ÿWPCf …# VUFa %§ 0@­4í  w@ 0„P 0DÔ  0J 0Tj 0^¾ 0h 0r„ 0|ö 0†r 0ø 1uˆ 0dý U6af—B)ýDC& Bi AM† D3ÓU*,0 0@\9œpÕ+Ev~pvÓî AOÁÆ 0DÖ D/ BI˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLlÎ<¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  ÓR¦"¡Ó 3|xJ 6D7U89:;D<=D>?Ó€(4(3DX$¤¤Ý ƒù!ÝÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ% Line 7 d&&&&7Border 1dd d€-'Cþÿ << Gÿÿ(((('ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(Arial "Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌò òMay€28,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€+ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò /Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòThe€record€before€us€does€not€contain€a€transcript€of€either€theÏhearing€on€the€motion€for€a€continuance€or€the€summary€judgment.óóÌ fÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòThere€is€no€question€but€that€there€would€have€been€a€genuine€issue€ofÏa€material€fact€had€these€affidavits€been€before€the€court€at€the€time€theÏmotion€for€summary€judgment€was€heard.óóÌ !Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòWe€note€that€in€their€brief,€the€›appellants€charge€the€trial€judge€withÏacting€in€ò ò"òòbad€faithóó"ó ó€without€exercising€any€discretion€in€granting€defen…dant's€motion.€€We€believe€that€such€an€assertion,€absent€any€supportingÏevidence€in€the€record€œwhatsoever›€is€beneath€the€dignity€of€an€officer€of€theÏcourt€and€that€such€allegations€should€not€lightly€be€made.óóÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÞ ÞÌÌÑ ä ÑÑ  ћр%ÑÇÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ7€öXXdÖXXdÖ7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌ̜ـ€ÙßR€),'A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` è` ˜XÓROBIN€LETHCO€and€husband,€€€€€)à àBLOUNT€CIRCUIT€ÌÓ ` °œXÓMARK€LETHCO,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9610„CV„00340Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€Plaintiffs„Appellants)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€DALE€YOUNGÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌJOHN€HUFFMAN,€M.D.,€€€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€œ€›€)ÌÌÌÌÌROGER€L.€GILBERT,€Gilbert€and€Faulkner,€Knoxville,€for€Appellants.ÌÌÌD.€MICHAEL€SWINEY€and€WYNN€C.€HALL,€Paine,€Swiney€and€Tarwater,ÏKnoxville,€for€Appellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà€ àMcMurray,€J.ÌÌà àThe€sole€issue€on€this€appeal,€as€stated€by€the€appellant,€isÏwhether€the€trial€court€erred€in€dismissing€this€action€on€motionÏfor€summary€judgment.€€More€properly€stated,€the€issue€is€whetherÏor€not€the€trial€court€abused€œits›€discretion€by€denying€a€motionÏfor€a€continuance€of€the€hearing€for€summary€judgment€or€al‚terna…tively€whether€the€trial€court€abused€its€discretion€in€denyingÏthe€plaintiffs€relief€from€the€summary€judgment.€We€find€no€errorÏon€the€part€of€the€trial€court€and€accordingly€affirm€the€judg…ment.ÌÌà àThis€is€a€medical€malpractice€action.€€The€plaintiffs€filedÏtheir€original€complaint€in€the€Circuit€Court€for€Blount€County€onÏApril€22,€1994.€€The€original€complaint€was€dismissed€by€the€trialÍcourt,€without€prejudice,€for€failure€of€the€plaintiffs€to€timelyÏrespond€to€discovery€requests.ÌÌà àThe€present€action€was€filed€February€7,€1996.€€The€defendantÏfiled€his€answer€on€July€27,€1996,€followed€by€a€motion€for€summa…ry€judgment€filed€July€3,€1996.€€Defendant's€motion€for€summaryÏjudgment€was€supported€by€the€affidavit€of€the€defendant,€JohnÏHuffman,€œM.D.ÌÌà àOur€Supreme€Court€has€clearly€enunciated€the€rule€relating€toÏthe€granting€of€summary€judgment€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà à[T]he›€cases€make€clear€that€the€party€seekingÏsummary€judgment€must€carry€the€burden€of€persuading€theÏcourt€that€no€genuine€and€material€factual€issues€existÏand€that€it€is,€therefore,€entitled€to€judgment€as€aÏmatter€of€law.€(Citations€omitted).€€Once€it€is€shown€byÏthe€moving€party€that€there€is€no€genuine€issue€ofÏmaterial€fact,€the€nonmoving€party€must€then€demon…strate,€by€affidavits€or€discovery€materials,€that€thereÏis€a€genuine,€material€fact€dispute€to€warrant€a€trial.Ï(Citations€omitted).€In€this€regard,€Rule€56.05€providesÏthat€the€nonmoving€party€cannot€simply€rely€upon€hisÏpleadings€but€must€set€forth€specific€facts€showing€thatÏthere€is€a€genuine€issue€of€material€fact€for€trial.€"IfÍhe€does€not€so€respond,€summary€judgment€.€.€.€shall€beÏentered€against€him."€Rule€56.05.ÌÌòòByrd€v.€Hallóó,€847€S.W.2d€208.ÌÌÓÓÌà à€€Suffice€it€to€say€that€the€affidavit€of€Dr.€Huffman€wasÏsufficient€to€demonstrate€that,€absent€countervailing€evidence,€heÏwas€entitled€to€judgment€as€a€matter€of€law.€€Thus,€the€burden€ofÏdemonstrating€that€a€genuine€issue€of€material€fact€existed€fellÏupon€the€plaintiffs.ÌÌà àDefendant's€motion€for€summary€judgment€was€heard€by€theÏcourt€on€August€12,€1996,€at€which€time,€the€plaintiffs€had€failedÏto€produce€any€expert€countervailing€evidence€to€dispute€theÏaffidavit€of€the€defendant,€John€Huffman,€M.D.€€Prior€the€hearingÏon€the€motion€for€summary€judgment,€the€plaintiffs€orally€movedÏthe€court€for€a€continuance€to€allow€them€to€file€a€counter€affi…davit€of€one€Herbert€J.€Dietrich,€Jr.,€M.D.€€The€court€denied€theÏmotion€and€summary€judgment€was€granted€to€the€defendant.× ƒ. ××  ×€Therea…fter,€the€plaintiffs€filed€a€motion€"under€the€provisions€of€RulesÏ59€and€60€T.R.C.P.,"€asking€the€court€to€alter€or€set€aside€theÏprevious€order€granting€summary€judgment€to€the€defendant.€FiledÏsimultaneously€with€the€motion€were€the€affidavits€of€the€plain…tiff,€Robin€Lethco€and€Dr.€Herbert€Dietrich,€a€physician€licensedÏand€practicing€the€same€specialty€as€that€of€the€defendant€in€theÏState€of€Georgia.× ƒ/ ××  ×€€The€motion€was€denied.€This€appeal€resulted.œ× ƒ0 ××  ×ÌÌà àTo€put€the€case€in€proper€perspective,€it€is€necessary€toÏdetail€some€of€the€history€of€the€case.€€As€earlier€noted,€theÏoriginal€action€was€filed€April€22,€1994.€€The€original€complaintÏwas€dismissed€by€the€trial€court,€without€prejudice,€for€failureÏof€the€plaintiffs€to€timely€respond€to€discovery€requests.€€Plain…tiffs'€responses€to€interrogatories€filed€in€the€original€actionÏidentified€Dr.€Herbert€J.€Dietrich,€Jr.,€as€a€physician€who€wouldÏstate€"[t]hat€the€defendant,€Dr.€Huffman,€was€negligent€in€failingÏto€discover€and€treat€the€plaintiff's€condition€when€he€examinedÏher."€€The€interrogatories€were€attested€by€the€plaintiffs€onÏFebruary€14,€1995,€some€18€months€before€the€hearing€on€the€motionÏfor€summary€judgment.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiffs€now€argue€that€their€failure€to€produce€theÏaffidavit€of€Dr.€Detrich€was€beyond€their€control.€€SpecificallyÏthey€state€in€their€brief€that€"[p]rior€to€the€motion€hearing€dateÏof€August€12,€1996,€plaintiffs'€attorney€had€prepared€and€sent€toÏplaintiff€and€her€expert€medical€witness€affidavits.€€As€of€theÏdate€of€the€hearing,€plaintiff€had€not€received€the€executedÏaffidavit€of€the€expert€because€of€unforeseen€delays€in€transmit…tal€which€could€not€be€controlled€by€the€plaintiff."€€We€are€ofÏthe€opinion€that€such€a€vague€argument€is€totally€insufficient€toÏwarrant€a€continuance€of€the€summary€judgment€by€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àThe€matter€of€granting€a€continuance€is€in€the€sound€discre…tion€of€the€trial€judge€and€we€will€not€reverse€unless€there€is€aÏclear€showing€of€abuse.€òòMorrow€v.€Drumwrightóó,€202€Tenn.€307,€304ÏS.W.2d€313€(1957);€òòKerney€v.€Cobbóó,€658€S.W.2d€128€(Tenn.€App.Ï1983).€€There€is€nothing€in€the€record€to€suggest€that€the€trialÏcourt€abused€his€discretion€in€denying€the€continuance.ÌÌà àAs€to€the€plaintiffs'€motion€for€relief€under€the€provisionsÏof€Rule€59€and€Rule€60,€T.R.C.P.,€the€grounds€stated€for€reliefÏare€again€the€vague€assertion€that€the€"affidavit€of€plaintiff'sÏ[sic]€expert€witness€had€not€been€returned€to€plaintiff's€[sic]Ïcounsel€due€to€unforeseeable€transmittal€delays."ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àJudgments€of€Courts€of€record€are€not€to€be€lightlyÏchanged,€altered,€amended€or€set€aside,€but€only€doneÏupon€very€clear,€convincing,€cogent€evidence€that€a€trueÏinjustice€has€been€done€to€the€complaining€party€andÏthat€the€complaining€party€is€in€no€wise€responsible,€orÏtermed€in€another€way,€negligent€in€protecting€thatÏparty's€interest.ÌÌà8 àà àRule€60.02€permits€the€court€to€relieve€a€party€orÏhis€legal€representative€from€a€final€judgment,€order€orÏproceeding€due€to€a€mistake,€inadvertence,€surprise€orÍexcusable€neglect.€The€burden€is€upon€the€movant€to€setÏforth€in€a€motion€or€petition€and€supporting€affidavitsÏfacts€explaining€why€the€movant€was€justified€in€failingÏto€avoid€the€mistake,€inadvertence,€surprise€or€neglect.ÏòòHopkins€v.€Hopkinsóó,€572€S.W.2d€639€(Tenn.1978).€...€.€ÌÌòòTennessee€State€Bank€v.€Layóó,€609€S.W.2d€525€(Tenn.€App.€1980).ÌÌÓÓÌà àWe€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€nebulous€references€to€"un…foreseeable€transmittal€delays"€without€more€is€totally€insuffi…cient€to€warrant€the€relief€sought€by€the€plaintiffs.€€Further,Ïsince€the€plaintiffs€had€more€than€ample€time€to€obtain€the€affi…davit€of€their€expert,€it€cannot€be€said€that€the€plaintiffs€wereÏin€no€way€responsible€for€the€failure€to€present€timely€counter…vailing€evidence€in€response€to€the€motion€for€summary€judgment.€ÏWe€find€no€abuse€of€discretion€on€the€part€of€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€all€respects.€ÏCosts€are€taxed€to€the€appellants€and€this€case€is€remanded€to€theÏtrial€court.ÌÌÓÓà€ à______________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€JudgeÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€JudgeÌÇÑ  ÑÑ7€Ë`XXd×XXd×7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` è` ˜XÓROBIN€LETHCO€and€husband,€€€€€)à àBLOUNT€CIRCUIT€ÌÓ ` °œXÓMARK€LETHCO,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9610„CV„00340Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€Plaintiffs„Appellants)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€DALE€YOUNGÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌJOHN€HUFFMAN,€M.D.,€€€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee€€€)ÌÌÌ€Ìà@ àJUDGMENTÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Blount€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÍUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€thatÏthere€was€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€all€respects.€ÏCosts€are€taxed€to€the€appellants€and€this€case€is€remanded€to€theÏtrial€court.ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€PER€CURIAM