WPCA U*u?() "s_ފeE.N0WtN~6޽a"SWdзuDpIz>ox|)uo5 (# F V-OGw)۹*FտՈ"(;A Jri6 AE$@6'?$>L Jd,׬qn O[45gV~QBo5+TB !Q4z`;YMcSQ ˄T"v8s2 ILH}P\ji&x:sF;-# F UNQ % 0( UF UP UFc  0l 0D,UFpw@4 UF?UF(nUF U:UF D3 B;; 0DXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX AO 0D D/ B$HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPT0 (hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($<09Z .Courier New Regular&@FZ 8CaslonOpnface BT Regular<09Z .Courier New Regular   $    1     X XXX }X X Thethirdcomplaintisvagueastowhetherbothoronlyoneofthe P  plaintiffssustainedpersonalinjuriesintheaccident.Itallegesa lossofconsortium,butitisnotclearwhichoftheplaintiffsisassertingthisclaim.Whatisclearfromthethirdcomplaintisthatbothplaintiffswereintheirvehiclewhenitwasstruckbyavehicledrivenbythedefendant.((3$ !      0  (#$  0  <09Z .Courier New Regular DDDDUVDӀU!B3|x   $    2    XXXXXXT.C.A.281105providesasfollows: P    8 ` Iftheactioniscommencedwithinthetimelimitedbyaruleorstatuteoflimitation,butthejudgmentordecreeisrenderedagainsttheplaintiffuponanygroundnotconcludingtheplaintiffsrightofaction,orwherethejudgmentordecreeisrenderedinfavoroftheplaintiff,andisarrested,orreversedonappeal,theplaintiff,ortheplaintiffsrepresentativesandprivies,asthecasemaybe,may,fromtimetotime,commenceanewactionwithinone(1)yearafterthereversalorarrest...<09Z .Courier New Regular  $    3    XXXXXXTheoneyearanniversaryoftheaccident,December22,1991,wasa P  Sunday.<09Z .Courier New Regular   $    4    XXXXXXRule3wasamendedeffectiveJuly1,1995.Amongotherchanges,the P  amendmenteliminatedtherecommencementprovision.<09Z .Courier New Regular X`XXX;XX`   Ad FILEDX`X;   October30,1996  CecilCrowson,Jr.q XX`AppellateCourtClerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular   $    5    XiRXXXXXiRWhilethedismissalwasexpressedtobewithoutprejudice,thisdoes P  notalterthefinalityofthedismissalinthiscaseasfarastherighttorefileisconcerned.Cf. Paynev.Matthews ,633S.W.2d494,496(Tenn.App.   1982).<09Z .Courier New Regular++++'dxd d(3$ !  -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd !  ݛP X XXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T7XXdd7  @| | INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE P  CAROLYNJ.HUNT,andhusband,    )C/ANO.03A019605CV00170 ~. FRANKHUNT,    h     )HAMILTONCO.CIRCUITCOURT T    `     h     )r*<,(j 8` `@E` ttx$ rߛ   ` PlaintiffsAppellants,  )     `     h     )   `     h     )   `     h     )   `     h     )v.   `     h     ) .     `     h     )   `     h     )   `     h     )   `     h     )MARKJ.SHAW,    h     ) \     `     h     )HONORABLESAMUELH.PAYNE,   ` DefendantAppellee.    )JUDGE  ForAppellants    h     ForAppellee 6 JOHNM.WOLFE,JR.   h     JOHNT.RICE   Chattanooga,Tennessee h     KENE.JARRARD !h    `     h     Rice,Kreitzer&Winer,P.C.   `     h     Chattanooga,TennesseeXXXX  ]1 XX@$OPINIONXX  ]1X XXXԈ l-#* AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED h      p      x Susano,J.  44*2    ` Overaperiodof391/2months,theplaintiffs,CarolynJ.Huntandherhusband,FrankHunt,filedthreeseparatecomplaintsinthetrialcourtagainstthedefendantMarkJ.Shaw.ϜThecomplaintswereidenticalinsubstance;eachsoughtdamagesarisingoutofpersonalinjuries  #  1      כsustainedinanautomobile  accidentonDecember22,1990.Thetrialcourtgrantedthedefendantsmotiontodismiss.Theplaintiffsappealed.Thebasicissuebeforeusiswhetherthethirdcomplaintwastimelyfiled.Theplaintiffsalsoseemtoarguethattheirsecondlawsuitwasproperlyservedand,furthermore,wasneverformallydismissed.@*I   ` TheplaintiffsthirdlawsuitcontainsthefollowingϜparagraphasa preambletothecomplaint:  8 ` ThePlaintiffsfirstsuitwasfiledtimelyonDecember23,1991.ThecasewasassignedtoDivisionIIoftheHamiltonCountyCircuitCourt,HonorableSamuelPaynepresiding.JudgePaynesignedandenteredanOrderofVoluntaryNonsuitonApril6,1993.ThecasewastimelyrefiledonApril6,1994,andwasassignedtoDivision4oftheHamiltonCountyCircuitCourt,HonorableWilliamBrownpresiding.Noserviceofprocesscouldbemade,astheDefendantwasnotattheaddressatwhichhewasfirstserved.ThissuitisbeingfiledexactlyoneyearlaterinhopesϜ[sic]ofservingtheDefendant. ` `    F3(1 Thedefendantfiledamotiontodismissassertingthatthethird lawsuitwastimebarred.Inhismotion,hecorrectlypointedoutthattheplaintiffssecondlawsuit,filedpursuanttotheTennesseesavingsstatute,T.C.A.281105,  %  2      כhadbeendismissed P  effectiveMarch18,1995.Hereliedonmattersoutsidethepleadings.PursuanttotheprovisionsofRule12.02,Tenn.R.Civ.P.,wemusttreatthemotiontodismiss asoneforsummaryjudgmentanddispose[]of[it]asprovidedinRule56.Thedefendantisentitledtosummaryjudgment ifthepleadings,depositions,answerstointerrogatories,andadmissionsonfile,togetherwiththeaffidavits,ifany,showthatthereisnogenuineissueastoanymaterialfactandthatthemovingpartyisentitledtoajudgmentasamatteroflaw.Rule56.03,Tenn.R.Civ.P.   + # @tt)II   ` TheplaintiffsfirstlawsuitwastimelyfiledonDecember23,1991.  %  3      ׀Itwasservedonthedefendant.Thefirst  lawsuitwasterminatedonApril6,1993,bytheentryofanorderofvoluntarynonsuit.   ` OnApril6,1994,theplaintiffsfiledtheirsecondlawsuit.TheyconcedeitwasfiledpursuanttotheTennesseesavingsstatute.ItappearsfromtherecordbeforeusthatthesecondlawsuitwasdismissedeffectiveMarch18,1995.OnApril6,1995,thethirdlawsuitwasfiled.Ascanbeseen,thethirdlawsuitwasfiledayeartothedayteafterthefilingofthesecondlawsuit.@88)III   ` Wefindandholdthatthethirdlawsuitwasnottimelyfiled.Itwasoutsidetheoneyearperiodoflimitationsapplicabletopersonalinjuryactions.SeeT.C.A.283104. -#& МFurthermore,sinceitwasfiledmorethanoneyearaftertheorderofvoluntarynonsuitwasenteredonApril6,1993,theplaintiffscannotrelyonthesavingsstatutetovalidatetheirthirdcomplaint.Aswesaidin Paynev.Matthews ,633S.W.2d494 p5 +. (Tenn.App.1982),   8 ` [i]thaslongbeenheldthatafterthetakingofanynonsuittotheoriginalaction,anyadditionalsuitswouldhavetobefiledwithinoneyearofthefirstnonsuittobewithinthepurviewofT.C.A.Sec.281105. ` `  Id.at49596. p     ` TheplaintiffsinsistthattheirthirdlawsuitwastimelyfiledandpointtoRule3,Tenn.R.Civ.P.,asitexisted  %  4      כonthedatethatlawsuitwasfiled:    8 ` Allcivilactionsarecommencedbyfilingacomplaintandsummonswiththeclerkofthecourt.Anactioniscommencedwithinthemeaningofanystatuteoflimitationsuponsuchfilingofacomplaintandsummons,whetherprocessbeissuedornotissuedandwhetherprocessbereturnedservedorunserved.Ifprocessremainsunissuedfor30daysorifprocessisnotservedorisnotreturnedwithin30daysfromissuance,regardlessofthereason,theplaintiffcannotrelyupontheoriginalcommencementtotolltherunningofastatuteoflimitationsunlesstheplaintiffeither: ` `    8 ` (1)continuestheactionbyobtainingissuanceofnewprocesswithin6monthsfromissuanceofthepreviousprocessor,ifnoprocessissued,within6monthsfromthefilingofthecomplaintandsummons,or ` `    8 ` (2)recommencestheactionwithin1yearfrom p5 +. issuanceoftheoriginalprocessor,ifnoprocess `6,/ issued,within1yearfromthefilingoftheoriginalcomplaintandsummons.@ ` `  Rule3,Tenn.R.Civ.P.(Emphasisadded).TheplaintiffsarguethatunderRule3theycouldkeeptheirsecondlawsuit alivebyreissuingprocesseverysixmonths,whichtheyadmittedlydidnotdo;orbyfilinganewlawsuitwithinoneyearoftheissuanceofϜprocessinthesecondlawsuit.Sincethethirdlawsuitwasfiledwithinoneyearofthefilingofthesecondlawsuit,theyarguethatitsfilingwastimelyunderRule3.Wedisagree.   ` TheformerrecommencementprovisionofRule3wasapplicabletothosesituationswhereaplaintiffassertedthatthefilingofthenewlawsuitwasforthepurposeofenablinghimorhertoclaimthatthenextprecedinglawsuit toll[ed]therunningofastatuteoflimitations.SeeRule3,Tenn.R.Civ. %0 P.Underthe Payne case,theplaintiffsintheinstantaction `' losttheabilityto breathetimelinessintothesecondlawsuitwhenitwasdismissed.Thefirstlawsuithaduseduptheplaintiffsrightsundertheapplicablestatuteoflimitations,andthedismissalofthesecondlawsuitdeprivedtheplaintiffsofeveragainrelyinguponthesavingsstatute.Oncethesecondlawsuitwasdismissed,therewasnothingleftforwhichthestatuteoflimitationscouldbetolled.Rule3doesnotchangethisresult.  @8-1    ` Followedtoitslogicalconclusion,theplaintiffs interpretationofRule3couldresultinaseriesoflawsuits,eachofwhichisrelieduponundertheruletovalidatethenextprecedingsuit.Thisresultissoinconsistentwiththewellestablishedconceptofonlyonefilingunderthesavingsstatuteastorendertheplaintiffsinterpretationnonsensical. Wearerequiredtoconstrueterms[instatutes]reasonablyandnotinafashionwhichwillleadtoanabsurdresult. McClellanv.Board p  ofRegentsofState ,921S.W.2d684,689(Tenn.1996).Rules P suchastheTennesseeRulesofCivilProcedure arelawsofthisstate. TennesseeDept.ofHumanServicesv.Vaughn ,595  S.W.2d62,63(Tenn.1980).@tt)IV   ` Alternatively,theplaintiffsseemtoarguethatthesecondlawsuitwasneverdismissed.TheyclaimthataminuteϜentry,dulycertifiedintherecordbythetrialcourtclerk,isnoteffectivebecause,theyargue,thereisnoorderenteredpursuanttoRule58,Tenn.R.Civ.P.Thatminuteentry,whichspecificallyreferstotheplaintiffssecondlawsuit,aswellasothersuits,providesasfollows:  8 ` Onthecalloftheappearancedocket,theattorneysareallowedthirty(30)days[fromFebruary15,1995]totakeactionintheabove styledcases,orthecauseshallstanddismissed, @8-1 withoutprejudice,  %  5      כwiththecoststaxedagainst P   theplaintiffsandsureties,forwhichexecutionmayissue,ifnecessary. ` `  Wedisagreewiththeplaintiffsassertion.   ` Acourtspeaksthroughitsminutes. InreAdoptionof `  МGillis ,543S.W.2d846,847(Tenn.1976); Jacksonv.Handell ,327 @  S.W.2d55,57(Tenn.App.1959).WehavebeforeusthecertificateoftheclerkofthetrialcourtthatthisminuteentryappearsinBook194,page7oftheminutesofthetrialcourt.TheminuteentrycontainstheclerkscertificatethatacopywasmailedtotheplaintiffsonFebruary15,1995.Theplaintiffsconcedethattheydidnothinginthesecondlawsuitafterthatdate.Bythetermsoftheorder,thesecondlawsuitϜcametoanendonMarch187,1995.   ` Theplaintiffsalsoseemtoarguethattheirsecondlawsuitshouldnothavebeendismissedbythetrialcourtbecause,accordingtothem,processinthatsuitwasproperlyservedontheTennesseeSecretaryofState.Theyrelyupontheholdingin Carrv.Borchers ,815S.W.2d528(Tenn.App.1991). /%(    ` Wecannotreachthisissue.Therecordbeforeusdoesnotcontainanydocumentationcertifiedbytheclerkofthetrial p5 +. courtpertainingtothemodeofserviceofprocess,ifany,inthesecondlawsuit.See Sherrodv.Wix ,849S.W.2d780,783 0  (Tenn.App.1992).Counselfortheappellantscallsourattentiontoanexhibittohisbrief.Thatdocumentisofnohelptotheplaintiffsonthisappeal.DocumentsMattersattachedtoabriefarenotapartoftheofficialrecordonappeal.Basedupontherecordproperlybeforeus,thedefendantisentitledtosummaryjudgment.   ` Theappelleehasaskedustodeclarethatthisappealisfrivolous.Wedeclinetodoso.TherecommencementissueraisedunderRule3,Tenn.R.Civ.P.,wasavalidissue,thatwhichdoesnotappeartohavebeenpreviouslyaddressedonfactssimilartothosepresentedinthiscase.񛀛Themotionisdenied.   ` Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsonappealaretaxedtotheappellants.Thiscaseisremandedtothetrialcourtforthecollectionofcostsassessedbelow,pursuanttoapplicablelaws.Ӝ   `     h     ______________________________   `     h     CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,J.̜  p5 +.   p5 +. CONCUR:_______________________________HoustonM.Goddard,P.J._______________________________DonT.McMurray,J.