months and twenty-nine days for driving under the influence of an intoxicant, to one year as a Range I standard offender for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver or sell, and to eleven months and twenty-nine days for possession of drug paraphernalia. The last three sentences were ordered to be run concurrently to each other and consecutive to the six months for failure to appear, for an aggregate sentence of one year and six months incarceration. Appellant appeals from those convictions, raising several issues: 1) whether the trial court erred in refusing to suppress the evidence found by a police officer who stopped Appellant outside of the officer's jurisdiction; 2) whether the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury as to the law regarding police jurisdiction; 3) whether the trial court erred in allowing the introduction of marijuana seized from Appellant into evidence despite the State's failure to prove a chain of custody; 4) whether the trial court erred in upholding the jury verdict for possession of drug paraphernalia despite the fact the paraphernalia was not introduced into evidence. After a careful review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/johnsod_opn.WP6
LARRY JUNIOR KEATON VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: HENRY D. FINCHER JOHN KNOX WALKUP 15 South Jefferson Avenue Attorney General & Reporter Cookeville, TN 38501 KAREN M. YACUZZO Assistant Attorney General 2nd Floor, Cordell Hull Building 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243 WILLIAM EDWARD GIBSON District Attorney General ANTHONY J. CRAIGHEAD Assistant District Attorney General 145 South Jefferson Avenue Cookeville, TN 38501 Judge:WOODALL First Paragraph: The Petitioner, Larry Junior Keaton, appeals the order of the Dekalb County Criminal Court dismissing his petition for post-conviction relief. Petitioner argues the following four (4) issues in this appeal: 1. Whether Petitioner's right to due process was violated by both the State not giving notice of its intent to dismiss a count in the indictment for the sale of a certain drug and by the State's reference to that certain drug during trial; 2. Whether the State's closing argument at trial was proper; 3. Whether the career offender statute is constitutional; 4. Whether the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury as to a lesser included offense; and 5. Whether Petitioner's trial counsel was ineffective. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/keatonlj_opn.WP6
LARRY JUNIOR KEATON VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Judge:Wade First Paragraph: Except for the conclusion that the failure to instruct a lesser included offense is not a constitutional abridgement, I concur entirely with the majority opinion. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/keatonlj_con.WP6
MICHAEL MARTIN VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Judge:SUMMERS First Paragraph: This matter is before the Court upon motion of the state to affirm the judgment of the trial court pursuant to Rule 20, Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. This case represents an appeal from the trial court's denial of the petitioner's petition for writ of habeas corpus. The petitioner pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 1996 and received a ten year sentence. No appeal was taken. In his present petition, the petitioner claims that counsel did not fully explain the conditions of his plea. The trial court found that "[t]he petitioner's allegations as to what his counsel did or did not tell him is not proper subject for habeas corpus relief." URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/martin_ord.WP6
DERRICK E. MEANS VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: Randall B. Tolley John Knox Walkup 242 Poplar Avenue Attorney General & Reporter Memphis, TN 38103 425 Fifth Avenue, North Nashville, TN 37243-0493 Peter M. Coughlan Assistant Attorney General 425 Fifth Avenue, North Nashville, TN 37243-0493 William L. Gibbons District Attorney General 201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 301 Memphis, TN 38103 C. Alanda Horne Assistant District Attorney General 201 Poplar Avenue, Suite 301 Memphis, TN 38103 Judge:PER CURIAM First Paragraph: The petitioner, Derrick E. Means, appeals the trial court's denial of post-conviction relief. The issue presented for our review is whether the petitioner's guilty pleas were knowingly and voluntarily made. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/meansde_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. JAMES R. MOSS Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: Richard W. DeBerry John Knox Walkup Assistant District Public Defender Attorney General & Reporter 24th Judicial District 117 North Forrest Avenue Marvin E. Clements, Jr. Camden, TN 38320 Assistant Attorney General Criminal Justice Division Cordell Hull Building, 2nd Floor 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243 Judge:BYERS First Paragraph: The defendant, James R. Moss, appeals as of right from the judgment of the Hardin County Circuit Court which denied him probation on two convictions of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud for which he was sentenced to serve three years on each offense concurrently. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/mossjame_cca.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. JAMES C. NICHOLS Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: KARL DEAN JOHN KNOX WALKUP District Public Defender Attorney General & Reporter JEFFREY A. DeVASHER TIMOTHY F. BEHAN Assistant Public Defender Assistant Attorney General (On Appeal) 2nd Floor, Cordell Hull Building 425 Fifth Avenue North ROBERT M. ROBINSON Nashville, TN 37243 MARY GRIFFIN Assistant Public Defenders VICTOR S. JOHNSON, III 1202 Stahlman Building District Attorney General Nashville, TN 37201 (At Trial) NICHOLAS D. BAILEY Assistant District Attorney General Washington Square 222 Second Avenue North, Suite 500 Nashville, TN 37201-1649 Judge:WOODALL First Paragraph: The Defendant, James C. Nichols, appeals as of right from his conviction in the Davidson County Criminal Court. Following a jury trial, the Defendant was convicted of first degree murder and was sentenced as a career offender to serve a life sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction. In this appeal, the Defendant argues the following issues: 1) Whether the trial court erred in denying the Defendant's motion to suppress statements made to the police; 2) Whether the evidence was insufficient to support the Defendant's conviction for first degree murder; 3) Whether the trial court erred in allowing the admission of prior threats by the Defendant against the victim during the State's case-in-chief; and 4) Whether the trial court erred in denying the Defendant's motions (a) for an amended instruction on the range of punishment and (b) to strike the portion of the range of punishment instruction which advises the jury of the minimum length of time Defendant would serve prior to parole eligibility. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/Nichlsjc_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. JAMES C. NICHOLS Court:TCCA Judge:Wade First Paragraph: I concur in the result reached in this case; I write separately only to address the parole eligibility jury instruction. In State v. King, ____ S.W.2d ____ (Tenn. 1998), our supreme court ruled that the charge on parole eligibility and early release was acceptable for the primary reason that the jury was provided the instruction on an "information only" basis. The charge in this instance is distinguishable because the jury was directed to "weigh and consider the meaning of a sentence of imprisonment" and then advised of release eligibility for each offense. In my opinion, when the duty of the jury is to determine only whether the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, an instruction requiring consideration of release eligibility violates due process. As Judge Joe G. Riley wrote in State v. Jason M. Weiskopf, No. 02C01-9611-CR-00381, slip op. at 9 (Tenn. Crim. App., at Jackson, Feb. 4, 1998), app. filed by state, May 6, 1998, it "allows consideration of extraneous information, not adduced as proof [at trial], that in no way relates to [the] determination of guilt or innocence." URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/Nichlsjc_con.WP6
WILLIAM CHARLES PARKER VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: TERESA McCAIG MARSHALL 308 W. Washington Street P.O. Box 459 Paris, TN 38242-0459 FOR THE APPELLEE: JOHN KNOX WALKUP Attorney General and Reporter CLINTON J. MORGAN Assistant Attorney General Cordell Hull Building, 2nd Floor 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243-0493 G. ROBERT RADFORD District Attorney General STEVEN L. GARRETT Assistant District Attorney General 111 Church Street P.O. Box 686 Huntingdon, TN 38344-0686 Judge:RILEY First Paragraph: The petitioner, William Charles Parker, appeals the trial court's denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. He received a life sentence after pleading guilty to first degree murder and now claims the plea was the result of ineffective assistance of counsel. The judgment of the trial court is AFFIRMED. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/parkerwc_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. GARY PRUDE Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: ROBERT A. WAMPLER JOHN KNOX WALKUP P.O. Box 3410 Attorney General and Reporter Memphis, TN 38173-0410 PETER M. COUGHLAN Assistant Attorney General 425 5th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243 JOHN W. PIEROTTI District Attorney General DAN BYER Assistant District Attorney General Criminal Justice Complex, Suite 301 201 Poplar Street Memphis, TN 38103 Judge:WELLES First Paragraph: This is an appeal as of right pursuant to Rule 3 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. The Defendant was convicted on a Shelby County jury verdict of driving while under the influence of an intoxicant (fourth offense) and reckless driving. On this appeal he argues (1) that the trial judge erred by charging the jury regarding criminal responsibility for the conduct of another, and (2) that under the circumstances of this case, the inclusion of this jury instruction violated the Defendant's constitutional right to a unanimous verdict. We find no reversible error and affirm the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/prudegar_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. MIKE RAMSEY Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: JULIE A. MARTIN JOHN KNOX WALKUP P.O. Box 426 Attorney General and Reporter Knoxville, TN 37901-0426 GEORGIA BLYTHE FELNER MACK GARNER Assistant Attorney General District Public Defender 425 5th Avenue North 419 High Street Nashville, TN 37243 Maryville, TN 37804 MIKE FLYNN District Attorney General PHILIP MORTON Assistant District Attorney General 363 Court Street Maryville, TN 37804 Judge:WELLES First Paragraph: The Defendant, Mike Ramsey, appeals as of right pursuant to Rule 3 of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure. He was convicted, upon his pleas of guilty, of two counts of delivery of marijuana, Class E felonies, and one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of resale, a Class B felony. The agreed sentences for the two Class E felonies were two years as a Range I standard offender. The agreed sentence for the Class B felony was eight years as a Range I standard offender. It was further agreed that the two-year sentences were to be served concurrent with each other but consecutive to the eight-year sentence, for an agreed effective sentence of ten years. The manner of service of the sentences was left to the discretion of the trial judge. After conducting a sentencing hearing, the trial judge ordered that the Defendant serve seven months in the county jail for the Class E felonies, followed by a consecutive term of five months in the county jail for the Class B felony, for a total of twelve months in the county jail. The balance of the effective ten-year sentence was ordered to be served in the community corrections program. The Defendant appeals from the trial judge's order that twelve months of the sentences be served in confinement. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/ramseymi_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. ANTHONY E. RICHARDSON Court:TCCA Attorneys: For the Appellant: For the Appellee: Joseph S. Ozment Charles W. Burson 217 Exchange Avenue Attorney General of Tennessee Memphis, TN 38105 and Deborah A. Tullis Assistant Attorney General of Tennessee 450 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243-0493 John W. Pierotti, Jr. District Attorney General and Jerry R. Kitchen Assistant District Attorney General 201 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 Judge:Tipton First Paragraph: The defendant, Anthony E. Richardson, appeals as of right from his conviction by a jury in the Shelby County Criminal Court for first degree murder. The trial court sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. On appeal, the defendant presents the following issues: (1) whether the evidence is sufficient to support the first degree murder conviction; (2) whether the trial court erred by not declaring a mistrial when the prosecutor made biblical references during his closing argument; and (3) whether the trial court properly charged the jury with the flight instruction. We hold that the evidence is sufficient and that the trial court did not commit reversible error. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/richarda_opn.WP6
CARL ROWNTREE VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Attorneys: For the Appellant: For the Appellee: Carl Towntree, Pro Se John Knox Walkup N.E.C.C. #225115 Attorney General and Reporter P. O. Box 5000 Mountain City, TN 37683-5000 Ellen H. Pollack Assistant Attorney General Criminal Justice Division 450 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243-0493 Randall E. Nichols District Attorney General City-County Building Knoxville, TN 37902 Judge:Hayes First Paragraph: The appellant, Carl Rowntree, appeals the Knox County Criminal Court's denial of his petition for post-conviction relief. The post-conviction court summarily dismissed the petition finding the claims alleged were barred by the statute of limitations. After review, we affirm. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/rwntreec_opn.WP6
JERRY D. SAULMON VS. JACK MORGAN, WARDEN Court:TCCA Attorneys: For Appellant: For Appellee: Jerry Dallas Saulmon, pro se John Knox Walkup HCCF FA-211 Attorney General and Reporter 5240 Union Springs Road Whiteville, TN 38075 Elizabeth B. Marney Assistant Attorney General Criminal Justice Division 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243-0493 Judge:WADE First Paragraph: The petitioner, Jerry D. Saulmon, is an inmate in Turney Center in Hickman County. On June 3, 1997, he filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus. Tenn. Code Ann. S 29-21-101, et seq. The trial court denied relief. In this appeal of right, the only issue presented for review is whether the petition was properly dismissed. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/Saulmnjd_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. KEDRICK D. TALIAFERRO, and FABIAN J. TALIAFERRO Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANTS: FOR THE APPELLEE: For Kedrick D. Taliaferro: John Knox Walkup William D. Massey Attorney General & Reporter 3074 East Street Memphis, TN 38128 Elizabeth T. Ryan Assistant Attorney General For Fabian J. Taliaferro: 425 Fifth Avenue North C. Michael Robbins Cordell Hull Building, Second Floor 46 North Third Street Nashville, TN 37243-0493 Suite 719 Memphis, TN 38103 William L. Gibbons District Attorney General Paul F. Goodman Assistant District Attorney General Criminal Justice Complex 201 Poplar Street, Suite 301 Memphis, TN 38103 Judge:SUMMERS First Paragraph: The appellants, Kedrick D. Taliaferro and Fabian J. Taliaferro, appeal their sentences of six years for the 1993 killing of Veto Young. They, along with Kedrick's brother, Ervin J. Johnson, were indicted for first degree murder. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/taliafer_opn.WP6
Samuel Lee Talley VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: SAMUEL LEE TALLEY JOHN KNOX WALKUP W.T.H.S.F. Attorney General and Reporter P. O. Box 1050 Henning, TN 38041-1050 SANDY C. PATRICK Assistant Attorney General 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243-0943 BILL COX District Attorney General 600 Market Street Chattanooga, TN 37402-1972 Judge:Smith First Paragraph: In this appeal of the summary dismissal of his post-conviction petition Appellant, Samuel Lee Talley, asks this Court to review the validity of his conviction entered on July 17, 1991. Appellant was found guilty of the offense of especially aggravated robbery. The court fixed his sentence at twenty-five years in the Department of Correction as a Range I Standard Offender. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/talleysa_opn.WP6
ROBERT LEE TAYLOR VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Judge:SUMMERS First Paragraph: This matter is before the Supreme Court upon the motion of the state to affirm the judgment of the trial court pursuant to Rule 20, Rules of the Court of Criminal Appeals. This case represents an appeal from the dismissal of the petitioner's second petition for post-conviction relief. In 1982, the petitioner was convicted of felony murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The judgment was affirmed on appeal. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/taylo-r1_ord.WP6
R.B. TOBY VS. STATE OF TENNESSEE Court:TCCA Judge:Wade First Paragraph: The petitioner, R.B. Toby, proceeding pro se, appeals as of right from the Sevier County Criminal Court's dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. The record reflects that the petitioner pled guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide, one count of vehicular assault, and one count of violating the Habitual Motor Vehicle Statute on January 13, 1994. By plea agreement, he received an aggregate sentence of fifteen (15) years in the Department of Correction. The sentence included two concurrent ten (10) year sentences for each vehicular homicide conviction, a five (5) year consecutive sentence for the vehicular assault conviction, and a concurrent four (4) year sentence for the habitual motor vehicle offender conviction. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/toby_wpd.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. BETTE J. WATSON Court:TCCA Attorneys: For the Appellant: For the Appellee: James Robin McKinney, Jr. John Knox Walkup One Washington Square Attorney General and Reporter Suite 103 Nashville, TN 37201 Deborah A. Tullis Assistant Attorney General Criminal Justice Division 450 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243-0493 Joseph D. Baugh, Jr. District Attorney General Derek Smith Asst. District Attorney General P. O. Box 937 Franklin, TN 37065-0937 Judge:Hayes First Paragraph: The appellant, Bette J. Watson, was indicted by a Franklin County Grand Jury for the offenses of driving under the influence, second offense, and driving on a revoked license, second offense. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the appellant pled guilty to each of the indicted charges with the sentences to be determined by the trial court. Following a sentencing hearing, the trial court imposed concurrent sixty day periods of incarceration for DUI, second offense, and driving on a revoked license, second offense. The appellant appeals this sentencing decision contending (1) that the court erred by refusing to allow jail credit for her voluntary participation in a private inpatient alcohol treatment program and (2) that she should have received the minimum sentence of forty-five days. After review, we affirm. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/watsonbj_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. GREGORY KEITH WEAVER Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: PETER M. OLSON JOHN KNOX WALKUP OLSON & OLSON, PLC Attorney General & Reporter 114 Franklin Street Clarksville, TN 37040 KAREN M. YACUZZO Assistant Attorney General 2nd Floor, Cordell Hull Building 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243 JOHN WESLEY CARNEY, JR. District Attorney General LANCE BAKER Assistant District Attorney General 204 Franklin Street, Suite 200 Clarksville, TN 37040 Judge:Woodall First Paragraph: The Defendant, Gregory Keith Weaver, appeals as of right from his convictions of DUI, fourth offense, reckless driving, driving on a revoked license, second offense, violating the open container law, and violating the implied consent law following a jury trial in the Montgomery County Criminal Court. In this appeal, Defendant argues that the trial court erred in denying his Motion to Suppress all evidence obtained as a result of the investigatory stop of him immediately preceding his arrest for DUI and the other related offenses. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/weavergk_opn.WP6
STATE OF TENNESSEE VS. TIMOTHY TODD WEBB Court:TCCA Attorneys: FOR THE APPELLANT: FOR THE APPELLEE: Vicki H. Hoover John Knox Walkup Ainley & Hoover Law Offices Attorney General & Reporter 123 N. Poplar Street, Suite A Paris, TN 38242 Marvin E. Clements, Jr. Assistant Attorney General Cordell Hull Bldg., 2d Floor 425 Fifth Avenue North Nashville, TN 37243 Robert "Gus" Radford District Attorney General Todd A. Rose Assistant District Attorney General P.O. Box 686 Huntingdon, TN 38344 Judge:SUMMERS First Paragraph: On August 10, 1996, the appellant, Timothy Todd Webb, was arrested for driving under the influence in Henry County. In March 1997, he was convicted by a jury of driving under the influence (DUI) of an intoxicant in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated S 55-10-401 (Supp. 1996), which is a Class A misdemeanor. The state and the appellant stipulated that the conviction was for a third offense driving under the influence of an intoxicant. At the sentencing immediately following the trial, the court imposed a fine of $1,100, suspended the appellant's driver's license for a minimum of three years, and sentenced the appellant to eleven months and twenty-nine days. The trial court ordered the appellant to serve 120 days in continuous confinement and then enter an alcohol rehabilitation program. The court also noted its intention to suspend the remainder of the appellant's sentence, if he successfully completed the rehabilitation program. URL:http://www.tba.org/tba_files/TCCA/webbtimt_opn.WP6

Feel free to forward this Opinion-Flash on to any attorney you know of with an internet address, who is not a TBALink member. To Join TBALink - Http://www.tba.org/join.html/
Would you like to receive the TBALink Opinion-Flash each day via e-mail?
1) Send an e-mail message to: Opinion-Flash@tba.org
2) In the SUBJECT of the message type: SUBSCRIBE
3) Leave the body of the message blank
Non TBA members are WELCOME to subscribe...it's free!!
Would you like to STOP receiving the TBALink Opinion-Flash?
1) Send an e-mail message to: Opinion-Flash@tba.org
2) In the SUBJECT of the message type: UNSUBSCRIBE
3) Leave the body of the message blank
