WPC{  4Vj 0(yw@ 0l 0DU 0J 0T 0^7 0h 0r 0|o 0 0q 1u UBv % 0d AM" o Lv~U6B): BcDC AMU*U>: D3x 0Xv AO% 0D D// B^ U!3|x($ DDDDӀ((3$ !      0  (#$  0  2 0Indent123  2" 0Indent20 23  2, 0Indent30 0 23  26 0Indent40 0 0 23  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23   ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)<6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXP 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X-%C << G  !  #d#"  ''   YYY FILED'X October29,1996CecilCrowson,Jr.'AppellateCourtClerk  B !#d#"       "Thesestatements,includedintheCourtsorders[Green,T.R.0 184193;CokerT.R.135243],includedthefollowing:0 Iamfilingalawsuittodayagainstyourattorney.Nowhewillbegintopayforhismistakesratherthanbenefitfromthem .0 IfI[dropdead],Iveinstructedmywifetodoonething:totaketheinsurancemoneyandgooutandhireasmanyattorneysasittakestomakesurethatMr.Cokerpaysthepriceforwhathehasdonetome. 0 IamnotgoingtogooutandhirehighpricedattorneystofightacasewhichIknowIhaveachanceoflosing. 0 IhaveanotherlegitimatelawsuitthatImin.Idontneedthiskindofaggravation,butIwillnotmakeitgoaway. 0 WhetherIwinorlose...itsgoingtocostyoumoney,notjustBennyGreen,thatsthereasonImdoingit. 0 Nomatterwhathappens,whatMr.Greencomesbackwith,nomatterifthiscasegetsdismissedornot,Illcomebackwithanotherone.Illcomebackwithanotherone.IwillkeepMr.GreenandMr.Cokerincourtfortherestofmynaturallife.   !#d#"       #`  XL X#Ӏ"Namingtheconductthatisthebasisofthesanctionsisrequiredby0 11.03(3).Makingthedeterminationofexpensescausedbytheviolationoftheruleandassuringthatthecostsbereasonableandappropriateisrequiredby11.03(2).PtPtHP(HPP  '<  9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d d####7Border 1dd-%C << G<  9p`(Arial<  9p`(&Times New Roman$$$$'dxd(0"$       Styl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   BA Op Geneva  BA Op Geneva -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd ! . "        \RA'\7XXdd7L%;+'h|`  `Lߛ̀@ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE@ EASTERNSECTION KYLEA.JUSTICE,   )C/ANO.03A019606CV00191      ) PlaintiffAppellant, )ANDERSONLAW      )v.      )HON.WILLIAME.LANTRIP,      )JUDGEJOSEPHG.COKER,   )      )AFFIRMEDAND DefendantAppellee.  )REMANDED      )______________________________)      )KYLEA.JUSTICE,   )C/ANO.03A019606CV00192      ) PlaintiffAppellant, )ANDERSONLAW      )v.      )HON.WILLIAME.LANTRIP,      )JUDGEBENNYGREEN,KENNETHJAROCKI, )andKELLYJAROCKI,Ownersof )K.B.STAVES,    )      )AFFIRMEDAND DefendantsAppellees. )REMANDEDVICPRYOR,BASISTA,PRYOR&BALLOFF,Jacksboro,forPlaintiffAppellant.JOSEPHG.COKER,Jacksboro,forDefendantsAppellees.@ OPINION @         Franks.J.)  "Thesecasesarecombinedonappealbecauseoftherelationshipoftheparties,andtheissuespresented.  AppellantJusticewasthePlaintiffinacontractdisputebetweenhimandtheownersofK.B.Staves(AppelleesBennyGreen,KennethJarocki,andKellyJarocki).AppelleeJosephCokerrepresentedtheownersofK.B.Stavesinthatlitigation.  AppellantsuedtheownersonacontracttheoryandsuedCokerallegingthathehadattemptedtodenyJusticedueprocess,actedwithconductunbecominganofficeroftheCourt,andattemptedjudicialblackmailtopreventappellantfrompursuingalegalright.  TheTrialJudgedeterminedtheclaimsweremadeforimproperpurposes,werenotwarrantedbylaw,werefrivolousandwithoutmerit.Heawardedmonetarysanctions,basedlargelyonappellantsownstatements    .   First,appellantarguesthatheshouldnothavetopaysanctions,becausehewas followingtheadvice oftheGeneralSessionsCourt.HenotesthatwhentheGeneralSessionsRefereewasdismissinghisclaims,theRefereestated Imgoingtorecommendtoyouis,youcannowimmediatelyappealthisuptoCircuitCourtandhaveitjoinedwiththisdocketnumber. Appellantarguesthatheshouldnotbepenalizedforfollowingtheadviceofthecourtandpursuingthissuit.  ARefereesattemptstoassistaproselitigantwithproceduredonotpreventothercourtsfromawardingsanctions.SeegenerallyBledsoeCountyv.McReynolds,703S.W.2d123(Tenn.1985);alsoseeElizabethonHousingandDevelopmentAgency,Inc.V.Price,844S.W.2d614(Tenn.App.1992).AppellantspositiveinterpretationoftheRefereesdismissalofhiscasewasathisownperil.   AstotheGreencase,appellantarguesthatnosanctionsshouldhavebeenassessedagainsthimbecausehissuitclaimedbreachoforalcontract,a valid,recognizedlegaltheory. However,theroleofRule11isnottodeterminewhetheraparticularvalidlegaltheoryisadvanced,butisrathertodiscouragethefilingofsuitsfor anyimproperpurpose,suchastoharassortocauseunnecessarydelayorneedlessincreaseinthecostsoflitigation.... TennesseeRulesofCivilProcedure,11.02(1).  WereviewtheassessmentofsanctionsbyexaminingwhethertheTrialCourtabusedhisdiscretion.Krugv.Krug,838S.W.2d197(Tenn.App.1992).Areviewoftherecordshowsthatthissuitwasthethirdinaseriesofsuits,andwas,byAppellantsownrepeatedϜadmissions,directedatharassingAppellees.TheTrialCourtdidnotabusehisdiscretioninawardingsanctions.  AstoCoker,appellantarguesthatfederalcriteria,promulgatedbycourtsinterpretingFederalRulesofCivilProcedure,11,shouldgoverntheassessmentofsanctionsinTennessee.HecitesparticularlyaFifthCircuitcaseholdingthatfactorstobeconsideredinclude:whatconductisbeingpunishedorissoughttobedeterred,whatexpensesorcostswerecausedbytheviolationoftherule,werethecostsreasonableandmitigated,wasthesanctiontheleastseveresanctionadequateorwasitoverlyharsh?Topalianv.Ehrman,3F.3d931,937(5thCir.,1993).  ThelanguageusedinthefederalandstateversionsofRule11isidenticalandTennesseecourtshavelookedtothefederalcourtsinterpretationsforguidance.Andrewsv.Bible,812S.W.2d284(Tenn.1991);butseeConTech,Inc.v.Sparks,798S.W.2d250(Tenn.App.1990).However,itisnotnecessarythatweformallyadoptthefactorsorcriteriacitedbyAppellant.ThefactorsmentionedinTopaliancomewithinthelanguageoftheruleitself.    ׀  AreviewofthisrecordshowsthatappellantfiledanonmeritorioussuitsothatCokerwould begintopay andthatheintendedtokeepCokerincourt fortherestofmynaturallife. TheTrialCourtdidnotabusehisdiscretioninassessingsanctionsagainstappellant.  Appelleesseekanawardforcostsandattorneysfeesonthebasisthattheappealisfrivolous.Afrivolousappealisonedevoidofmerit,oronewherethereislittleprospectthatanappealcaneversucceed.IndustrialDevelopmentBoardofCityofTullahomav.Hancock,901S.W.2d382(Tenn.1995).Afactualorlegaldisputewillprecludeanawardofdamagesforafrivolousappeal.Andersonv.DeanTruckLine,Inc.,682S.W.2d900,902(Tenn.1984).AppellantsargumentagainstGreenandothers,thathecouldnotbesuedforallegingarecognizedcauseofaction,hadnobasisinlawandweconcludetheappealtobefrivolous,pursuanttoT.C.A.271122.AppellantsappealastoCoker,thatmorestringentfederalstandardsmightapplytoRule11,hadsomesupportforitsreasoningandthisappealisfoundnottobefrivolous.  ThejudgmentsoftheTrialCourtareaffirmed,andthecausesremandedwithcostsoftheappealassessedtoappellant,andtheTrialCourtisdirectedtoassessdamagesinaccordancewithT.C.A.271122intheGreen,etal.,case.      ________________________      HerschelP.Franks,J.CONCUR:___________________________̜DonT.McMurray,J.̛___________________________̜CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,J.̛