ÿWPCÖ …# VUDa %¥ 0(« 0”Ó4g { w@Š Ê 0DÒ 0J 0T` 0^´ 0h 0rz 0|ì 0†h 0î 1u~ U,ó 0dU,ƒB)¯DCØ AMU*h ’ B²žÏv~mvÓë D3¾ 0@ñ AO1Æ€ 0DF D/Š B¹˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 8§ÖhZŠ,Century-WP RegularX($¡¡(D(2´¤$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÒ°ÒÒX°ÒÓ  Óà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóyJÚ 3|x? +,E-.D/0oe12D3Ó€?(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco% Line 7 d!!!!7Border 1dd€-"Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€$ÔÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€$XÔÌÌò òJuly€9,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€$ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó d ”Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$ÝÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÓ  Óà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝFor€a€detailed€explanation€of€the€resolution€of€these€matters€byÏthis€court,€€òòà àsee€Carlton€v.€Carltonóó,€No.€02A01„9207„CH„00196,€1993ÏWL€38200,€at€*7€à à(Tenn.€App.€Sept.€24,€1993).ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò&&&&'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€  X„d&ÓÑ#€  Xd#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€§XXXdìdÈ7Ñœ›à@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌ______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌLINDA€ANN€CARLTON,€€€€€€€€à àà àHaywood€Chancery€No.€9797Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àC.A.€No.€02A01„9503„CH„00050Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,ÌÙ€€ÙœßL€#%";+'h|UÑ` Å `€€Lß›à àà àà àà àà àà àà àHon.€GeorgeÏR.€Ellis,€JudgeÌv.ÌÌJAMES€THOMAS€CARLTON,ÌÌà àDefendant/Appellant.ÌÌHAROLD€F.€JOHNSON,€Jackson,€Attorney€for€Plaintiff/Appellee.ÌÌPAT€H.€MANN,€Jr.,€Brownsville,€Attorney€for€Defendant/Appellant.ÌÌò òòòAFFIRMEDóóó óÌÌOpinion€filed:Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌò òTOMLIN,€Sr.€J.ó óà@ àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÓÓà àThis€current€litigation€is€what€we€shall€call€economic€fallout€fromÏan€earlier€domestic€relations€case.€€Linda€Ann€Carlton€(ð ðplaintiffðð)€filedÏsuit€for€divorce€in€1990€from€James€Thomas€Carlton€(ð ðdefendantðð)€in€theÏChancery€Court€of€Haywood€County.€€In€October€1991,€the€chancellorÏgranted€plaintiff€a€divorce€from€defendant€on€the€grounds€of€cruel€andÍinhuman€treatment,€awarded€joint€custody€œof›€the€partiesðð€28€year„oldÏhandicapped€daughter,€Donna,€with€the€principal€place€of€residence€withÏplaintiff,€divided€the€partiesðð€marital€property,€and€awarded€rehabilitativeÏalimony€and€attorneyððs€fees€to€plaintiff.€€Defendant€appealed€to€this€court.€ÏThe€primary€issues€presented€on€appeal€related€to€the€custody€of€theÏpartiesðð€daughter,€the€division€of€marital€property,€and€the€award€ofÏrehabilitative€€alimony€and€attorneyððs€fees€to€plaintiff.€€The€recordÏreflects€that€the€marital€property€was€valued€in€excess€of€€two€millionÏdollars€($2,000,000),€with€defendant€and€plaintiff€receiving€slightly€overÏone€million€dollars€($1,000,000)€each€as€a€result€of€the€chancellorððsÏdecree.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àThe€relevant€portion€of€this€courtððs€opinion€and€judgment€filedÏSeptember€24,€1993€deals€with€the€trial€courtððs€division€of€the€partiesððÏmarital€property.€€Defendantððs€primary€issue€on€appeal€was€that€the€trialÏcourt€erred€in€awarding€all€of€the€partiesðð€farmland€to€plaintiff.€ÏDefendant€contended€that€the€effect€of€this€award€was€to€reduce€hisÏability€to€earn€a€livelihood.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àThe€record€in€the€trial€court€reflected€that€the€parties€had€eachÏcontributed€substantially€to€the€acquisition€of€the€farmland€that€was€aÍmajor€portion€of€their€marital€property.€€The€record€also€reflected€thatÏthe€majority€of€the€crops€sold€by€the€partiesðð€farm€was€raised€on€landÏowned€by€the€parties.€€The€record€before€this€court€also€reflected€thatÏplaintiff€did€not€object€to€a€division€of€the€farmland€between€the€parties.€ÏStated€another€way,€at€trial,€plaintiff€submitted€a€proposal€to€theÏchancellor€whereby€certain€specific€tracts€would€be€awarded€to€her€andÏothers€would€be€awarded€to€defendant.€€In€exchange€for€giving€up€her€claimÏto€the€tracts€of€land€awarded€to€defendant,€plaintiff€proposed€that€sheÏwould€receive€a€$442,600€promissory€note€payable€over€ten€years€at€oneÏpercent€over€prime€from€defendant,€secured€by€a€mortgage€on€defendantððsÏland.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àWith€the€exception€of€the€award€of€the€9.5€acre€tract€on€which€theÏhouse€and€barns€are€located€to€defendant,€this€court€accepted€the€divisionÏof€property€suggested€by€plaintiff.€€We€therefore€modified€the€trial€courtððsÏdivision€of€marital€property€in€that€regard.× ƒ' ××  ×€€We€concluded€that€the€totalÏvalue€of€the€real€property€awarded€to€defendant€was€$429,200.€€WeÏsubtracted€from€this€amount€the€sum€of€$78,000€in€undistributed€cashÍearnings€from€Poplar€Corner€Farms€(the€name€of€the€partiesðð€farm)€that€weÏfound€had€been€erroneously€awarded€by€the€trial€court€to€defendant.€€WeÏthen€held€as€follows:ÌÓÓÌà8 àWe€therefore€subtract€$78,000€from€$429,200,€leaving€a€totalÏof€$351,200€payable€by€Defendant€to€Plaintiff€over€ten€yearsÏat€one€percent€over€the€prime€interest€rate.€€The€note€is€to€beÏsecured€by€farmland€awarded€to€Defendant€under€the€divorceÏdecree€as€modified€by€this€court.ÌÌÌÌòòCarlton€v€Carltonóó,€No.€02A01„9207„CH„00196,€1993€WL€382002,€at€*7Ï(Tenn.€App.€Sept.€24,€1993).ÌÌÌÓÓà àNo€appeal€was€taken€by€either€party€from€the€opinion€and€judgmentÏof€this€court.€€The€cause€was€remanded€to€the€Chancery€Court€of€HaywoodÏCounty€for€the€implementation€of€the€order€of€this€court.€€From€reviewingÏthis€record€since€the€remand,€it€appears€that€neither€the€trial€court€norÏeither€of€the€parties€have€taken€the€necessary€steps€to€cause€to€beÏexecuted€and€issued€by€defendant€a€promissory€note€payable€to€plaintiff€inÏthe€amount€of€$351,200€at€an€interest€rate€of€one€percent€over€prime,Ïpayable€monthly,€and€secured€by€a€deed€of€trust€constituting€a€first€lienÏagainst€the€real€property€awarded€to€defendant€by€this€court€as€part€of€itsÏmodification€of€the€division€of€marital€property€in€the€original€decree.ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àIn€June€1994€plaintiff€filed€a€petition€entitled€ð ðPetition€AllegingÏContempt€and€a€Motion€for€Enforcement€of€the€Terms€of€the€Orders€of€theÏCourt.ðð€€Insofar€as€is€relevant€to€this€appeal,€plaintiff€contended€thatÏdefendant€was€in€contempt€of€court€for€failing€to€make€monthly€paymentsÏto€her€pursuant€to€the€€divorce€decree€as€modified€by€this€court.€€PlaintiffÏcalled€upon€the€trial€court€to€direct€defendant€to€abide€by€the€orders€ofÏthe€court.€€It€was€further€alleged€that€plaintiff€had€failed€to€make€monthlyÏpayments€for€several€months€in€connection€therewith.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àDefendant€filed€a€response€to€plaintiffððs€petition€in€the€form€of€anÏAnswer,€in€which€he€stated€in€part€as€follows:ÌÓÓÌà8 à4.à àHe€admits€that€the€Court€of€Appeals€ordered€him€to€payÏ$351,200.00€to€the€petitioner€as€set€out€in€paragraphs€11€andÏ12€of€the€petition€but€would€show€to€the€Court€that€the€ten„year€payment€period€was€for€the€benefit€of€the€defendant€andÏnot€the€petitioner€since€she€can€earn€the€same€amount€ofÏinterest€on€other€investments€of€the€proceeds.Ìà8 àÌà8 à5.à àHe€would€show€to€the€Court€that€on€May€18,€1994,€he€hadÏhis€attorney€mail€to€the€attorney€for€the€petitioner€a€check€inÏthe€amount€of€$360,629.48,€a€copy€of€which€is€attached€to€thisÏanswer,€which€represented€the€$351,200.00€plus€$9,429.48Ïinterest.€€He,€therefore,€denies€the€allegations€contained€inÏparagraphs€14,€15,€16€and€17€of€the€petition.ÌÌÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€in€turn€filed€a€pleading€entitled€ð ðResponse€to€AffirmativeÍAllegations€in€Answer,ðð€which€in€relevant€part€reads€as€follows:ÌÓÓÌà8 à4.à àIt€is€admitted€that€there€was€a€letter€from€the€AttorneyÏfor€the€Defendant,€dated€May€18,€1994,€received€in€the€officeÏof€the€attorney€for€the€plaintiff.€€It€was€soon€thereafter€calledÏto€the€attorney€for€the€defendantððs€attention€that€the€letterÏhad€been€received;€however,€there€was€no€check€enclosed.Ìà8 àÌà8 à5.à àThe€attorney€for€the€defendant€was€further€advised€thatÏpayment€in€a€lump€sum€did€not€comply€with€the€Orders€of€theÏCourt€of€Appeals,€and€that€plaintiff€expected€the€payments€toÏbe€made€in€accord€with€the€orders€of€the€Court€of€Appeals.ÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€trial€court€conducted€a€hearing€on€the€issues€raised€by€theseÏpleadings,€at€the€conclusion€of€which€it€stated:ÌÓÓÌà8 àà àOn€the€issue€of€the€land€payment,€the€Court€can€see€theÏbenefit€to€both€parties€of€a€lump€sum€payment,€however,€theÏsame€does€not€appear€to€have€an€option€by€the€decision€of€theÏCourt€of€Appeals,€and€the€Court€finds€that€James€Carlton€mustÏpay€the€$351,200.00€on€a€monthly€basis€at€1€percent€overÏprime€for€a€period€of€ten€years.€€The€Court€further€finds€thatÏMr.€Carlton€has€not€made€his€payment€for€February€1st€throughÏSeptember€1,€1994,€and€gives€Linda€Ann€Carlton€judgment€forÏthe€same€at€1€percent€over€prime€rate€for€each€month.ÌÌÌÓÓà àIn€its€order€entered€following€the€hearing€the€court€stated:ÌÓÓÌà8 àDefendant€shall€pay€to€the€Plaintiff€the€$351,200€awarded€toÏPlaintiff€on€a€monthly€basis€at€1%€over€prime€over€a€period€ofÏten€(10)€years,€as€ordered€by€the€Court€of€Appeals,€WesternÏSection,€Jackson,€in€its€decision€filed€on€the€24th€day€ofÍSeptember,€1993.Ìà8 àÌà8 àPlaintiff€shall€have€Judgment€against€Defendant€for€theÏpayments€due€to€be€made€by€the€Defendant€to€the€PlaintiffÏpursuant€to€the€Orders€of€the€Court€of€Appeals,€WesternÏSection,€at€Jackson,€for€those€payments€due€on€February€1,Ï1994€through€September€1,€1994,€as€indicated€on€the€scheduleÏattached€hereto€and€marked€Exhibit€ð ð1"€to€this€Order,€for€aÏtotal€of€$40,833.93.ÌÌÌÓÓà àOn€appeal€defendant€contends€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€refusingÏto€€allow€him€to€pay€plaintiff€the€indebtedness€of€$351,200€in€one€lumpÏsum€payment.€€However,€in€his€brief€defendant€fails€to€cite€a€single€caseÏas€authority€for€being€entitled€to€the€relief€sought€therein.€€DefendantÏcites€no€authority€for€the€proposition€that€he€may€€prepay€the€debt,€norÏdoes€he€cite€any€authority€for€the€proposition€that€the€trial€court€wouldÏhave€jurisdiction€to€modify€a€final€judgment€of€this€court.€€No€petition€toÏrehear€was€filed€following€the€entry€of€the€earlier€opinion€and€judgmentÏof€this€court€on€September€24,€1993,€nor€was€any€appeal€taken€therefrom.ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àFurthermore,€the€obligation€created€by€this€court€in€the€SeptemberÏ1993€opinion€and€judgment€is€not€one€dealing€with€alimony€or€childÏsupport,€but€is€a€modification€of€the€trial€courtððs€distribution€of€theÏpartiesðð€marital€property.€€Unlike€awards€of€alimony€and€child€support,€theÏtrial€court€does€not€have€continuing€jurisdiction€to€make€changes€in€theÍdistribution€of€marital€property.€€òòSeeóó€T.C.A.€ðð€36„5„101(a)(1)€(Supp.Ï1995).€€This€contention€is€without€merit.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àAccordingly,€we€affirm€the€finding€of€the€trial€court€that€the€lumpÏsum€payment€of€the€land€payment€was€not€an€option€given€by€this€court€andÏthat€defendant€must€pay€the€sum€of€$351,200€to€plaintiff€on€a€monthlyÏbasis€at€1%€over€prime€over€a€period€of€ten€years.€€To€the€extent€that€noneÏof€the€other€judgments€of€the€trial€court€conflict€with€this€holding,€theyÏare€affirmed€as€well.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àThis€court€wishes€to€make€it€clear€to€both€parties,€as€well€as€to€theÏtrial€court€that€in€its€earlier€opinion€it€did€not€give€a€ð ðjudgmentðð€in€favorÏof€plaintiff€against€defendant.€€To€the€contrary,€we€directed€that€plaintiffÏbe€given€a€promissory€note€signed€by€defendant,€payable€monthly€at€aÏspecific€interest€rate€and€secured€by€first€deed€of€trust€on€the€tracts€ofÏland€awarded€to€defendant€as€part€of€the€distribution€of€marital€propertyÏin€our€prior€opinion€and€judgment.€€Upon€remand€it€is€incumbent€upon€of€theÏtrial€court€to€ascertain€that€the€directives€of€this€court€in€its€earlierÏopinion€for€the€distribution€of€the€partiesðð€marital€property€are€carriedÏout.€€Defendant€is€obligated€to€execute€a€deed€of€trust€to€secure€paymentÏof€this€promissory€note,€which€deed€of€trust€shall€constitute€a€first€lienÍupon€the€subject€properties.€€The€trial€court€shall€have€the€obligation€ofÏcalculating€any€credits€for€payments€heretofore€made€by€defendant€towardÏthis€indebtedness€and€said€credits€shall€be€duly€acknowledged€in€a€formÏsatisfactory€to€the€parties.€€Counsel€for€both€parties€are€stronglyÏencouraged€to€cooperate€with€each€other€and€with€the€court€to€bring€thisÏmatter€to€a€close€within€45€days€following€the€date€of€remand€to€the€trialÏcourt.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€has€requested€that€this€court€declare€defendantsðð€appeal€toÏbe€frivolous€and€assess€costs.€€Inasmuch€as€successful€litigants€shouldÏnot€have€to€bear€the€expense€and€vexation€of€groundless€appeals,€theÏappellate€courts€are€empowered€to€award€reasonable€damages,€includingÏlegal€expenses,€against€appellants€whose€appeals€are€frivolous€or€takenÏsolely€for€delay.€€òòSee€Davis€v.€Gulf€Ins.€Groupóó,€546€S.W.2d€583,€586€(Tenn.Ï1977);€T.C.A.€ðð€27„1„122€(1980).€€An€appeal€is€considered€to€be€frivolousÏif€it€is€devoid€of€merit€and€if€it€has€little€chance€of€success.€€òòLiberty€Mut.ÏIns.€Co.€v.€Tayloróó,€590€S.W.2d€920,€922„23€(Tenn.€1979);€òòIndustrial€Dev.€Bd.Ïv.€Hancockóó,€901€S.W.2d€382,€385€(Tenn.€App.€1995).€€In€the€case€before€us,Ïdefendantððs€appeal€presents€no€debatable€questions€of€law€and€is€devoid€ofÏmerit.€€As€already€noted,€defendant€presented€no€legal€authorities€for€theÍrelief€which€he€sought€in€his€brief,€nor€was€defendantððs€counsel€able€toÏpresent€any€to€this€court€at€time€of€oral€argument.€€Accordingly,€we€holdÏthat€this€appeal€is€frivolous€and€remand€the€matter€to€the€trial€court€for€aÏhearing€for€the€purpose€of€assessing€damages€and€costs€pursuant€to€T.C.A.Ïðð€27„1„122.ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àHaving€previously€stated€our€affirmance€of€the€decree€of€theÏchancellor,€this€cause€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€furtherÏproceedings€not€inconsistent€with€€this€opinion.€€Costs€in€this€cause€onÏappeal€are€taxed€to€defendant,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓÌà à€€Ïà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àTOMLIN,€Sr.€J.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHIGHERS,€J.à àà à€€€€€(CONCURS)ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àFARMER,€J.à àà à€€€€€(CONCURS)Ì