ÿWPCî …# VUFa %§ 0@­4í  w@ DSX C« n­Å r 0Jr 0T¼ 0^ 0hn 0rÖ 0|H 0†Ä 0J 1uÚ U,O 0d{ BßU,üU6(B)^DC‡ D3Ê AMýU*J 0@tD´v~øvÓv AOIƘ 0D^ D/¢ BјHP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀäÌÀÀÌÀä0 <¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  Ó©U!¡Ó 3|x\ HDIJKLMUNOEPQÓ€O,IV Borderdd÷ÿdÿÿÿd«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXXxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ d< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d((((7Border 1dd%%%%'ÿÿdxd€-)Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò :Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÔ€,ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌò òAugust€21,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€,ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(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€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€&&X„d&ÓÑ#€&&Xd#ÑÔ€'ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ ¸ ÑÑ Ü ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€9¶XXdÖXXdÖ7ÑÙ€€ÙßL€+.);+'h|` ¤ `€€Lß›à@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌœGAYLEY›€HESTER,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àANDERSON€CIRCUITÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9601„CV„00028Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€JAMES€B.€SCOTT,€JR.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌTITAN€WHEEL€INTERNATIONAL,€INC.,)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌœDYNEER›€CORPORATION,€and€œDICO›€€€€)ÌTIRE,€INC.,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellants€€)ÌÌÌÌÌDONALDSON€M.€œLEAKE›€and€JAMES€E.€WINTERS,€œKramer›,€œRayson›,€œLeake›,ÏœRodgers›€&€Morgan,€Knoxville,€for€the€appellants.ÌÌÌWILLIAM€S.€œLOCKETT›,€JR.,€and€NATASHA€K.€œMETCALF›,€œKennerly›,€Mont…gomery€&€Finley,€P.C.,€Knoxville,€for€the€appellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà€ àMcMurray,€J.ÌÌà àThis€is€a€contract€action€based€upon€an€alleged€breach€of€aÏtermination€of€employment€contract€by€the€defendants.€€The€caseÏwas€tried€before€a€jury€and€a€verdict€was€rendered€in€favor€of€theÏplaintiff€awarding€damages€in€the€amount€of€$25,840.00.€€JudgmentÏwas€duly€entered€thereon.€€The€defendants€appeal.€€We€affirm€theÏjudgment€of€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff€was€an€employee€of€the€defendants€as€the€"humanÏresources€director."€€Sometime€in€1992,€the€plaintiff€was€informedÏthat€there€were€problems€with€his€job€performance€and€that€he€wasÏto€be€terminated.€€The€defendants€had€a€corporate€policy€wherebyÏterminated,€salaried€employees€were€entitled€to€a€severance€pack…age.€€Mr.€Hines,€president€of€Dico€Tire€and€Mr.€Hester€negotiatedÍa€rather€generous€severance€agreement.€€The€agreement€was€reducedÏto€writing.€€It€was€signed€by€both€Mr.€Hines€and€Mr.€Hester.€ÏApparently€both€signed€the€document€before€a€notary€public.€€TheÏlast€provision€in€the€agreement€provided€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓà8 àYou€may€accept€this€offer€by€signing€this€letter€and€theÏenclosed€release€before€a€Notary€Public€and€returningÏthe€enclosed€release€to€me€in€the€envelope€provided.ÌÌÓÓÌà àThe€letter€was€signed€as€"Accepted€this€œ7th›€day€of€September,Ï1993."€€Apparently€the€release€referred€to€in€the€letter€was€not€Ïsigned€by€Mr.€Hester€nor€demanded€by€Mr.€Hines.€€Mr.€Hester€testi…fied€that€he,€Mr.€Hines€and€the€notary€publics€were€all€presentÏwhen€the€letter€was€signed.€€Mr.€Hester€further€testified€that€heÏwas€never€presented€a€release€to€be€signed.€€Mr.€Hines,€in€hisÏtestimony,€confirmed€that€he€had€never€presented€a€release€to€Mr.ÏHester€for€execution.ÌÌà àMr.€Hines€testified€that€he€negotiated€the€agreement€with€Mr.ÏHester.€€He€stated€that€Mr.€Hester€kept€the€original€and€he€a€copyÍwhich€he€secreted€in€his€desk€drawer€files.€€He€explained€that€hisÏpurpose€in€keeping€the€agreement€a€secret€was€because€it€wasÏbeyond€the€normal€employment€policy€of€the€company€and€that€heÏdidn't€want€other€people,€subordinates,€to€have€access€to€it.Ì€€Ìà àThe€defendants€performed€under€the€agreement€as€signed€untilÏlate€1993.€€Thereafter,€they€refused€to€honor€the€agreement.€€ThisÏaction€resulted.ÌÌà àThe€existence€and€terms€of€the€agreement€were€subsequentlyÏdiscovered€by€Mr.€Harlan€Smith,€acting€president€of€Dico€Inc.€€Mr.ÏHines€testified€that€Mr.€Smith€instructed€him€to€have€a€new€agree…ment€drafted.€€A€new€agreement€was€drafted€after€the€original€hadÏbeen€signed€but€the€new€agreement€was€not€executed€by€Mr.€Hester.ÌÌà àThe€defendants€defended€the€action,€generally€stated,€on€theÏgrounds€that€no€valid€contract€existed€between€them€and€Mr.ÏHester.€€At€the€close€of€the€plaintiff's€proof€and€again€at€theÏclose€of€the€defendants'€proof,€the€defendants€moved€for€a€direct…ed€verdict€on€the€ground€that€there€was€no€consideration€to€sup…port€the€contract.€€The€motion€was€denied€and,€as€noted€above,€theÏjury€resolved€the€issues€in€favor€of€the€plaintiff.ÌÌà àThe€defendants€seasonably€filed€a€motion€for€a€new€trial.€ÏOne€of€the€grounds€recited€in€the€motion€for€new€trial€was€thatÏthere€was€a€lack€of€consideration€between€the€parties€to€theÏseparation€agreement€executed€by€Robert€Hines€and€Gayley€Hester.ÌÌà àIt€is€this€issue€that€is€presented€to€this€court€for€review,Ïòòi.eóó.,€"Did€the€trial€court€err€in€denying€defendants/appellants'Ïmotion€for€a€directed€verdict€because€there€were€no€disputedÏissues€relating€to€the€fact€that€Mr.€Hester€failed€to€supply€theÏrequisite€consideration€embodied€in€the€purported€September€7,Ï1993€letter€agreement?"ÌÌà àWe€review€this€case€under€the€following€well„establishedÏstandards:€€In€ruling€on€a€motion€for€directed€verdict,€the€courtÏmust€take€the€strongest€legitimate€view€of€the€evidence€in€favorÍof€the€non„moving€party.€In€other€words,€the€court€must€remove€anyÏconflict€in€the€evidence€by€construing€it€in€the€light€most€favor…able€to€the€non„movant€and€discarding€all€countervailing€evidence.€ÏThe€court€may€grant€the€motion€only€if,€after€assessing€the€evi…dence€according€to€the€foregoing€standards,€it€determines€thatÏreasonable€minds€could€not€differ€as€to€the€conclusions€to€beÏdrawn€from€the€evidence.€If€there€is€any€doubt€as€to€the€properÏconclusions€to€be€drawn€from€the€evidence,€the€motion€must€beÏdenied.€€òòSeeóó€òòHolmes€v.€Wilsonóó,€551€S.W.2d€682,€685€(Tenn.€1977)Ïand€òòœGann›€v.€International€Harvester€Co.€of€Canada,€Ltdóó.,€712ÏS.W.2d€100,€105€(Tenn.€1986).ÌÌà àThe€trial€court€was€of€the€opinion€that€there€was€sufficientÏproof€to€submit€the€case€to€the€jury.€€In€a€colloquy€between€theÏcourt€and€counsel€at€the€time€if€the€defendants'€renewal€of€theirÏmotion€for€directed€verdict€at€the€close€of€all€the€proof€theÏcourt€stated:€€"The€court€is€going€to€rule€that€consideration€isÏnot€the€question,€as€I€stated.€€The€question€is€whether€or€notÍthere€was€a€fulfillment€of€the€total€meeting€of€the€minds€whenÏsigning€a€release€and€sending€it€in€at€the€same€time.€œ..."›ÌÌà àUpon€review€of€the€evidence,€we€agree€with€the€court's€obser…vations.€€There€is€sufficient€evidence€to€infer€that€the€defen…dants'€agent,€Mr.€œHines,›€acquiesced€in€the€failure€of€the€plain…tiff€to€execute€and€deliver€a€release€to€the€defendants.€€WeÏfurther€find€that€there€is€sufficient€evidence€in€the€record€toÏsupport€a€finding€that€the€defendants€themselves€acquiesced€in€theÏagreement€as€written€by€performing€a€substantial€part€of€theÏcontract.€€Thus,€we€find€that€there€is€material€evidence€to€sup…port€the€verdict€of€the€jury.ÌÌà àAccordingly,€the€case€if€affirmed€in€all€respects.€€Costs€areÏtaxed€to€the€appellants€and€this€cause€is€remanded€to€the€trialÏcourt€for€the€collection€thereof.ÌÌÌÓÓà€ à______________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌœHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.Ì›Ì___________________________________ÌClifford€E.€Sanders,€Sp.€JudgeÌÌœÇÑ  ÑÑ7€;1XXd×XXd×7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌGAYLEY€HESTER,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àANDERSON€CIRCUITÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9601„CV„00028Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€JAMES€B.€SCOTT,€JR.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌTITAN€WHEEL€INTERNATIONAL,€INC.,)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌDYNEER€CORPORATION,€and€DICO€€€€)ÌTIRE,€INC.,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellants€€)ÌÌÌ€Ìà@ àò òòòORDERóóó óÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Anderson€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÍUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€thatÏthere€was€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà àAccordingly,€the€case€if€affirmed€in€all€respects.€€Costs€areÏtaxed€to€the€appellants€and€this€cause€is€remanded€to€the€trialÏcourt€for€the€collection€thereof.ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€PER€CURIAMÌ›